STOPTOBER AND SOBER OCTOBER CHALLENGES BEGIN ACROSS BRITAIN

Stoptober and Sober October, the month-long campaigns encouraging Britons to give up smoking and alcohol respectively, began on 1 October 2026. Organisers and a personal finance report highlighted the potential financial benefit of taking part, alongside the health aims most participants pursue. The report said that completing 31 days without smoking or drinking could save a meaningful sum of money. It added that keeping up both changes beyond October could save £4,135 over a full year, and claimed that investing such savings into a pension over the long term could add as much as £276,000 to a person's retirement pot.

The report cited Office for National Statistics data showing that Britons spend around £15.60 a week on alcoholic drinks, with slightly more than half of that consumed at home. It said smokers spend an average of £63.91 a week on cigarettes, based on an average consumption of 11 cigarettes a day at a cost of 83p each. Combining these figures, the report calculated that someone who gives up both smoking and drinking could save £79.51 a week, or £344.54 over a month.

The report suggested savers place the money into an easy access savings account, recommending one offering an interest rate of at least 4 per cent to maximise returns. It said the savings could form the basis of a rainy-day fund or be put towards a specific purchase. Stoptober and Sober October run as annual campaigns each October, with this year's challenges covering the full month. The report framed the financial saving as a secondary incentive alongside the primary health goals of both campaigns.