Friends don't make friends pay gas money. Period.
On the rare occasion that you drive a buddy a considerable distance to, say, an airport or something -- then it's reasonable. But to Wal-Mart/cigar shop -- kiss my ass pal. I drive a Camaro. I get negative gas mileage. My best friend lives over 50 miles away. I'd be up there as soon as I could if he needed my help and I wouldn't ask for a dime.
Edit: And yes, I'm a college kid, too.
Edit2: I have two stories.
I've only ever lost 1 cigar of my own. Granted, it was an Opus X Perf X. Needless to say, I was about to cut off the cap and it was lying on an ashtray. A relative of mine accidentally spilled a beer on it. Ya, it was out of the cello. Ya, I was pissed.
My other story involves a bomb mishap. I was intending on bombing someone, who shall remain nameless, that was very kind to me on this forum. I was headed to the post office at about 8:45 AM, and was drinking a large 24-ounce coffee with one of those cheap lids that barely snaps on. I had the cigars in a 5 finger baggy lying in the passenger seat of my car. Long story short, I was smoking a 5 Vegas Shorty, it fell out of my mouth, into my lap, and the coffee flew into the passenger seat, the lid came off, and dumped all of the coffee in the passenger seat, and, unfortunately, into the open 5-finger baggy. Coffee flavored 858 SG and other Fuentes anyone? Major sigh on that one. We shared a laugh when I told him the story. Funny thing is, I still have these cigars and they are in fact dried out now. No mold either, surprisingly. 2 burst/came unraveled. 2 are still okay -- however, they smell like a Starbucks at lunch break, the devils asshole, and 3 kinds of body fluid (you choose).