Time vs Saving

[jeffrey]

Here is something to think about. If you spend 9 minutes to save $1.00, you are working for less than minimum wage:

xkcd: Working

[riverwed070707]

True but unless you were otherwise going to be spending that time working your income has not gone up by not saving the dollar, you still come out behind

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

Here is something to think about. If you spend 9 minutes to save $1.00, you are working for less than minimum wage:

Stuff like this comes up periodically but it is a faulty argument. If I spend 9 minutes of leisure time to save/earn $1.00, that is time that I would have otherwise earned zero. Which is better - making $6.00 or watching some stupid reality show on TV?

Of course, the answer does depend somewhat on your situation. If you are financially stable and not in great need of additional money, relaxation and leisure is certainly important and worth doing even at the expense of earning more money. If, however, you are struggling to make ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck, buried in debt, etc., your time would probably be best used finding ways to reduce spending or increase income, even if the hourly earning rate is relatively low.

[jteezie]

I spent 90 minutes once deciding which $1.34 pack of gum to buy...