I binge-order. Every so often I just go on a spree and buy samples or minis from five or six lines at once. Then I settle down and smell everything for a few months until the urge hits me again and I go on another drunken spree -- well, perfumes ARE alcohol-based products, I guess it makes sense.
In the last month or so, I've bought unsniffed minis of Fendi Theorema, Guerlain Mahora, and Balmain Vent Vert (all of which I love, it doesn't always work out that way!), plus bought three samples from Beautyhabit (and they threw in two extras), five samples from Keiko Mecheri (they threw in three extra), and six samples from Eau D'Italie. I also got a sample of J.Lo Deseo free at Sephora, a free carded sample of Ed Hardy Hearts and Daggers at Macys, and a couple of free samples-with-purchase from Beautyhabit. Now I'm not going to buy anything for a few months -- really! Unless I cave and get the Ormonde Jayne discovery set, but I think I'm going to hold off until I have less to smell.
For me, sample programs are a reasonable way to experience many very expensive frags that I would probably never purchase in a full bottle -- although my Beautyhabit samples did lead to a purchase, which I'm thrilled with. I think all my sample purchases above added up to $42, and for that amount I get to try 19 fragrances.