Rationalizing Spending A Lot On A Pipe?

[OverMountain]

How long would it take you to pay for it with interest payments or dividends coming in from investments? If you can fund it out of passive income (or partially) it’s an easier decision.

Life is short. Sounds like you are working hard. Give yourself permission to enjoy your life.

 

[Auxsender]

I completely disagree. Rationalization of expenditures is as much about what we subliminally feel we shouldn’t do as it is about what we can’t afford to do. Those are two different causes of hesitation. Puritan guilt affects more than Puritans.

Yes but OP was asking specifically about financial rationalization (a house payment) and not moral rationalization so while I totally agree with you, that isn’t really what we’re talking about here. Also, if OP had gobs of money to freely blow on the hobby, they just would and likely wouldn’t ask a forum about rationalization. All the best to OP for sure. I hope they get a pipe they’re proud of for a sum they can comfortably afford.

 

[litup]

All the people saying "if you have to rationalize it, don't buy it" are absolutely correct. But if you really are looking for rationalizations, here are a couple you could try on for size:
-You're supporting a pipe maker financially and allowing them to continue making great pipes and help pay their bills. You're basically a patron of the arts.
-Without that super expensive pipe, you'll never know for sure if a cheap pipe can smoke as well as an expensive pipe so you can't answer the question when someone new comes to the forum and asks the question again.

 

[jguss]

Yes but OP was asking specifically about financial rationalization (a house payment) and not moral rationalization so while I totally agree with you, that isn’t really what we’re talking about here. Also, if OP had gobs of money to freely blow on the hobby, they just would and likely wouldn’t ask a forum about rationalization. All the best to OP for sure. I hope they get a pipe they’re proud of for a sum they can comfortably afford.

Actually OP clearly posits that "you have the money". Nowhere does he say he's looking for a financial rationalization. On the contrary he clearly says "how do you rationalize spending a 'large' sum of discretionary money" [italics mine]. In this context discretionary obviously means the constraint isn't financial, it's moral. If the purchase being contemplated impinged on OP's ability to feed, shelter, or otherwise care for his family it would be different; but he specifically disclaims these as considerations.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Mortgage payment?!! No way.

 

[burleybreath]

If you went out back and set the same amount of money on fire, would it bother you? If yes, don’t proceed.

Man, I like this thinking. Practical as breathing. Would work for knives, too, another affliction of mine.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I mean, we are setting our money on fire, just with an extra step in the middle.

 

[Auxsender]

Actually OP clearly posits that "you have the money". Nowhere does he say he's looking for a financial rationalization. On the contrary he clearly says "how do you rationalize spending a 'large' sum of discretionary money" [italics mine]. In this context discretionary obviously means the constraint isn't financial, it's moral. If the purchase being contemplated impinged on OP's ability to feed, shelter, or otherwise care for his family it would be different; but he specifically disclaims these as considerations.

Still they were compelled to seek advice for rationalizing a purchase. There would be no compunction if there truly were plenty of money so I stand by my statement that they would simply buy the thing if they had plenty of money to do so without posting about rationalizing anything for any reason to anyone, most of all themselves.

I appreciate the back and forth but I don’t want to hijack the thread.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Still they were compelled to seek advice for rationalizing a purchase. There would be no compunction if there truly were plenty of money so I stand by my statement that they would simply buy the thing if they had plenty of money to do so without posting about rationalizing anything for any reason to anyone, most of all themselves.

I appreciate the back and forth but I don’t want to hijack the thread.

I suspect there is a significant other in the mix... just sayin'

 

[Auxsender]

I suspect there is a significant other in the mix... just sayin'

You’re probably right.

 

[Hillcrest]

My five best smoking pipes and best looking also happen to be my least expensive pipes and the ones with the least resale value; four of them are "hand made". I now buy a pipe for the specific piece of briar and shape not the name.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Still they were compelled to seek advice for rationalizing a purchase. There would be no compunction if there truly were plenty of money so I stand by my statement that they would simply buy the thing if they had plenty of money to do so without posting about rationalizing anything for any reason to anyone, most of all themselves.

I appreciate the back and forth but I don’t want to hijack the thread.

I dunno, I sometimes hem and haw about trivial little purchases that would be in the noise floor of our budget.

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

Not yet. It is being sold on Ebay as an auction that hasn't ended yet. The part I'm rationalizing is how high to bid.

It's this pipe, right? I can understand your hesitation.

 

[PaulDM]

I don't care about resale value of pipes because I have no interest in going through the hassle of selling them. I probably own 3 or 4 relatively expensive (which for me is $200 - 400 roughly) that would even be worth selling. For an $80 or $100 savinelli? I'd probably just give those away.

I went through a 2-3 year phase of avid interest in pipes and accumulated 25 or so - including a few cobs and falcons - and then, frankly, lost interest in every buying any more. I have curtailed my smoking greatly - probably 2-3 bowls a week - and a rotation of 20 or so pipes is way more than enough. Same with tobacco. The roughly 10 pounds I have will last me a life time and I stopped buying a while ago.

And, I find I enjoy my Savinellis as much or more than my Jose Rubios and Musicos.

But ... if buying an expensive pipe brings you joy and not too much financial strain - sky's the limit.

 

[Hillcrest]

It's this pipe, right? I can understand your hesitation.

I'm going to pass on it "... with great sadness, and true dense of loss" !!

 

[Peterson314]

The only pipe I've ever even seen that would be close to a mortgage payment was a Former. It didn't speak to me, I didn't buy it, and I don't regret it.

I've been spending more on a single pipe than I ever thought I would 20 years ago when I started this hobby. I've got a couple pipes in the ~$400 range now. I'm at the point now where if the right Dunhill or Castello popped in the $600-$800 range, I'd probably grab it.

The main change for me has been getting an appreciation for the pipe community and all those who understand and support this hobby. I don't seek to buy an expensive pipe, but I can now appreciate the process and craftsmanship of crafting a beautiful, functional piece of art.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Possible scenarios, all of which I've done at one time or another:

1) I've just come into a lot of "extra" money. Someone died and left me money (very unlikely) or I've received an annual bonus payout.

2) I can scratch together the money somehow, and I've got a special occasion to commemorate -- something of lifelong significance. Starting a new job. Surviving major surgery. Birth of a child. Be creative.

3) I've made a bunch of extra cash by selling off a lot of less desired pipes, thinning out my collection. What better way to mark the occasion than to reward myself with a really desirable pipe? I'm just swapping several OK pipes for one great one.

#3 is what I typically do. I'll sell off a pipe or three that I rarely smoke, and in turn use the money to buy a new pipe. That way I'm not spending any new money, and only re-spending money I already spent. This keeps me out of trouble with the wife.

 

[shermnatman]

How do you rationalize spending a lot on a pipe? Let's define "a lot" as being equivalent to a mortgage payment, whatever that is for you.

I can't rationalize it.

The most expensive pipe in my entire collection is only about $250.00; and, that's an outlier.

All the rest of my pipes - not counting Cobs - are in the $75 - $150 range.

- Sherm 'Tight Pockets' Natman

 

[geopiper]

Update: I bid on the pipe and won it. I rationalized it in the following way: I had the money. I keep 99% of the pipes I purchase so the purchase cost per month ratio spread over a span of 10 or 20 years is reasonable. If I look back 10 years from now, will I really care if I spent x$ on this pipe (no). It is one of my favorite shapes. It was a smooth and shows off straight grian and birds eye. It was from a carver I don't have in my collection. It came from the Joe Lankford collection which is a neat footnote to this pipe.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Congrats on winning the pipe. Hopefully it brings you many great smokes!