[Turbota]

I am a new member here, and would first like to say hello to everyone.

Let me say that I smoke about 2 packs of cigarettes per day.

Prior to moving back to the U.S. about 4 months ago, I had been living full time in the Philippines for the last 5 years. For a cigarette smoker, the Philippines is pure heaven ... Using the current USD to Philippines Peso exchange rate, a carton of Marlboro Red cost about $7.00. A carton of Camel filters cost about $6.00, and the local Filipino cigarettes such as Fortune cost as little as $4.00 per carton.

I had a real eye-opener when I came back to the US! Fifty dollars for a carton of cigarettes! The cheapest discount cigarettes I could find here in Florida was a brand called 305s. At $34 a carton, I still am not happy with the price, but that's the best I could do if I purchase here locally. The worst thing about these 305s is I have to continually re-light them. Another problem is the ashes keep falling all over the place. These new FSC cigarettes are total crap!

Well, I decided I didn't want to pay $35 a carton anymore, so I decided to order cigs on the internet. I had read that many of the American internet retailers (ie: Indian Reservation smokes) have turned over personal info about there customers to various state tax collectors, and of course these customers get a letter in the mail demanding back taxes on there previous purchases ... So I decided to purchase cigarettes from Europe. To be exact, from internet sales companies in the Ukraine. These Ukrainian internet companies were not only the cheapest to order from, but they certainly are NOT going to provide personal information to U.S. state tax collectors.

Well, my first order was for 6 cartons of "Classic Red" cigarettes from a company called cheapcigarettes4you.com. Took about a month to get them, but the price was right. Total cost for 6 cartons to my door was $119.10 (that's $19.85 per carton) ... great price, and the cigarettes were pretty good too. I believe they are made in Russia.



Well, next, I find another Ukrainian company selling these Classic Reds for a little less money. Again, I made my order over the internet and paid with a Visa credit card. It has now been almost 2 months, and I still have not recieved any cigarettes from cheapcigarettesmall.com! They have a 1-800 phone number, but won't answer the phone. They do have a live chat line, where you can type your message to somebody in the Ukraine and get answers in real-time. But, all they ever do is give me excuses that they had a problem with the Ukrainian post office and tell me to wait a little longer.

Personally, I think I am out the $115 I paid to them for the 6 cartons of Classic Reds.

I might order again from cheapcigarettes4you.com, since I didn't get cheated by them on the first order ... but I am getting a little gun-shy ordering from any of these internet companies in Eastern Europe anymore.

Has anyone else here found one of these cheap Russian or Ukrainian companies that you have complete trust in?

Are these Russian internet companies that sell and mail cigarettes to the US involved in such a "gray market", and/or illegal enterprise that the only ones left in operation are dirt-bags that would rather just steal money from there customers, than provide an honest business transaction ... hell, that company that still has not sent me my order didn't even have the courtesy to email me, and let me know there was a delay in shipment!

Are there any really trustworthy EU companies that sell cigarettes over the internet that are truely honest?

$20 delivered is a great price for a carton of cigarettes considering the cost here in the US ... but you can't trust the majority of these Russian companies.
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BTW ... I think what is needed is a list (data base) of all the companies that members here have used in the past, and a discription of how the transaction went (did they get scammed out of there money, or get good service). Anyone that orders cigarettes on-line could add to the list in order to provide helpfull information to the rest of the members here.

Thank's for reading ..

[the iron horse]

Welcome to the forums Turbota.

Well said rant.

The prices here in the U.S. are tax robbery.

Sometimes I think the tobacco companies should stop selling in the
states with the highest tobbaco tax and the most restrictive anti-smoking
laws.

[Turbota]

Thank's for the reply!

Jeeeze ... I got 44 reads on this thread, and not 1 person but yourself had anything to say about any of it. I was hoping to get some interesting info from other members that may have had experience with ordering from these websites where they ship cigarettes from places like the Ukraine, Russia, etc ... But maybe it's only me that has used them reciently.

With the crazy high cost of cigarettes here in the US, and the likelyhood of US based internet companies turning you in to your state tax collectors, I would think there would be lots of people now ordering from "off-shore" internet retailers .. oh well

Anyway, I am going back to the Philippines in a couple of months to check on my property over there. Going to stock up on those $6.00 per carton Camel filters while I'm there.

If i had any brains at all, I would just stop smoking altogether .. But for some reason, my lack of willpower over-rides my brains!

My wife can't stand cigarette smoke, but I just keep puffing away like a chimney!


BTW ... I have thought about buying tobacco, tubes and a rolling machine and going that route, but now I hear that the government is increasing the tax on the tobacco you would buy to roll your own so much, that rolling your own is not even a very cheap alternative anymore ... You just can't win!

[PuffPuffPassOut]

I love how you guy's complain about your taxes... When here in australia your looking.. On average..$13-$15 a deck(25's)... And we cant get them cheaper from overseas.. Because customs will seize it and wont give it to you untill you pay the $0.3447 tax per cigarette PLUS 10% goods and service tax...
The things i would give to pay what you guys are paying now....

[Burke]

Personally, I always smoked factory cigs. Started with Marlboro Reds as a kid, went to Parliaments (for most of my adult life) then switched to American Spirits for the last 2 yrs.
But - Then I was given a hand-rolled Amber Leaf cig, with a hand-made cardboard filter no less...and I fell in love with it!
Not only do I like RYO (SYO's) sooo much more, as far as enjoyment, taste, etc. -But- It turned what was just a "habit" (?) into a fun little hobby - call me crazy, but that's how I feel about it. I love making my own cigarettes. Buying & trying all different kinds of tubes, papers, filters. To, me, it's fun!
I don't smoke as much, so I guess that's good (health-wise) and I get to experiment with all different pouches of tobacco - I keep all the pouches in my humidor. I'd recommend it to anyone. It just requires a little patience.
I would say, that before the US Govt starts taxing/increasing the prices of RYO tobaccos - Just buy a whole bunch now I'll probably do this myself. Buy a bunch of cans of your favorite tobacco - The cans stay sealed & fresh for a long time.

Take care, all -

-Burke