25% More Convenience Expense

Just about any item has a price threshold of acceptability for me (although I often don’t know what that specific price is until faced with a price tag and have a gut reaction). Somehow an extra dollar or even ten cents can make an item no longer desirable for me, yet sometimes I’ll just need something and will buy it regardless of the price.

For example, the other week I went to the no-frills supermarket and they didn’t have the milk I always get in the size I always get, so I didn’t get any milk. A few days later I went to the nearby “regular” supermarket that’s more expensive and bought my milk for 25% more. Granted, fifty cents isn’t a great amount, but because I know the price difference exists, it irks me. I don’t like feeling like I’m getting a poor deal but sometimes it’s a trade-off.

The much busier no-frills supermarket is worth going to when buying many items, but not really worth going to when buying one or two items—it just takes so much more time and energy to drive to, shop in and check out. So I went to the nearby supermarket and paid a little more so I could save a little time. And it was worth it... sort of. [Pause.] What do I want more of, time or money? Ideally, both.