Over the years cigar smoking has built up an image of only being for the rich and powerful. It’s an image that’s been reinforced by television, movies and other forms of the media. History too reinforces the idea that cigars go hand in hand with power. You only have to look at the powerful figures in recent history who smoked cigars.

Today many people automatically link cigars with wealth and power. It’s so closely linked in fact that it’s not uncommon for someone who wants to appear to be more than he really is to smoke cigars in an effort to portray himself or herself as a person of wealth and power. Even the size of some cigars reinforces that image of power and the prices of some cigars goes a long way to helping people believe that cigar smoking is only for the wealthy.

What else could you think if you were looking at prices in some of the specialty cigar shops around the country? But I’m here to tell you that cigar smoking is for people from every socio-economic background and it is definitely not something that is confined to the rich and powerful.

Take a look online for quality hand-rolled cigars and sure, you’ll find some prices that will definitely take your breath away. For example some hand-rolled Cuban cigars are definitely not cheap and can put quite a hole in your wallet or bank account but there are plenty of hand-rolled cigars from other countries that are far cheaper and still have the quality and taste that you want.

You also need to remember that it’s unlikely that you would ever smoke as many cigars in a day as you might smoke cigarettes so even though the more modestly priced cigars are going to be more expensive than a cigarette you may not be paying more for your cigars than you would for cigarettes.

And if you don’t believe me when I tell you that cigar smoking is for everyone then take a look around at some of the cigar smoking sites that are out there. Check out the forum at our own Cigar-Review.com and look at the cigar smokers who gather there from all over the world. We really do come from all backgrounds and all walks of life and, while some may have more disposable income than others, I doubt that there are any more than one or two who could be described as wealthy … or powerful.

Check out the group photos from the Herf that brought us all together and you will see what I mean. Our group really is representative of cigar smokers and all of us enjoy a great cigar despite being just ordinary people like you. We all have limited resources yet we’re able to enjoy our way of life. Sometimes we’ll all step out and buy something extravagant but most times we smoke cigars that we can afford and, thanks to the Internet we can afford some very high quality cigars.

That’s right, just as a search of the Net will reveal some very expensive cigars out there in the world so too will you find great cigars at budget prices. Before I sat down to write this article I did a quick search for ‘cigar sshopping’ and came up with several shops that sell cigars online at discount prices and they really do put expensive quality cigars well within the reach of most people. Discounts of more than 50% are not uncommon on line so have a look around and you’ll find the quality you want at a price you can afford. Make sure you don't forget your local "B&M" brick & mortar tobacconist as well. They can provide great knowledge and recommendations, and can sometimes have some great, hard-to-find cigars as well.

So please don’t be put off from cigar smoking simply because of the image that accompanies the pastime. It’s a false image and just about anyone can afford to smoke cigars on a regular basis. Not only is it affordable but it’s also enjoyable so don’t let the image prevent you from joining the cigar smokers who understand that it’s something everyone can enjoy.