RItual - How often to defer items ?

So I got a unnatural instinct, when starting maps, in a random ritual. Since it cost 16k offering, I started to defer it in every ritual I got that option, and after unlocking the second passive tree I made one for Ritual/Blight. After defering it around 5 times (I dont remember it exactly), at 6k offering I was able to finally buy that thing. I kept defering items and at some point there was a 2c offering that got down to 17 offering.

Was this the whole point of ritual? To defer a bunch of items, until they are under 100 offering? Or how often should one defer items? Does it have a limit like a 1k item can go down to 17 at max, and a 10k item can go down to 170 max ?