Stupid Credit Cards...

illinoisgolf99

Well as a few of you know, I was PLANNING on splurging on a couple boxes of cigars for my 21st birthday, but alas, the little money I do have will be going towards paying off my credit card. It's sad to think that I have to limit my cigar budget. So this got me thinking, how do you guys budget your money for buying cigars? Being a full time college student and not having a job, I should have known that my cigar collection would burn a whole in my pocket..

sightunseen

Use scholarship money.

I usually do the "net expenses" approach. Monthly income - monthly expenses = excess spending cash. All my orders are purchased on credit cards (for the points), but I make sure to make a payment of the same amount towards the balance the very next day.

MrMoke

What does "budget your money" mean?

The way I see it works, is you give "The Beard" every penny you can get your hands on and he sends you lots of delicious smokes !!!!!

xmacro

sightunseen:

Use scholarship money.

I usually do the "net expenses" approach. Monthly income - monthly expenses = excess spending cash. All my orders are purchased on credit cards (for the points), but I make sure to make a payment of the same amount towards the balance the very next day.

I do it like sightunseen, but I pay it all off at the end of the month after by bill comes in - I'm a student too, and I heard by paying it off in full at the end of each month, your credit score goes up.

But at any rate, I never spend more than I can afford - it's almost never worth it to go into debt (the exception being your education), so I only spend money on cigars/enjoyment after all the bills are paid off. If I don't have any money after the bills are paid, tough **** - no cigars for me that month. It ain't worth it going into debt for a hobby where you burn the supplies.

KCW

illinoisgolf99:

Well as a few of you know, I was PLANNING on splurging on a couple boxes of cigars for my 21st birthday, but alas, the little money I do have will be going towards paying off my credit card. It's sad to think that I have to limit my cigar budget. So this got me thinking, how do you guys budget your money for buying cigars? Being a full time college student and not having a job, I should have known that my cigar collection would burn a whole in my pocket..

First off, let me give you a big peice of advice. If you can't pay your credit card balance off at the end of the month IN FULL. You can't afford what you've charged. Credit card debt is some of the worst debt you can have (second only to owing the Mob). So, once your credit card debt is taken care of, get a Cigar wish list. When you can spare the $$$ get your smokes. When I was building my "collection" I was buying stuff left and right too. You learn what you like and how much you should pay for it over time. Then I take advantage of any "deals". If I want to try something new, I buy a single or do a trade. My $.02

rwheelwright

In reality I just buy what I want. However, with that being said I do acknowledge that I have a cigar buying problem and sometimes I have it under control and other times I don't. When new stuff comes out I want to try them. However, with the amount of smokes I have I have no business buying any more. So, I use the excuse that it's new and I wanted to try it. Other than that, I try and be good now that I have a house.

xmacro

^ Solution - leave NJ, they have the highest property taxes in the entire nation. I know Christie is trying to clean things up, but you don't wipe up a toxic waste dump in a day or even a few years (For the record, I was born and raised in NJ - left 2 years ago and have been glad I did ever since)

betasynn

I have a credit card I use for rent only, to build credit, but I only use it when I have rent money, and I keep my credit 'balance' at zero. I use my debit card for most things, because I like the idea of tangibility. As far as budgeting goes, I am also a full time college student, and work 40 hours a week. I try to limit myself to 1/3 my paycheck every two weeks, as I have a scholarship to cover my tuition, and an award that covers housing.

rossdavey2

I got this cool execl program that after putting my income/expensies in for everything, phone food gas, let me know how much "fun money" was left.

the only things I pay for with my card is online. I take out the cash after payday for weekly things like food and the money for bigger things stays in my savings. I know I have 'x' amount of spending money per week. Thats what I spend on cigars. Doing this has taken my low income and covered all my needs and let me get some of my wants. I've never owned a CC.

zeebra

Before you thought about "splurging", didnt you already know how much you owe on your credit cards? I always know how much my bill is, and its easier now having everything online. Dont know how you can even spend money on cigars if you are not paying your credit card in full each month. Paying those high interest rates...never would I do that! If my cc bill is $1K or $6K..its paid in full. I only charge cause its easy to keep track of spending and I get great rewards.

I mean, do you really want to buy, for example, and MoW for $10 and end up paying $20 by the time you pay for it?

Good luck.

sirfoster83

Pretty much the same as everyone else. Take the income - billls and the rest is to spend how ever I see fit.

Credit cards are all payed off and gone! Took WAY too long to get out from under that mess from being 18 and not using the brain.

Joeyjoe21_8

nj has bad property taxes..but cali is getting worse by the day....now we have a tax for sugary food, you want a soda, extra .10cents of tax....want a plactic or paper bag for your grocerys, extra 10cents of tax again....on top of that property taxese took another hike along with income tax did to. its insane! lol. but pay your credit cards off in full. keep them paid off and only buy cigars when you have EXTRA money. simple as that

stephen_hannibal

Dude the credit industry is crooked... I never use credit to purchase sticks.
But the budget formula is basically the same as the rest of these guys.
Income-expense-saving= CIGARS.

Russ55

I just don't buy anything anymore. Unless the deal is too good to pass up. Or I'm smoking at the local B&M all day, and then I buy a few sticks to support them. I've got two desktops and two coolers more or less full of sticks I like, and I don't smoke that often, so there's really no reason for me to buy unless the previous criteria are met.

phobicsquirrel

KCW:

illinoisgolf99:

Well as a few of you know, I was PLANNING on splurging on a couple boxes of cigars for my 21st birthday, but alas, the little money I do have will be going towards paying off my credit card. It's sad to think that I have to limit my cigar budget. So this got me thinking, how do you guys budget your money for buying cigars? Being a full time college student and not having a job, I should have known that my cigar collection would burn a whole in my pocket..

First off, let me give you a big peice of advice. If you can't pay your credit card balance off at the end of the month IN FULL. You can't afford what you've charged. Credit card debt is some of the worst debt you can have (second only to owing the Mob). So, once your credit card debt is taken care of, get a Cigar wish list. When you can spare the $$$ get your smokes. When I was building my "collection" I was buying stuff left and right too. You learn what you like and how much you should pay for it over time. Then I take advantage of any "deals". If I want to try something new, I buy a single or do a trade. My $.02

yeah very good advice.

j0z3r

Ok, looks like I'm the only one here, but I hold up school kids at gun point and take their lunch money and that becomes my cigar money. It's a little messed up I'll admit, I could probably just threaten them with a large stick for the same result, but what happens when one is packing heat?

illinoisgolf99

thanks for all of the responses guys.. I'd like to clarify something though because I don't want you guys to think I'm some irresponsible guy or anything like that :P I pay my credit card off every month, usually a week before the end of the billing cycle, and don't spend more than I can afford. I have no Interest for a few more months since I got my card at the beginning of the year so I haven't had to worry about high interest rates yet, not that I would since I pay off the balance every month. I guess this statement was just a little higher than I thought since I've had to use my card way more than usual.. Groceries, medical bills, perscriptions, etc. just piled up. Plus I used it to buy plants for a landscape job which I get reimbursed for.. so I guess it's not all that bad. I haven't really thought it was necessary to have a budget but I think I'll have to start coming up with one soon. It also doesn't help that CCom's deals are freakin awesome! But seriously, thanks to all you guys for responding, you've given a lot of great advice as always.

kuzi16

i have an over/under on my humidor at all times. i know how far from full i am. ( "0" being full)
if i cant fit it in the humidor, i dont buy it. i understand that i have more cigars that i will smoke in one year time. i dont need more than that.

Krieg

I have a baby on the way and just put in a fence, so right now I don't HAVE a cigar budget.

Hays

j0z3r:

Ok, looks like I'm the only one here, but I hold up school kids at gun point and take their lunch money and that becomes my cigar money. It's a little messed up I'll admit, I could probably just threaten them with a large stick for the same result, but what happens when one is packing heat?

Hahahaha....you need a gun... I just growl at them, and they run screaming so quickly their money is left in the dust.