Why do we...

[Shelby07]

Why do we buy so many cigars? I look at the pictures of humidors and collections of cigars and wonder why I got caught up in this for a while myself.

About a year ago I cut down drastically on buying cigars and looking for sales. I obviously take advantage of sales when things I want to age or cigars I like and I am low on now and then, but I reached a point about a year ago where I just stopped buying and trading for anything and everything, I looked at my stash and started wondering when I would smoke all the stuff I had and why I had it all, especially when the majority of my singles were things I never even tried. It's not like there will not be a lot of good stuff available if and when I get low.

I've come to the conclusion that there is just too much stuff out there. I am at the point where I know what I enjoy and new stuff is either disappointing or too similar to something I already smoke to make a difference. I am currently burning up what I have and am sticking with things that I want to smoke now (within the next 2-3 months) or age. If something new comes out that enough people are raving about I'll give it a try, but I no longer am trying to smoke one of everything out there.

Anyone else have any epiphanys?

[guado]

You and me both. I have recently started trading/selling/giving away alot of things that I bought JUST because they were on sale. I have come to the realization that I don't need to have ever new thing out there and buy a box just to try it.

I will trade for singles now and be generous on my end to get rid of some sticks I don't smoke anymore. I refuse to buy a bigger cabinet so I have just began rearranging and having a "MUST SMOKE" area. This area is reserved for cigars that I must smoke before I can touch the other things.

Now I force myself to close any email with huge sale or new must have product emails. If I try one and realize it is a god price for a VERY good stick then I buy...other than that I have toned it down QUITE a bit. I do still continue to buy the rare sticks I want when I can get them at a decent price.
Rare meaning vntage or truly rare(opus X doesn't come close to rare in this sense).There is just no need anymore to buy up a ton of things just to have them.

[mrtr33]

You bring up good points.

I can only speak for myself, but I share your views. I have one humidor. The last box of cigars I bought was about 8 years ago: Hav A Tampa Jewels. I would like to espouse philosophy here, but truth be told, I only smoke about a cigar a week, occasionally two. Right now, I have about 60 cigars. At my current rate (I still pick up a couple now and again, or pick them up in trades/passes here), I am set for over a year. I guess I'm saying that I'm just not enough of a cigar smoker to buy more. It's not that I don't love cigars, I can't justify the expense.

So, I see where you are coming from, but perhaps I'm not an normal cigar smoker. It should also be pointed out that I don't age, either.

[slcraiders]

I feel the same way. I will say that all my cigars that I do not need are a result of my addictive personality. They are nice to look at. I have a fixation with collecting and cigars fit the bill even though they technically fall on the perishable side. For the last several months, I look at them and think wtf? It would take me years to get through these at my consumption of 3-5 cigars per week. Some I would not smoke, some I have not even tried.

I still like to try a new stick every week or two that I have not tried- but very rarely do I get one of those knocks my socks off moments with a new blend. I will continue to smoke and buy (although less frequently). Several sticks to be traded toward new hobbies and to bomb newbs etc. I guess.

[bigwhiteash]

My budget pretty much restricts me to growing my collection by an average of 4 or 5 sticks a week. Pretty slow by some of you guy's standards. I do keep an eye / ear out for great deals, and I'll take them if the budget allows. (sometimes I can stretch it a bit), sometimes I'll go a week or two with no packages dropping at my door, but it's quite rare. I smoke 1-2 on weekdays, and 3-5 a day on the weekend. I will say, I have been smoking a LOT higher quality cigars than I did even a year ago. I still have yardgars, but I stay pretty much in the midrange for the everyday smoke. I'm definately not shy about reaching in and grabbing a super prem just for the hell of it!

As for epiphany? I realized a few months ago that I REALLY enjoy a cigar, whether it cost $30.00, or only $2.00. I pretty much quit trying to over analyze flavors and such, and focus more on relaxation and enjoyment. For a while, I had started to think of smoking as a "job" more than a hobby... time to take a step back!

[dustinpollock]

i do the same big d knows i buy three boxes of JDN 1970 and a box of DCM every three maybe 50 box outs from atlantic every couple months other then that i have two trays of high dollar shit that i cant force myself to smoke and two other trays of singles that have been sent or bombed that ill smoke eventually
dustin

[NullSmurf]

Why do we buy so many cigars? I look at the pictures of humidors and collections of cigars and wonder why I got caught up in this for a while myself.

About a year ago I cut down drastically on buying cigars and looking for sales. I obviously take advantage of sales when things I want to age or cigars I like and I am low on now and then, but I reached a point about a year ago where I just stopped buying and trading for anything and everything, I looked at my stash and started wondering when I would smoke all the stuff I had and why I had it all, especially when the majority of my singles were things I never even tried. It's not like there will not be a lot of good stuff available if and when I get low.

I've come to the conclusion that there is just too much stuff out there. I am at the point where I know what I enjoy and new stuff is either disappointing or too similar to something I already smoke to make a difference. I am currently burning up what I have and am sticking with things that I want to smoke now (within the next 2-3 months) or age. If something new comes out that enough people are raving about I'll give it a try, but I no longer am trying to smoke one of everything out there.

Anyone else have any epiphanys?

Get a job, man! You think too much.

[Shelby07]

Get a job, man! You think too much.

Gotta keep the ol' gray matter active while you guys are paying for my social security!

Have a great day!!

[CAJUNBLAZE]

My take, as a real newbie, is there's alot of new types out there to try. It is real confusing at first, you have aged sticks, isoms, premiums, and the newer brands. I have been spending my share! My goal would be to find 3 or 4 everyday smokes, 10 special sticks for lifes little curves be good are bad, and then maybe a collection of aged more classic sticks.
I will have to curve the spending a little also.

When I first started reading post, I thought no way would I need a tubidor anytime soon. Three months into smoking and 1 month into posting on the boards and I have two smaller ones and 2 humidors!!


Rich

[DeeDubya]

Why do we buy so many cigars? I look at the pictures of humidors and collections of cigars and wonder why I got caught up in this for a while myself.

About a year ago I cut down drastically on buying cigars and looking for sales. I obviously take advantage of sales when things I want to age or cigars I like and I am low on now and then, but I reached a point about a year ago where I just stopped buying and trading for anything and everything, I looked at my stash and started wondering when I would smoke all the stuff I had and why I had it all, especially when the majority of my singles were things I never even tried. It's not like there will not be a lot of good stuff available if and when I get low.

I've come to the conclusion that there is just too much stuff out there. I am at the point where I know what I enjoy and new stuff is either disappointing or too similar to something I already smoke to make a difference. I am currently burning up what I have and am sticking with things that I want to smoke now (within the next 2-3 months) or age. If something new comes out that enough people are raving about I'll give it a try, but I no longer am trying to smoke one of everything out there.

Anyone else have any epiphanys?

Although I've had my favorites for years now, I still like to try new sticks. It seems that every new catalog has several new labels. While most of this is just marketing stratagy on behalf of only a few large manufacturers, it is still fun.

I prefer not admit to my "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder".

[Mizicke5273]

Its sumthin to do. That basically sums it up for me. Its a hobby that I enjoy and gives me a reason to go to work everyday. I need something to spend my hard earned cash on that I enjoy and can look foward to. My other hobbies, building PCs - I can only justify doing maybe 1 - 2 major upgrades a year, Games - not much that has intrested me of late or Im waiting on picking up something new, my quad - its bought and paid for, got my gear, though Ill need tires in the spring, and thats pretty much all my hobbies. To me cigars fit perfect in between all of them, as if I dont spend the money I set aside each month to spend then it goes to cigars. That and there are soo many I have not been able to try yet.