Relative value of money - revisited

avatar for rickdugan
rickdugan
Verified and Certifiable Super-Reviewer
A couple of years ago I posted a thread about how easy it becomes for some of us to lose sight of the relative value of money:

https://tuscl.net/discussion.php?id=6777…

I ran into another glaring example today. I hosted a kids birthday party at a local entertainment venue. The full bill for the entire shindig for a group of kids, including food, drinks, 3 hours of unlimited access to all the attractions, a dedicated party host, full cleanup and even host tip was less than a single night out which includes an OTC finish with my CF.

How fucked up is that? LOL.

19 comments

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avatar for Mate27
Mate27
3 years ago
I’m sure it’s all relative to what you have. Spending is less painful when you have plenty of it without diminishing your standard of living. It’s why many sex workers have contempt for us because of our professional level that creates wealth. I’m sure you consider it as part of your overall entertainment budget, and I’m sure there are plenty of other children’s events that they attend besides some silly ass Bday party. There’s school, church, as they get older it’s clothes and cars. It never ending when you’re a parent, so you can easily justify giving yourself a retreat once in a while to reset before jumping back in the hamster wheel during the work week.
avatar for CJKent_band
CJKent_band
3 years ago
@rickdugan

Have you considered the possibility that you are really overpaying?

:D
avatar for theeastcoast757
theeastcoast757
3 years ago
Going out has made me start tipping more wherever I go because I feel if I can spend a lot going out I can give other people a little more than I used to.
avatar for twentyfive
twentyfive
3 years ago
I stand by my comments from your original thread, and I'll add an additional qualification to my statements, since I am no longer working, there's a component that applies to those of you that still need to earn a living, never underestimate the value of your time, driving across town to save a buck on gasoline for example is not a good value for those of you that are self employed or even those of you that have a time clock to punch.
When it comes to buying things my own feeling is quality is more important as a measure of cost, high quality generally tastes better, is healthier, and lasts longer so always calculate that into your cost equations.
avatar for Jascoi
Jascoi
3 years ago
try living on a fixed pension with NO COLA, and social security. MINUS two grand court ordered spousal support. my buying power is probably half that it was when i first retired in 2007. and savings? i spent that on my addiction to vegas strippers... and bad investments.
avatar for twentyfive
twentyfive
3 years ago
^ Sorry to hear that Mr. Wonderful, I have a question for you though, life hands us setbacks fairly often , is your health good enough to take on a part-time job to supplement your pension and SS, remember any income negates 24-7 cash out flow during those hours you are working.
avatar for Icee Loco (asshole)
Icee Loco (asshole)
3 years ago
I get girls in popular Vegas clubs offering $100 ...$500 all nighters and I never take them up off it. If they require that much from you then.....
avatar for Jascoi
Jascoi
3 years ago
i could probably go back driving a truck... but dealing with the worse metro traffic and ever increasing regulation and the pay that hasn’t kept up with the COLA... PLUS the cameras and equipment in the truck watching your EVERY move in this current environment is something i don’t want to subject myself to. maybe i should just deliver pizza in my bad ass prius.
avatar for Mate27
Mate27
3 years ago
^^^ you can always Uber asses around. Have someone show you how to use the Lyft or Uber app and start driving. Someone told me that they do a quick background check and proof of insurance.
avatar for blahblahblah23
blahblahblah23
3 years ago
I have talked to more than 1 truck driver that say that industry used to be better years ago.
avatar for mjx01
mjx01
3 years ago
I 2nd 25's comment: "never underestimate the value of your time"

I bought some stuff on the internet today from a local business. $3 "in town" delivery fee. I can't drive to this business at $0.50 per mile, pay for downtown parking, and then drive home at $0.50 per mile for anywhere near $3 net... and that doesn't even begin to count my time if I did that myself. $3 and it was at my front door in under an hour... heck yeah.
avatar for Rod8432
Rod8432
3 years ago
As a teenager in the 70s, a hot, nude chick grinding on me wouldn't have been (or didn't seem) possible for any price. Today, $10 buys 3 minutes of serious nudity with some of the best-looking women I've ever known, plus grinding and feel-ups at the right clubs. Add to that, 10 minutes of chit-chat with her while naked or close to it, and I feel like I'm in pig heaven.

Considering I make 1000x what I did as a teenager, the whole deal is a bargain no matter how I cut it. And compared to dating, it's a no-brainer. So, spend away...
avatar for shailynn
shailynn
3 years ago
Everyone views money differently and what we pay for certain things we think are cheap and view others as expensive.

Example. I need a new office chair and the one I want is $500. I find that to be expensive since my current chair I have I paid $200 for, so I’m agonizing over the increased price.

Friday I went to Sam’s Club $150 grocery store $100 and out to eat $100 got gas $70 and got my car washed $30. That’s just for 2 people and I didn’t think twice about any of those costs which is usually an average bi-monthly sometimes tri-monthly expense. So why am I hung up about an office chair costing the same as one average weeknight?

Where I play basketball half the guys will walk half a mile to save $1.75 in meter fees instead of parking 10 feet in front of the building but then go blow $30 each on beer at the nearby bar afterwards.


As for Ricks conundrum there are cheaters options out there for his OTC just like there’s cheaper options for office chairs for me. But we want quality so we pay more, and bitch about it.

Remember, price is long forgotten after the enjoyment of the quality.
avatar for jackslash
jackslash
3 years ago
The last time I saw a movie in the theater (before the pandemic), I felt like getting some popcorn. But the price was $8. I refused to pay that much. For 25 cents I can make all the popcorn I want at home.

However, everything is different when I enter a strip club. A couple weeks ago I spent over $1000 in the club. A $9 beer. Sure. A $20 drink for a dancer. Sure. A trip to VIP. Sure. I don't consider the costs.
avatar for Icee Loco (asshole)
Icee Loco (asshole)
3 years ago
With traffic so bad and stores not giving workers enough hours so with only 1 or 2 checkout counters you get huge lines... apps like instacart are worth it and come out cheaper than using your car. Same with food delivery given gas prices and stuff.

avatar for Rod8432
Rod8432
3 years ago
Shailynn - Hey man, spend the $500 on the chair. I too, spent much time in previous decades buying $150 OfficeMax-type chairs, only to wind up with several such chairs, ultimately never happy with them and giving them away. Finally, I bit the bullet, and bought a refurbished Aeron chair for ~$500, and couldn't be happier. It looks brand new, came in a nice box with all the wrappings, etc, and works like a charm. I love it, and never hesitate to recommend to anybody...

Check out https://officechairatwork.com/
avatar for Papi_Chulo
Papi_Chulo
3 years ago
As I mentioned in the other thread, it’s hard to find something the avg-guy does on a regular basis and spends as much; only other vices like drugs or gambling – it’s probably not uncommon for a regular-SCer to spend $200 to $400 weekly or at least bimonthly in the club – hard to think of something else the avg person does regularly where they spend near the same amount – as was posted previously, one good SC visit can be the cost of a new TV, or even a car-payment for a decent-car.

But hey – pussy doesn’t grow on trees
😁
avatar for alldaylong
alldaylong
3 years ago
Not fucked up at all. The kiddos still enjoyed it, then who cares how much was spent vs that on strippers and the like. If you can afford it, have fun. Money is wasted everyday; the new car you don't need, the fancy dinner, the football game, the concert, and host of other endless shit.
avatar for shailynn
shailynn
3 years ago
Thanks for the link Rod8432!!!!!!

Hey when it comes down to it, as far as I know we only live once and we can’t take it with us, plus I don’t have any kids and my nephews and nieces are all dicks!!!
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