Scarcity or Abundance

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marcel

Might Stick Around
Feb 25, 2015
72
0
This maybe an addendum to my last thread about a pipe smoking lifestyle but I think it has wider implications.
Do you operate out of a basis of scarcity or abundance? What with the TAD and PAD here, I can guess what most of you will answer.
Capitalism is structured on supply and demand but scarcity plays into our worst fears as human beings. The prepper in his bunker with millions of rounds of ammunition. Enough is never enough. I wonder if this is somehow a reaction to our mortality. I mean we all are running out, burning up, being used up, everyday we are alive is one less day we are going live.
Now think for a moment about abundance. And not just having enough but an overflowing that you couldn’t possibly contain or hold. You are on the receiving end of an infinite supply that only gets better over time. Would that change your thinking?

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,249
108,349
I operate on the principle of never ending rise of cost. Buying what I can when I can before it goes above cost that I am comfortable paying.

 

jaytex1969

Lifer
Jun 6, 2017
9,517
50,591
Here
I stack my pallets of tobacco on top of my ammunition pallets....
jay-roger.jpg


 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,074
Carmel Valley, CA
I am not prepared for armageddon. I believe it will be televised, though, so I am all set. I will watch, and participate only if my area is nuked. Then it'll be a passive participation as my cindered body falls unattended into the dirt.
My tobacco stores at home are fine, and are the way I want: I have enough resources to buy more if needed. So, neither scarce or overly abundant, but abundant enough.

 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
Scarcity got my attention when FDA entered my pipe smoking world, to the tune of ~$8K in tobacco; abundance is what I have now that I have it, though I still buy more. I've bought three pipes this year through great restraint. I have plenty of pipes. If I can limit buying to no more than several a year I will do well, considering that several hundred catch my eye each year gazing at them online. I bought one yesterday. When all my ducks line up, it's very hard to resist.

 

eltice

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 28, 2012
126
0
I’m with Jay in that my tobacco and ammo are stored together. Lol Well, they are actually stored in the same room.
I am buying based on the fact that I have the means now and that at some point in time, I won’t be able to buy....either regulations killing the market or lack of $$$.

 

dochudson

Lifer
May 11, 2012
1,635
12
Tobacco will never be cheaper.. Taxes and prices will never go down. Once they lock down tobacco sales via the internet you better buckle up tight.

 

jorchamp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 21, 2016
102
0
Collecting is an addiction. Buying tobacco online makes too easy to get everything you want but do not need. I always made excuses: “they are going to shut online buying, they are going to increase taxes or outright stop the sale of tobacco.” Now I have more than I can keep track of: they are items on a list.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Interesting topic. I just posted a thread wherein I wrote that my cellar was complete and asked others what blends they were still hunting before they complete their cellars.

To some extent, my buying was based on the realization that blends will continue to cost more and that some will disappear. But it was also based on the reality that I like certain blends with some years on them and that if I wanted to be able to smoke aged blends I needed to buy them and store them for aging. Also, blends change manufacturers and are not the same. So if I like the way a blend is made I'll stock up on it. I have no idea whether tobacco is a good investment. It's not why I buy. But I have noticed that some of the blends I bought a few years ago for $ are now selling for $$$$$ on the secondary market. My cellar is more than ample for my needs, so abundance exists. It's not a large cellar compared to many others, and it is certainly larger than a great many others. Same with pipes. I have more than I need, and have stopped buying. For me to consider buying a pipe, it would have to be something quite special.

 

marcel

Might Stick Around
Feb 25, 2015
72
0
It's an evolution to be sure. One has to figure out what you like and don't like. I just sold a bunch of pipes to buy a few expensive pipes in the styles I now prefer. As for cellaring tobaccos it's a bit of a crap shoot. I had some thirteen year old Barbary Coast that had really changed into something wonderful but I like smoking the new stuff as well.
I think I'm always going to find something enjoyable to smoke and tend to make my purchases in that light.

 

weezell

Lifer
Oct 12, 2011
13,653
49,163
Once they lock down tobacco sales via the internet you better buckle up tight.
That's why I still buy.Where I live brick and mortar stores are at least an hour or so in travel time and pricey. The only blends I will stock more of at this point are plug and rope. I can live without the rest...

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
It's an evolution to be sure. One has to figure out what you like and don't like. I just sold a bunch of pipes to buy a few expensive pipes in the styles I now prefer. As for cellaring tobaccos it's a bit of a crap shoot. I had some thirteen year old Barbary Coast that had really changed into something wonderful but I like smoking the new stuff as well.
I think I'm always going to find something enjoyable to smoke and tend to make my purchases in that light.
Fair enough. With regard to aging, I don't support the statement that aging improves blends. What I will say is that aging changes blends and whether that is an improvement or not is up to the individual smoker. For me, it's all about the flavors. So the blends that I cellar with the intent of aging are ones that I tried aged and liked aged. Some, like Escudo, I like both fresh and aged. But they're distinctly different flavor profiles to me. And I like the Petersen product better than the STG. Petersen hasn't been making Escudo for a long long time. PS-LBF is a blend that I dislike fresh. To me it tastes like cardboard and the tobaccos are too young. But give it 4 years and I like it a lot. The flavors have deepened into something very enjoyable. Christmas Cheer doesn't seem to gain measurably from aging to me. The 15 to 20 year old tins that I've smoked are good, but not remarkably changed. Smoke 'em fresh or when you get around to it, say I. The Astley's that I have was made by K&K, and it's really good.

Some blends are not often in supply. I tried out Motzek Strang and couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. Then I let it dry for a few hours and the Perique really popped, and I got it. I bought in 2015 and 2016, right before Motzek sold his business. There have been no releases since, and that's a unique blend that I dearly love. Would my world be diminished without Strang? Hell no. It's just tobacco. But if I want that flavor, I can have it. And I'm not paying through the nose for it. Same goes with HU tobaccos. When the FDA bullshit hit the spinning blades I stocked up.

For the most part, the blends that I like will not be affected by the FDA deeming rules. They're grandfathered in. But if those blends are ones that I like aged, I've bought them to age and then enjoy. I might not be around in 5 or 10 years. Or even maybe 10 minutes. Who knows? But for now I can think, "I'd like to taste that!" and I can enjoy a bowl.

 

nevadablue

Lifer
Jun 5, 2017
1,192
4
My food surrounds my tobacco, which is surrounded by my ammo. All guarded and protected by a bunker of course. Cellar?

 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
36,060
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
Nevada:taken into consideration our Governments attitude to any tobacco products (yet firearms)you're doing it right way.

As for buying and cellaring,with our current retailing prices and vigilent customs authorities our possibilites to buy and cellar are more than limited,but we are doing our best we can,oh yes we are.

 

brightleaf

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 4, 2017
555
4
I do not operate on the principle of scarcity or abundance. My choices are much more limited by available money. If I had money that I needed to find a place for, cellaring tobacco would be something I would consider. I think it would be enjoyable to select a blend from a pantry full of different choices. The same way I would like to have a pantry full of a different variety of ales. Of course, these are just pipe dreams.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
There's a Biblical passage, though I'm not able to give the citation, that applies to this subject, and is a sort of koan to meditate. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof, which proposes that we keep our accumulation of provisions light. You may accept or protest, but it comes from an arguably wise source.

 

alan73

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 26, 2017
666
653
Wisconsin
MSO, good one , religion is just like politics, things never to speak about. TOO strong of opinions, too few rational and even handed people like yourself.
The bible is full of verses related to saving up, storing, and protecting oneself and family from unobtainium.
Abundance for me. Can't have too much of a good thing . I have spent a lot of money on getting unobtanium tobaccos, like Motzek Strang, HU, Klondike, Germaine's and the Esoterica lineup, just out of curiosity sake. I like spending money on experiences, more than just an item. To me, I was buying the experience. Some were worth every penny and some not so much.
Several of the unobtainiums were bought on this forum, others on eBay and Chicago. The experience of hunting them all down was part of the fun, and I spent HOURS on it.

 
Mar 29, 2016
1,006
5,540
Dictated by the rising cost of tobacco and more importantly... Murphy's law: your favorite tobacco will be discontinued just because.

 
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