Feeling Like A Newbie - ripped off

[hiram13pm]

Pneathery...

Wow. Wall-o-text... but I hear ya. My first kit was a total ripoff, one of those "free trial" things that ended up costing me $150 & having to cancel a card. Next got a 510 kit with a PCC and extra batteries, which was fine for me with a USB adapter for the car to keep the PCC perpetually charged and charging, and better once I got a passthrough. Of course, I only smoked 1.5 PAD (only, hah... 3-5 packs? Really? Dang, man... when did you sleep?).

Then I moved up to an ego, got all the then-available gizmos for that. Then I ended up getting an Indulgence mod, which I still love, and lug around as a backup... now I'm primarily using my own homebuilt box mods.

Sometimes I get miffed thinking about that first $150. Then I realize that I just gladly laid down $100 at Madvapes, no hesitation... because in the long run, I'm saving a ton of money (especially mixing my own juice, too). More than that, I'm saving my life, and improving the quality of it to boot! So, like yourself, I consider that first "ripoff" thing to be money well spent, in a way.

Hang on to that old 510 stuff... you never know whom you might want to give it to as a "hand-me-down"... and you can never have too many backups, lol!

 

[ColonelPanic]

Same here... spent a ton of money on Green Smoke starter-kit, along with other accessories.
Got frustrated with short battery-life and even went back to smoking analogs for a while.
Decided it was a money well spent for my introduction to PV and got me the new Darwin unit.
Just got it today, so still trying it out, but what difference in vaping experience... better taste and vapor.

Hi! Been reading this forum for weeks but making my first post right now - this site is SO full of great information that it took me that long just to read enough to get an idea where to go!

Your experience mirrors mine; I got a Green Smoke starter kit for a hefty chunk of money and have now left it (but not vaping) behind. The batteries initially didn't last long on a charge, quickly lost their ability to hold a charge and 3 of them just fell apart! I will say that the company stands behind their product as I never paid for any of the replacements they sent (they sell for $50 PER BATTERY) but I got tired of waiting for the mail and fell back into analogs out of frustration. Then, while doing research on battery mods that would last longer and be cheaper to replace, I found e-cigarette-forum.com. Oh yes.

I read and dug and was interested in some of the copper-pipe mods that used long-life batteries but the reviews were sketchy on some and others were just . . . fugly. I decided that this was going to be an investment for the long-term, so I decided on the Golden Greek. They appeal to the nerdy side of me with their Steampunk-ish look, and they are easily repairable by the user, have user guides online with mechanical diagrams and they're mechanical in function - no wires, circuit boards, Radio Shack switches, etc.

I now own a GG Slim that fits in my shirt pocket, looks nice and lasts ALL DAY on a charge - Green Smokes lasted 3 hrs tops and I was having to charge them at work to get through my day. For home and camping, I also got a GGTS (Serial number 1361) with 18650 batteries that last more than 2 days on a charge and reminds me of Doctor Who's Sonic Screwdriver

For juice, I've been vaping Halo's Torque 56 for its nice tobacco flavor (I still smoke a pipe on occasion and do like the taste of good tobacco, just not cigs - eccchh!) and have branched out to the plain Tobacco and Carmel-Tobacco flavors from Clouds of Vapor, the US distributor for GG. They ship fast, are pleasant to work with and I'm pleased as punch with them!

Next jump - more e-juice in flavors that don't involve tobacco but come in 24mg strength and are strongly flavored enough to satisfy. Knowing me, I'll be vaping DIY e-juice before summer. I brew my own beer and roast my own coffee already, so . . .

I love vaping - during my one full successful month on Green Smoke before giving up on them, I smoked NO analogs and had a pipe on weekends for relaxation. I was getting my wind back, clearing my lungs out and my gosh did my food taste better!

The trick seems to be to first find the e-cig that fits your lifestyle and personality, then search for e-liquids that make you happy; once you find a couple of solid standby flavors, you'll soon be feeling - and smelling - much better!

Thanks for listening - 4 more posts before I can leave the n00b forum and be a Real Boy!

Terry aka ColonelPanic

 

[MsMacgyver]

Don't kick yourself too hard. My first kit was 103.00. It was a really good unit but when I found ECF I realized how much money I could have saved. Thank God for ECF!. Alot of good people with alot of good and useful info.

 

[Guyver Gaiden]

hey noob forum is actually good..lol..im still here ...but still a noob myself.....lol..but a real boy already...

 

[hs3000]

I got turned on to e-cigs when my brother bought his at the mall. Turns out he paid about $160 for a starter kit and 10 cartos. My starter kit after finding this website, $45! Both of us quitting smoking?...priceless (LOL). Seriously though, he took the big hit money wise, but without a pv I don't think we ever would have been able to get off analogs. So all in all, I consider it money well spent!

 

[mccawley]

Wow! I didn't even know people marked up that much for a starter kit.
When I first started most were around $150.00 and I thought that was too much. Ended up buying a 510 starter kit from vaporkings for $56.00 or so.

$245.00 they should be put out of business...

 

[mmoss2]

Probably because I am a newbie. I have today realised how much money I have wasted thus far.

My first e-cig = White Cloud. Yes, that's right, the $249 Cirrus II starter kit. And packs of 5 cartomizer at US $19.95 each. It worked really well, I'm now 3 months since last real cigarette and will not be going back to them.
I already have a 2nd ecig - Elusion. I like them better than White Cloud, the size, flavour & ease of draw are more like a real cigarette, though the batteries don't last very long. Cartomizer prices are about the same as White Cloud.

I've thrown out so many cartomizers though. The sales person at White cloud recommended starting on Full Strength - although I smoked approx 25-30 per day, it was at 2mg, so not strong, and even the Light cartos were too much for me. Am now using Ultra Light (still too strong) & nicotine free.

I was getting ready to buy my 3rd e-cig, couldn't decide between Vapour4Life or V2, and checked these forums. Have now placed order with Heaven Gifts for KR808-D1 batteries & cartomizers.
Cannot believe how much cheaper than some of these other companies for basically the same things.

Thanks ECF !!! I think. Though I might've just been happier in my ignorance...

I agree that it was overpriced .... But would you have quit smoking without it? Or would you have found ECF, and found out about cheaper kits? Like many new people, I have dumped a LOT of money into vaping. But I don't regret a single cent, even though some of the things I got were over priced or low performance. I QUIT SMOKING. Please try not to dwell on the money. If you can, pat yourself on the back and say "I QUIT SMOKING!!!! Who cares about how much it cost. I'll be around 10 or 20 more years to enjoy the benefits. And I won't care how much it cost at that point."

 

[brianvic]

I have been off cigs for about 25 days now and I've saved approx £79 by not smoking! That means I have nearly broken even on my e-cig purchases. Then I'll only need another 10 days or so to break even on my juice purchases. Then I will trully be saving!

I know I will have to replace batteries, attomizers, juice etc, but I do not expect to be spending £90 month doing so! At least I hope not!!

Besides, as so many have said already, what price your health? My wife is a non-smoker and she cares more about me being healthier than how much it costs me. If I spend the same on vaping as cigarettes she'll be happy. If I can actually save money she'll be fechin' delirious!!!

 

[sailorsaturn]

just offset your loss with the amount u would have spent buying packs every day.