Re:Ask HN: Is frugality underrated in startups?
by ignoramous on Sunday January 17, 2021 @02:05PM
(#25813774)
> ...charges $100/hr spending 5 hours on Amazon trying to save a couple bucks on an iPhone cable. Cool, you saved $3. But you spent $500 to save it!
I agree in general with the sentiment that people need to really value their time more than they do. It is a precious ever-depleting resource. That said, we mustn't discount the fact that:
1. One may get better at saving and wouldn't always have to spend 5 hours on Amazon when looking for better deals the next time around.
2. It is not just $3, but might also be that one is learning along way (reading reviews, getting better at identifying quality signals, etc).
3. Developing a habit because every buck one spends could have been saved for (future frugal expenses), because not every waking hour is worth $100 anyway.
4. Valuing all of one's time in terms of billable-hours could be actually used to justify not doing anything else at all; and life/learning/experiences would simply flash-by.
I agree in general with the sentiment that people need to really value their time more than they do. It is a precious ever-depleting resource. That said, we mustn't discount the fact that:
1. One may get better at saving and wouldn't always have to spend 5 hours on Amazon when looking for better deals the next time around.
2. It is not just $3, but might also be that one is learning along way (reading reviews, getting better at identifying quality signals, etc).
3. Developing a habit because every buck one spends could have been saved for (future frugal expenses), because not every waking hour is worth $100 anyway.
4. Valuing all of one's time in terms of billable-hours could be actually used to justify not doing anything else at all; and life/learning/experiences would simply flash-by.