Doing a budget for my pipe tobacco inventory

[innovador]

I woke up this morning with the idea of planning what inventory of pipe tobacco I would need to cover my smoke habits for some years ahead. However, I found some estimation problems along the way. For instance, How many average bowls can I get from a tin of say 50gr? What would the cost of an average pipe tobacco tin would be?

I am guessing that if you can get like 10 pipe loads from an 50 gr tin, If smoke just one bowl every day I would need 36.5 tins for a year of pipe consumption. If the average price of high quality is $20, then I would need to spend like $730 for a year of pipe tobacco inventory. Assuming I would appreciate to smoke well aged tobacco and have three years of reserves, rather than "just in time" stock, I would need to invest $2190 to have enough reserves for three years. Then I would need to spend $730 every year to keep always at least 2 years of pipe tobacco of inventory.

Do you have any experiences to share about budgeting you future pipe tobacco expenditures? Are the assumptions I made accurate?

 

[PipePuffer]

I pretty much do the same calculation though my assumptions are a bit different.

I assume 10 bowls per ounce of tobacco (based on tobaccocellar.org's estimate)= 17.5 bowls per 50g tin.
I assume $10 a tin (50g) on average (based on the type of tobacco I smoke and smokingpipes.com's prices).

Since I smoke 1 bowl/day on average, my annual budget would be:

1x (365/17.5) x $10 = $209

 

[talrmn35]

Have you considered buying bulk? Even at 60$ a pound you would cut your budget in almost half.

I have been buying bulk for the majority of my "regular" smoking and tins for just evenings. It stretches my money quite a bit and allows for a good amount to cellar.

Maybe not what your asking, but I thought I'd through it out there...

 

[Blackhorse]

I think you're on the right track. A mix of tinned and bulk tobaccos make up my normal purchases. And then, there are the 'scores' that one stumbles upon now and then...like the pounder of C&D Night Train over on Smoking Pipes in the tinned section for under thirty bucks!

The one thing that you didn't take into account was the occasional but regular "wild ass" purchases when you just kinda go nuts and HAVE TO HAVE some special or new thing. Happens to me all the time! lol

 

[innovador]

I assume 10 bowls per ounce of tobacco (based on tobaccocellar.org's estimate)= 17.5 bowls per 50g tin.
I assume $10 a tin (50g) on average (based on the type of tobacco I smoke and smokingpipes.com's prices).

17.5 bowls!! Well, that is good news. I was expecting 10 bowls was a little high but maybe you are right, I will revise that assumption.

About prices, if you live in the USA I guess you can pay less for tobacco even with taxes included. For me I have to paid very expensive shipment charges overseas. But even so, I dont think you can get SG FV or Penzance at less than US$15 a tin even in the USA or Europe.

Talrmn35, yes, you are right maybe at least half of the tobacco could be bought bulk. But the other half would have to be bought in tins in order to try new blends.

In conclusion, I could probably budget half the amount I was estimating earlier. That is not bad, to start with a initial investment of of around $1100 and just allocate around $400 a year thereafter (or $35 monthly). It is really a not very expensive hobby at all.

 

[talrmn35]

In conclusion, I could probably budget half the amount I was estimating earlier. That is not bad, to start with a initial investment of of around $1100 and just allocate around $400 a year thereafter (or $35 monthly). It is really a not very expensive hobby at all.

Well yea but thats just for the baccy...what about all those fancy pipes to smoke it in?!?!?!?

 

[yvesmary]

You have to take into account that tobacco will never be any cheaper than it is today. So you should buy now as much as you can afford. You'll be building a cellar and not have to buy as much later as the prices increase over the years.

 

[PipePuffer]

But even so, I dont think you can get SG FV or Penzance at less than US$15 a tin even in the USA or Europe.

Actually you can. I bought 50g tins of SG FVF for $10.99 a tin in December (online retailer) and a 8 oz bag of penzance for $35 (local B&M) which comes out to less than $7.70 per 50g - tax included.

 

[Hermit]

My spending will certainly drop this year.
I nearly have "enough." :lol!:

 

[nate560]

My spending will certainly drop this year.
I nearly have "enough." :lol!:

Im in the same situation I have 5 or 6 blends I get on a regular basis just for stock when etailers have them these I have open all the time. Recently I sold off a bunch of Dunhill tins and stocked up on my favorites and may do it again.

 

[Hermit]

Recently I sold off a bunch of Dunhill tins and stocked up on my favorites and may do it again.

I shouldda done that too.
Never got around to it and missed the window.

 

[innovador]

In conclusion, I could probably budget half the amount I was estimating earlier. That is not bad, to start with a initial investment of of around $1100 and just allocate around $400 a year thereafter (or $35 monthly). It is really a not very expensive hobby at all.

Well yea but thats just for the baccy...what about all those fancy pipes to smoke it in?!?!?!?

Yes, I dont why I missed such a big point!!! Pipes are actually more expensive than the tobacco you are going to smoke at least in the first year.I guess if you are going to be really serious about this hobby, you will have to allocate at least a 1000 bucks more as an initial investment for pipes.

 

[19Volks71]

Do you budget all your expenses on a yearly basis?
At our home, we go monthly and I set my pipe expenditures along with the rest. Too many things go in and out of stock throughout the year for me to think on that scale. I used to do it that way when I quit cigarettes.
My cigarette costs were about $175 a month in the state of Georgia. Thus I set aside about $100 a month to stock and smoke my pipe tobacco. Sometimes I use the whole $100; many times I do not. This way I'm spending less than I was to do something I enjoy a hell of a lot more.
Unless you only get paid once or twice a year, I would consider a different budget- Otherwise it's hard to to track how well you are staying on budget.
If you are an expense nut like myself, keep track of of your total tobacco expenses over the years and average them out. That's me though. I like to play with numbers and set weird goals.
One month buy bulk. Record how much is left at the end.
The next, buy tins. Do the same at the end.
Play around and try to get the most enjoyment for your buck, but don't drive yourself crazy.
This is after all a way to relax. 8) 8) 8)