One of the first things you can do when it comes to stretching your cannabis dollar is to consider the strain. With hundreds of different strains, there are so many options for potency as well as effects. If you are someone that is looking for potent effects, or is using for medical treatment, you are better off with the top-shelf strains, such as platinum pre-rolls. These strains are more potent, so they can be more expensive, but also pack a greater punch and can be used more sparingly. Individuals who enjoy the act of smoking and are less concerned with potency, may find shake or lower cost options to fit within their budget without limiting their use.
Once you have chosen a strain best suited to your preferences, the next tip is to use this bud efficiently! One particularly good suggestion for smoking efficiently and making your cannabis last longer, is to wait a while before you smoke more. If you have had a couple tokes and are already feeling a nice buzz coming on, it may be a good idea to snuff out your joint or resist immediately packing another bowl. Instead, try to enjoy your buzz for the next half hour and then decide whether you’re high enough, or have achieved pain relief, before using the rest. It is easy to mindlessly toke on a pre-roll, but pausing now and again can really help make it last.
Use Leftovers for Edibles
Leftover kief, trim or even roaches can be great for making edibles – and helpful when it comes to stretching your cannabis dollar! One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply decarb the leftover plant material in the oven and then making cannabutter, which can be used to bake edibles such as cookies, brownies or even put on toast!
Store Your Buds Properly
Surprisingly a lot of stoners and regular medical users fail to store their marijuana properly. While it may be convenient, the paper or plastic bag from the dispensary is not the most ideal storage container. In fact, clear plastic baggies actually expose the buds to light, which degrades the potency and flavor. In addition, it can rub against the bud and remove precious (and potent) trichomes. By transferring flower or joints to blacked out mason jars, it can help the marijuana to last for several months without loss of quality.
Budget Your Cannabis
While no one wants to hear the word “budget”, it can come in very handy for consistent medical and recreational users. Of course, there are two ways to look at budgeting cannabis. Not surprisingly, the first is to actual budget out your cannabis spending to ensure you have enough funds for your medication, as well as other bills. This can help with overspending and end of the month “uh oh’s”. The other form of budgeting cannabis refers to actually dividing out your cannabis for later use. For instance, you may want to purchase one month’s worth of cannabis all at once. In this case, setting aside an amount for that day or week can be helpful to ensure you are not over medicating.
Take a Hiatus
Another tip for stretching your cannabis dollar that not everyone wants to hear is to take a hiatus. If you’re finding that it is taking more and more flower to achieve the desired effects, this can be a good indicator that it is time for a “T-Break”. A T-Break, or THC break, refers to pausing your cannabis consumption in order to decrease your tolerance. It is suggested that individuals stop consuming cannabis for 1-2 weeks once or twice per year to keep their tolerance levels lower (and more affordable). This is not always possible for medical patients who require regular doses of medication, however, by swapping to edibles for 1-2 weeks instead, you can still help decrease your tolerance from cannabis smoking.
