How much are the perks and the benefits really costing you? You may be surprised at the cost of the free items that you receive. You may also be surprised at how the loss leader items in a store’s ad may end up costing you more money, since you are shopping at a more expensive store.
For example my husband wants to purchase the new operating system for Macs. One of the things that Apple does so well is promoting a lifestyle and general buzz around its products. We qualify for a forty dollar discount on the software due to my husband’s job. However, to receive the discount we must order online. My husband wanted to purchase the product at the store and get a free T-shirt available to the first five hundred customers at each store. One of his deciding factors in the equation was the T-shirt and the experience. Once I pointed out that I thought forty dollars was a pretty expensive T-shirt, my husband decided to wait. Although he is still mentioning how much he wanted that shirt.
What items do you have that are equivalent to this example? There are times when you might go ahead and pay extra for the experience. You just need to be aware that it is a choice that you are making. There may be times when you can afford the extra money or times when you decide that it really is not worth it to you. Each of us have our little quirks and weaknesses when it comes to money and things.
My weakness is my hair. I would rather go several months (and often do) without a haircut, then settle for an inexpensive one that is just awful. My stylist is about thirty dollars more than the discount chains, but the experience is worth it for me. However, I only go when we can afford it.
As you look at your spending habits and the things that matter the most to you, you may be surprised at how much you are paying for the experience or little perks. Some of these you may decide are worth the extra cost. Others maybe not. The key is being aware of what you are spending and why.
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