New to me...highway gas station selling ejuice?!?!!!

[BlueMoods]

Same here, Marlboros are going for 4.59 a pack at Wal Mart, Cheyenne little cigars (filtered) 2.79 a pack. Hard to convince people to switch when analogs are that cheap and, most can't even afford internet service. (So far I have yet to find anyone that doesn't think I'm totally insane for paying 180.00/month for internet jsut to have satellite and 25 GB usage allotment per month. Only internet I can get out here.) They also think me spending over 200.00 on Provarii is nuts and, even the 60.00 ego kits at the vape shop are way over priced - they want them, with a one day supply of juice for 5.00 to 6.00. I have heard "Sure, I'll try it when it cost the same as a pack of cigarettes." more times than I can count.

They think it will be like computers and cell phones, and get dirt cheap in a few years so, they are waiting for that to happen. That or they would pay the 60.00 if it came with free juice for a year, but 60.00 just for a starter kit is way too much for the majority of these people.

Explaining that once they buy the kit, they can get the juice for about the price of 2 packs of cheap smokes and, it will last all week does nothing when, if they bought the kit, they wouldn't be able to buy juice with it. My 13 year old granddaughter came to me yesterday, begging and offering to clean my house 10 times to get me to buy her a 25.00 case for her clarinet - that's what her mother told her it would take to earn enough to afford the case and, that's about what work is worth around here. I can hire anyone on this road to help me build an addition on my house for 30.00 a day, and that's a 12-14 hour day of work. My son in law roofed the house, barn and shop all for a trade that was worth 200.00 and was grateful to get off that easy for what he wanted. So, people like that are never going to see a 60.00 PV kit as a good buy.

Yes to me it seems like work is really undervalued here but, I came from Los Angeles and Philadelphia before moving here. I'd think it normal and right if I had been raised here, or at least spent my entire adult life here.

 

[minimalsaint]

A local gas station I used to frequent for cigs recently started carrying dekang liquid. $18 for 10ml LMAO!
I still stop in for drinks on occasion and the owner asked why I stopped buying cigs, so I told him about the switch and now every time I stop he reaches for a dusty bottle hoping I will bite. I haven't been that desparate yet.

 

[SAG]

In my area convenience/gas stations sell Njoy, blu, century 21 and fin cigalikes and refill cartridges. No juice. Good news is B&Ms are popping up DAILY!

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Also need to consider the costs of analogs. Mississippi has one of the lowest (if not THE lowest) cig tax rates in the US. Generic stuff runs about $3-3.50/pack with name brand being $5-5.50/pack. With those prices, some people just don't think it's economical to change because they want to buy in a store, not order online.

And $1/ml is NOT going to help you sell product or encourage people to switch. I have another post where I was just ranting about a head shop that carried juice for $1/ml, whether it was US-made or Dekang...didn't matter. I will not buy from them because they are either dishonest or don't understand the products they are selling.

Same over here in Alabama. I can get a pack of Marlboro Special Blend Red for $5.00. But at nearly two packs/day, that's $10.00/day.

I could pay those Shell station prices for equipment and liquid ($50.00 total) and I've spent about the same I would for about five days of smoking analogs. I can't make the 10ml bottle last for five days, but I can make two last that long. Then the next week, I'm only out $20.00 for the two bottles, and the week after that, and the week after that. That's about a month's worth and I'm out what... about $120?

Compare that to two packs/day x 30 days x $5.00 and I'm about $180 to the good for one month. That's a car payment, a trip to the grocery store for two weeks or a cell phone bill on the family plan. It's also enough to expand my collection of batteries, tanks/clearos and try a whole bunch of new juices from online vendors.

It's also enough to be able to afford a shiny new Vamo, some 18650's, a Protank 2 and a few blister packs of coil replacements. People who are serious about quitting analogs and saving money can do it, even in states with non-punitive tax rates on cigarettes.

 

[THETOTALLYCOOL]

Suddenly, where I work, people got into e-cigs. I had tried cigalikes in the past, wasn't satisfied, and just hung around and watched for 6 months or so. Part of it was indeed fear of wasting my money. Perhaps 30-40% of the vapor guys are still doing it. I've talked to a couple guys who are still hanging on by a thread and it seems if you do both, or if your wife keeps smoking, it's hard to stay with vapor. And I'll bet with the cost of both things in your life, it's easier to make the wrong decision when push comes to shove.

 

[Rickajho]

Hmmm... I have been paying no attention at all. I never go into the Kwikee Marts attached to gas stations. Now, you have forced me into "made 'ja look" mode. Gonna have to see what's what. Then there's this:

We have a local place that's kind of a combination packy/liquor store/pizza-sub shop. While I was sitting there eating a slice I couldn't help but notice the gal behind the the "cigarette" register occasionally taking a timid drag off something - zero vapor. I thought it was one of those fake "mint" inhaler things. But no - it was a Blu. Since I kept giving her creepy weird stares, trying to figure out what the heck she had from a distance, I had to dispel the creepy weird. I walked up her counter, plonked down an eGo T2 APV (in red no less) with a Kanger T3 clearo on it and said "I think you need this."

After she popped her eyeballs back in, that led to a half hour conversation with three employees about "other than Blu" options. She's really struggling with Blu and really wants something better. I gave them all the vendor business cards I had on hand. Will be stopping in next Monday to see what's what. Not expecting to see a fully stocked store, but hey - you gotta start some place! They're a privately owned store so if they wanna do it they could.

Nice to hear that more options are popping up here and there. Now that butts is mAss. are hanging around $10.00 a pack a lot of these stores may be open to other options if their .... revenue drops off.

 

[mommafish]

The LITTLE corner store by me sold me my first kit for 40.00 2-650 batteries 2 cheap clearos charger and 1 10ml of juice. That introduced me to "real" vaping.

 

[MJTP]

Tennessee must be a good state to live in. Around my town, you can find "decent" condition apartments for $425, and mansion-quality apartments for $525. Some places even do just a $300 down payment. On top of that, our electricity company provides internet for like $30. Our city buses cost $1 or so to ride.

Now, I admittingly don't own a car nor do I have kids nor do I spend money on stupid stuff, but I worked at Walgreens for 6 months while living with my parents before age 18 and made $4,000 working just 15 hours a week. I could have made $12,000 if I worked 40+. I just have my priorities set, I can keep it in my pants, and keep away from drugs.

$4,000 got me into a $525 apartment, $300 downpayment, like $200 turning everything on, a $1,000 budget for furniture and household (Walmart has extremely cheap stuff) and I don't plan on spending even that much. I'm not even working right now because of the depression from the loss of multiple loved ones, and I'm just living off what is the other $2,000.

Around my town, half of the businesses pay $8-$12 an hour as long as you can pass a piss test. Most people can't, or have 14 kids, so that's half of why they're poor. Most businesses in my town are dying for people who can pass a piss test; some businesses are even desperate and are trying to hush the test under the rug just to hire people who at least "look" responsible. From where I live, there's just a flood of hot piss and a drought where clean piss is involved. No kidding.

 

[four2109]

Wow, This is a good thread. I didn't expect it to turn to economics, but it is very enlightening.
That said, I don't think I spend more than $25-$50 a month on vaping, compared to the $250 I was spending on analogs.
I guess that's because I quit chasing the next best hardware and I cut my own liquid. The high end is when I buy disposable Flings at $3.40 a piece. But that's like going out to the movies or dinner to me.

 

[DC2]

I have been seeing these in liquor stores around here lately...

And yes, at least one of the liquor stores where I saw these also has refill bottles.

 

[DC2]

I also saw these at that same liquor store...

 

[Glen Snyder]

Well down here in Miami we have a local B&M selling overpriced Egos that has teamed up with La Vaquita(small drive up convenience stores) to sell their egos and juice...

Useless without the name of the B & M. Jus sayin'

There's a Shell station right around the corner from me selling eGo/CE4 clone starter kits for $40 and Dekang liquids for $10/10ml.

Really not too bad considering the B & M I bought my starter kit from got me for $89 for a 650mAh & 1100 mAh eGo T knockkoff, 2 CE 3 knockoffs a cheap (no wall plug) usb charger and 20 ml of rebottled Dekang.

 

[Rickajho]

I have been seeing these in liquor stores around here lately...

And yes, at least one of the liquor stores where I saw these also has refill bottles.

I do hope they aren't gouging people too badly on those. That's like a $12.00 pre-pack special on DealExtreme.

 

[DC2]

I do hope they aren't gouging people too badly on those. That's like a $12.00 pre-pack special on DealExtreme.

Since there is a Chargers football game tonight, I'll be stopping by to pick up something.
I'll check and see how much they are selling them for.

 

[four2109]

I bought my first e-cig in a truck stop. An NJOY PRO in '09. No complaints. I quit analogs that day and started ordering online. I like seeing them readily available. The liquid is a big plus as that's what I'm likely to be in a bind for, not that I will try it unless I have to.

 

[Zipslack]

Thanks for the lead to DealExtreme. Decent prices. Are they also shipping from China? Comparable to FT? I don't drink anymore, but I may need to get some vodka for "cleaning" purposes...

 

[90quattrocoupe]

It is tough for persons of low income to make the switch from cigs to vaping. One of the reasons I keep my old rigs around, and charged up. I have been loaning out my Twist and Winder to friends. Set them up with a old tank, that hasn't cracked yet, a new, I punched carto(less than a $1), and some juice I never really cared for. If they decided they like it, after a week, we go to a B&M and try some juices. They can buy a couple of cartos and a bottle of juice for the next week. After two weeks of being on my rig, they are usually able to buy a twist with charger, cheap tank and tip, with the money they saved not smoking cigs. If they have a smart phone, they can order online.

Along with the rig I loan them, I loan them a carto punch and tank filler.

I have done this about 7 times, and always worked. So help your neighbor, loan them the rigs you really no longer use, or can get by without for a week or two.

Greg W.

 

[nomoe]

Same here, Marlboros are going for 4.59 a pack at Wal Mart, Cheyenne little cigars (filtered) 2.79 a pack. Hard to convince people to switch when analogs are that cheap and, most can't even afford internet service. (So far I have yet to find anyone that doesn't think I'm totally insane for paying 180.00/month for internet jsut to have satellite and 25 GB usage allotment per month. Only internet I can get out here.) They also think me spending over 200.00 on Provarii is nuts and, even the 60.00 ego kits at the vape shop are way over priced - they want them, with a one day supply of juice for 5.00 to 6.00. I have heard "Sure, I'll try it when it cost the same as a pack of cigarettes." more times than I can count.

They think it will be like computers and cell phones, and get dirt cheap in a few years so, they are waiting for that to happen. That or they would pay the 60.00 if it came with free juice for a year, but 60.00 just for a starter kit is way too much for the majority of these people.

Explaining that once they buy the kit, they can get the juice for about the price of 2 packs of cheap smokes and, it will last all week does nothing when, if they bought the kit, they wouldn't be able to buy juice with it. My 13 year old granddaughter came to me yesterday, begging and offering to clean my house 10 times to get me to buy her a 25.00 case for her clarinet - that's what her mother told her it would take to earn enough to afford the case and, that's about what work is worth around here. I can hire anyone on this road to help me build an addition on my house for 30.00 a day, and that's a 12-14 hour day of work. My son in law roofed the house, barn and shop all for a trade that was worth 200.00 and was grateful to get off that easy for what he wanted. So, people like that are never going to see a 60.00 PV kit as a good buy.

Yes to me it seems like work is really undervalued here but, I came from Los Angeles and Philadelphia before moving here. I'd think it normal and right if I had been raised here, or at least spent my entire adult life here.

I spent a a year living in southern Ark, moved there fom los angles. talk about a change of reality. Being employed in skilled trades jobs my whole life it was the only time I have ever felt happy to have a job. couldnt deal with it any longer and moved back to city life.