I think that, since money is merely a concept for bartering, that cost doesn't matter in the long run. Typically, I simply measure the overall value and difficulty of finding sticks in a rough sense, then I overvalue it by a large amount. I figure the dollar values don't matter because there's nothing static about them. Besides which, a $50 cigar no one wants really has no value, while a $4 cigar everyone wants has a lot of value.
I try to follow the concept of always give more than you get, and you'll always be able to get when you want it next. That doesn't mean I can simply demand something and get it; it does mean if I'm looking for something, odds are someone I've bombed or traded with in the past is going to be willing to hook me up.
More importantly, I occasionally feel like making someone go "Woah!" hence I sometimes dish out way more than I get just for the fun of it.
