You might find that switching to dipping tobacco will help you with nicotine cravings and then you just have to get used to not having a cigarette in your hand. Then you can ween yourself off of the dip. A couple people I know have done it this way.
But you might find yourself simply addicted to dip. Which isn't necessarily all bad. There isn't much risk of cancer. But the constant spitting sucks.
I used the nicotine gum and to use it for a month or so until quit cost substantially more than I would have spent on cigarettes for the same length of time. Maybe twice or three times as much.