As someone who budgets pretty precisely, it’s a rare occasion when I finish my day and realize I have 10 extra dollars to spend. In such an instance, the world opens up before me with infinite possibilities. I could get a sweet treat, an extra coffee, a pair of sunglasses that will disintegrate soon – practically anything my heart desires! But $10 is a very precise amount that is difficult to budget for exactly. I know this now, because when I looked up from my purchases, I realized that in the pursuit of spending 10 extra dollars, I had accidentally spent 70 extra dollars.
Well, shit! Where did my math go so wrong?
You see, I surveyed my $10 buying options and found them to lack a certain je ne sais quoi. A little milkshake would certainly hurt my stomach. A $10 t-shirt would fall apart in days, only adding to our nation’s clothing waste issue. And a $10 coffee? Honey, that’s way too much to pay for a coffee. Just when I’d lost hope that I’d find something worth buying, I stumbled upon an amazing deal.
My favorite linen bed sheet store was selling a perfect throw pillow for 50% off, which meant only $30 for one perfect pillow! What a deal, huh? Even though it was more than the $10 I had intended to spend, the fact that it was less than the pillow would normally cost meant that I was still, in fact, saving money.
I added the pillow to my cart – a no brainer – but then realized it was only a sham cover, not inclusive of the pillow itself. There was no way I could miss out on such a great deal and, therefore, functionally lose thousands of dollars. I added the pillow insert to my cart and checked out, thrilled that I had added so much money back into my bank.
Sure, the total for the pillow and cover came to $70, but it would normally have come to $100, and it would last way longer than any measly $10 option. I confirmed the purchase, leaned back in my chair, and smiled to myself, knowing I had been extremely financially savvy.
About three hours later, a realization stopped me in my tracks: In an attempt to most efficiently spend $10, I had ultimately spent $70. Oops! I decided I would make up for this by not buying groceries this week, and instead buying individual cheap lunches every single day.
