Cellaring: How Much is Too Much?

[Streeper541]

How much is too much tobacco in regards to cellaring tobacco?

When the package ruptures you've gone to far. It's sorta like a turkey timer.

 

[bullet08]

Saw a random can on Instagram. Was thinking "which blend is that? Who released it? Why wasn't I aware of it? WTFFF?" It was a can of Christmas candy.

 

[geopiper]

I'm beginning to think that only when forum members here start saying "your cellar is too big" is when your cellar is too big.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's strange to me how often people invoke their family -especially kids- in these types of threads, because the cost of hoarding invariably comes up. For some people, it's a fair amount of change that could probably be invested in some more.... interesting things that could actually be put to use.

But, maybe I'm wrong and tobacco is going to be a stellar investment! I just don't see that play out in the forums or elsewhere when people try and sell stuff, assuming it's not just a one off of a "rare" blend. You will often see the "bump" comment to push up a thread. Followed by price reductions. Then eventually maybe a sale. In small lots. Or large lots at a large discount.

Buy a second house, a patch of land or some stocks in something that pays a reliable dividend and re-invest that. Maybe a college fund. They'll likely appreciate it much more... It'll sure as hell be easier to unload when the time comes.

I know that few people actually see this as an investment (I hope), but the sentiment comes up fairly regular and I cringe whenever I see that.

I don't believe the majority of people who have excessive cellars consider it an investment, at least as a primary reason for purchasing so much. The investment justification is just an off hand rationalization. At $100 per pound, which is more than it actually costs, 600 pound is $60,000. What kind of second house are you going to buy with that? I think it's much simpler than that. People with hundreds of pounds of tobacco can easily afford it with purely discretionary income. And it is a real pleasure to constantly smoke well aged tobacco.

Perhaps pipe tobacco will be readily available at a fair price 10 years from now. I hope so, I'll probably still buy some. But if it's not available and/or the price has become excessive, I'll sure enjoy not having to be concerned with either issue. Those choosing an alternative
opposite strategy may be shit out of luck. I prefer a strategy that covers more scenarios and presents a win win regardless. YMMV.

 

[DanWil84]

The amount I spend won't be limiting any other investment. Myself I'm now working to a 5 year stash of tobacco which means 5 kilo of pipe tobacco in the cellar and about 15 to 20 boxes of cigars, I'm not a big smoker at 10 bowls a week and 1 to 3 cigars a week. If I have that cellar I'm replacing the opened tins or boxes of cigars for new ones. I'm young enough to get, at the same smoking pace till I'm on the other side, a 40 kilo cellar and 150 boxes of cigars but for now it's not financially responsible. If it would come to prohibition and or excessive pricing so be it, I'll live with cutting my smoking into half or a quarter of what I originally smoked which makes a 5 year cellar 10 years or even 20 years.

 

[beezer]

I keep moving the goal posts on "how much is too much?"...today, "too much" is another 10 lbs. Once I hit that mark the finish line is moved again to the right. The good news for my wallet is I don't buy blends that I already have cellared anymore, so in a sense I guess I could answer "too much" is buying blends I've already cellared and "not enough" is buying blends I don't have cellared.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

Don't listen to his nonsense. It's actually "He who dies with having the most sex wins". Don't let these guys mix up your priorities

I dunno . . . I was once told by a Urologist that "as far as your prostrate is concerned, too much sex is just enough."

As to "too much" of a tobacco cellar, it's probably too much when there's no room in the house any more to live in.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

The investment justification is just an off hand rationalization

You're probably right.

There are valid points to be made for acquiring a large collection of tobacco. Lots of speculation to sort through as well.

But, like you say, it is likely throwaway money -an odd term, but most of us are guilty of some "waste"

For investment of $60k, that is a down payment for a house in some areas, or a condo. You could even get by on less. Followed by renters, if it's in the right location, it's usually a pretty good return on investment.

Or, on a sliding scale, lower amounts could go into a conservative stock portfolio with dividends that would do pretty good if you have time.

Anyway, that's all off the rails and a very minor point in this topic. As you say, it's likely an off hand rationalization and it doesn't matter. It further doesn't matter because it's not my money!

 

[Winnipeger]

How much is too much tobacco in regards to cellaring tobacco?

When you start running low on living space.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

All I have to add is that if you can set up eight different family members with accounts at smokingpipes, you can order more than the limit of 5-15 tins of ltd edition tins at a time. You just need to warn the family members ahead of time, so that they don’t think someone has hacked their CC accts.

Remember that the goal isn’t always how much YOU can get, but sometimes it is reducing how much everyone else can get.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

You're probably right.

There are valid points to be made for acquiring a large collection of tobacco. Lots of speculation to sort through as well.

But, like you say, it is likely throwaway money -an odd term, but most of us are guilty of some "waste"

For investment of $60k, that is a down payment for a house in some areas, or a condo. You could even get by on less. Followed by renters, if it's in the right location, it's usually a pretty good return on investment.

Or, on a sliding scale, lower amounts could go into a conservative stock portfolio with dividends that would do pretty good if you have time.

Anyway, that's all off the rails and a very minor point in this topic. As you say, it's likely an off hand rationalization and it doesn't matter. It further doesn't matter because it's not my money!

I think pipe tobacco has substantially outperformed the stock market in the past year.

 

[anotherbob]

I don't believe the majority of people who have excessive cellars consider it an investment, at least as a primary reason for purchasing so much. The investment justification is just an off hand rationalization. At $100 per pound, which is more than it actually costs, 600 pound is $60,000. What kind of second house are you going to buy with that? I think it's much simpler than that. People with hundreds of pounds of tobacco can easily afford it with purely discretionary income. And it is a real pleasure to constantly smoke well aged tobacco.

Perhaps pipe tobacco will be readily available at a fair price 10 years from now. I hope so, I'll probably still buy some. But if it's not available and/or the price has become excessive, I'll sure enjoy not having to be concerned with either issue. Those choosing an alternative
opposite strategy may be shit out of luck. I prefer a strategy that covers more scenarios and presents a win win regardless. YMMV.

the investment angle works on one tiny level. If you don't want the stuff you can probably get a little back. It's not an investment but it's a hedge against wasteful spending. If you want to invest there are much better things. But if you change your mind on a blend or smoking you can recoup.

 

[Winnipeger]

Not at all.

Don't worry about spoilage, but tippage. If that stack falls on top you it'll bury you alive!

 

[Winnipeger]

That was fine until we moved to Florida into a smaller house and no room to store that amount. So I sold a lot...

Profitably?

 

[Winnipeger]

If you want to invest there are much better things.

Such as...?

 

[hawky454]

I’d rather have too much than not enough. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that I have too much… way too much! There was a 5 year period where I just got carried away. I’d say most of us in these forums have way too much tobacco. It is a nice feeling when you finally get rid of TAD (Tobacco Acquisition Disorder) and just enjoy what you have without ever worrying about having to buy a single tin ever again(unless you want to). You buy now to gift it to yourself at a later date. Every time I walk into my walk-in closet, it’s like I made a trip to a tobacconist, quite literally the gift that keeps on giving so I have no regrets.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Profitably?

Yes.

 

[Winnipeger]

I’d say most of us in these forums have way too much tobacco. It is a nice feeling when you finally get rid of TAD (Tobacco Acquisition Disorder) and just enjoy what you have without ever worrying about having to buy a single tin ever again

So true.

And yet...

I'm still worried.

 

[jpberg]

How much is too much makes fair game for the “my penis is too small, let me show you my terbaccy cellar” folks.
They come out regular as clockwork on these threads.
Howzabout you figure out what you like to smoke first, then figure out how to get enough to last you a year, because in the meantime your tastes may change.

 

[5star]

The OP mentioned that this decision is subjective & that’s true. But you can also come up with an objective figure. - Estimate the greatest number of bowls you’ll likely smoke in a day. Weigh how much tobacco fits in your biggest pipe. Estimate how long you’ll live (or at least how long youll be smoking a pipe). Do all that & you’ll come up with a good guess of how much tobacco you’ll smoke in the remaining years of your life. I think most people would agree that this would give you a sensible maximum number. (No one needs tobacco when theyre dead !)

You may be surprised to find that quite a few people have more tobacco than they could ever smoke in the time they have left even if they make it to 95.

Mac