Inflation
- Thread starter Winnipeger
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Pipes are one thing but waiting to purchase tobacco because of high inflation is not good economy, because the path to illegal importation is paved with continually increasing tariffs/taxes.
Yeah, that's true. I've just been watching pipe prices inflate over the past week, then on the way to work today I noticed gas jumped back up anther $0.20 a litre. Boo.
Life's a bitch and then we die!
If you are young enough things will get back in balance. Or. it may be time to find a higher paying position. You'll just have to cope somehow. That's all any of us can do.
If you are young enough things will get back in balance. Or. it may be time to find a higher paying position. You'll just have to cope somehow. That's all any of us can do.
Fair enough. Just blowing off steam. Maybe some other members here feel the same as I do. Maybe not.
Without getting too much into economics or politics I will agree that it is frustrating. I'm lucky enough to be in a low tax state so I've cellared decades worth of tobacco already so my concerns are elsewhere. As a youngish person the shortsightedness of it all doesn't give me a ton of hope for the future.
I've hit a point of 45 years worth of tobacco and more pipes than I need. Tinned tobacco is now beyond my set limit and this year's meerschaum price increase has put me off of buying new ones. Other than bulk blends, I'm mostly out of the game now.
By the way, apart from the 5 years I spent in the military, I've been a professional musician for close to 30 years. That's not a position. It's a calling. The pandemic didn't just hurt my trade. It killed the entire industry for two years. I weathered that. I agree with your former statement. The latter one is appreciated for its sentiment.
I'm kind of where you're at WRT tobacco, at least for my needs. I haven't done an inventory. I stopped keeping track a few years ago. But I know I have a lot. I also stopped buying tins a while ago too.
In reference to my OP, I should temper it by saying, I'm grateful for all that I have. I'm just trying to see if I can get a conversation started. Why else be here?
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Yes, it absolutely sucks. It's a waiting game, though--best strategy is to just wait things out. All markets go through boom/bust cycles, and fiat currencies, being fictional and inherently worthless, are no exception. The dollar bubble will eventually pop (just like the housing bubble that everyone said would just go up up up forever), but in the meantime, I'm all about finding good deals and stocking up. At the rate I smoke my pipes, I currently have enough to last me most of my lifetime, assuming I've got 40-50 years left.
I've tapered my purchasing both due to a good sized cellar and inflation. Looking at the prices that some rarer blends are fetching in the BST forum I'm considering liquidating some of those I smoke less of to buy more of my favorites.
As I said, I'm kind of in the same boat as you, as far as cellaring is concerned. 45 years worth of tobacco is probably enough to get me there...I'll get around to doing a proper inventory one of these days. I stopped counting about 4 years ago around 40 lbs, before I really started stocking up on bulks. But I wonder...how smokeable is much of that baccy going to be in 45 years? I suspect I won't be able to buy tobacco in coming decades, or pipes for that matter, because regulations, import fees, inflation etc. etc. are all moving in a single direction. Hopefully what I have cellared doesn't turn to dust before I have a chance to smoke it all. Otherwise, if I can't get baccy in my senior years, I guess I'll have to quit. That's kind of my point with the OP. There's a motivation to stock up, not only on baccy, but pipes as well. The sooner the better. But current factors are already making it cost prohibitive. I hope those of you who live in the U.S. and enjoy our harmless little hobby are aware how good you have it, at least at the moment. Let freedom reign!
Other than the dwindling number of tobacco friendly areas, some communities are already at a point where you can't even smoke in your own home or car. Fewer places even carry modest OTC blends and many places are starting to include nicotine tests on drug tests for work and insurance. Not quite as free as you may imagine.
Yeah. It all sucks. I just mean the federal gov. doesn't try charging you a $40.00 tariff on pipe cleaners, but I guess it depends what state or district you live in? I've had some ridiculous fees on imports just because the items are tobacco related. Like just importing plastic stems for cobs and they want $65 or whatever. Anyway. Life's a bitch. I get it. Thanks for listening.
I had a pipe sent back to Australia by Customs stating that it was drug paraphernalia.Yeah. It all sucks. I just mean the federal gov. doesn't try charging you a $40.00 tariff on pipe cleaners, but I guess it depends what state or district you live in? I've had some ridiculous fees on imports just because the items are tobacco related. Like just importing plastic stems for cobs and they want $65 or whatever. Anyway. Life's a bitch. I get it. Thanks for listening.
I shouldn't laugh. It's just ridiculous. I'm sorry for your loss.
In hindsight it is funny at how ridiculous things have gotten.
How on earth can they tell if someone is smoking in their own home? By nosing through windows? That would be illegal over here.
I can't speak for you guys but here in the UK we say 'an Englishman's home is his castle' and woe betide anyone who tries to deprive him of his rights to do as he pleases (within legal limits) in his own home.
As intimated above, the 'free world' isn't quite as free as some folk would claim.
Regards,
Jay.
I can't speak for you guys but here in the UK we say 'an Englishman's home is his castle' and woe betide anyone who tries to deprive him of his rights to do as he pleases (within legal limits) in his own home.
As intimated above, the 'free world' isn't quite as free as some folk would claim.
Regards,
Jay.