Again, I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do with their money. We're all grown ups here and you know what's best for you. This is merely a suggestion for successful planning / buying as it relates to cigars.
Buying plan (for maintaining current smoking habit):
Set a “Cigar budget”. Before embarking on building a cigar collection you will help determine how much of you disposable income you have to allow for cigar purchases.
Determine how many cigars you smoke.
Example: If you smoke 1 per day
365 cigars per year (average)
15 boxes per year (average)
1.25 boxes per month (average)
The above example is just based on your yearly smoking habit and will determine how many boxes a year to purchase and help set your “cigar budget”.
If you are looking to continue to smoke as you do now
AND expand your collection for aging, here is “part 2” of the buying plan.
Buying plan (for building/aging):
*** This is the key part ***
Example (based on smoking 1 cigar a day):
Every time you open 1 box, immediately purchase another to replace the box you just opened (box #3). By the time you smoke through box #1 & box #2 - box #3 should be at least 3 years old (assuming you purchased the previous year’s box code).
In 12 months you will have 30 boxes that have a minimum of 1-2 years and some up to 3/4 years of age. If you open 1 of each, you should have purchased 45 boxes in 12 months – smoking through 15 of them leaving you with 30 at the end of 1 year.
In 24 months, you will be smoking boxes with a minimum of 2-3 years of age and some up to 4/5 years of age.
In 36 moths, you will be smoking boxes with a minimum of 3-4 years of age and some up to 5/6 years of age….you get the idea.
Make any sense?
Tips for reducing cost and increasing aged stock:
* Make a list of vitolas that are your “go to” smokes. Cigars you already know you like and smoke frequently. Then, stick to the list. (Just like grocery shopping, you tend to spend more without a list).
* If you want to try a different vitola, pick up a 5 er before rushing out and
buying boxes. This will help you avoid flavor profiles that you don't like and thus, help prevent unneeded spending on stuff you won't smoke.
* Forget about special editions, regionals, limited editions. These
should not be included in your buying plan but
should be included in your cigar budget!
* Wait for sales (especially year end sales, multibox sales, etc…)
* Don't buy different vitolas just because they are on sale. With some of the crazy sales, it's REALLY easy to keep adding various boxes to your shopping cart just because they are a "good deal". This will kill you buying/aging plan & your cigar budget. Stick to what you want to know you like and what you want to age.
* Buy “semi” aged stock (3 years old) or earlier and try to pick them up on sale for an added benefit.
I hope this helps and happy smoking!
~Mark
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