I have a VTR Itaste with the clearomizer that came with it. I vape 6mg and have for months now.
6mg is perfect for stretching;
for the last year I bought 24mg liquid and and mixed it 1:3 with a 90/10 mix of glycerin and bottled water (I can't get PG locally where I am)
If you can get PG (farm supplies), you can make your own base mix of 50/50 PG/VG.
If you buy 12mg instead of 6mg, you mix your liquid one-to-one with the PG/VG base and cut you liquid $cost$ in half
If you buy 24mg instead of 6mg, you mix your liquid 3-to-1 with the base, and cut your $cost$ by three quarters.
These days now that I use drippers, I just mix glycerin and 10% water and that's my main vape; occassionally I add a drop or few from a $purchased$ bottle of eliquid to my dripper, and that's really all I need to use.