At $140/hr for batch patching (assuming a very typical 15 mins for 5 tubes patched @ $7/tube for new ones), that's a pretty high return. At my tax bracket, I'd have to earn about $200/hr to equal that kind of monetary return. Aside from the wastefulness of throwing away tubes, that's a pretty high monetary return on your time.

Again, this is if you batch patch tubes - it takes like 10% more time to patch 2 tubes than 1, and like 20% more time to patch 5 tubes simultaneously compared to one.

If you only patch one tube at a time, it's not worth it. If you wait until you have 4-5 or more, it's totally worth it.