Let’s say you go to a restaurant somewhat regularly and each time you go, you spend about $10 on your meal. One day, rather than receiving a bill, you’re simply directed to a box on your table that said “pay what you want for this meal.”
How much would you put in?
Would you put in anything at all? Would you put in the usual $10? Would you put in less than that? More? Does it depend on the specific circumstances in your own life at the moment?
What is that meal worth to you?
The interesting part is that this is really all about negotiation. When a restaurant puts a price on the menu, they’re telling you what value they expect for the meal. You can either accept that value or simply go elsewhere.
Now, let’s say you prepare a meal at home. You choose what meal you want to make. You also choose what ingredients you want to use and how much labor you want to put into it. The end result? You pay a much more reasonable price for your meal.
The lesson here is simple. The more you do it yourself, the better the bargains are and the more your spending is in line with what you value.
The same principle holds true with, well, almost everything. Take The Simple Dollar, for instance. Almost all of the people who read The Simple Dollar pay nothing for the articles posted here – I make income from the site indirectly through sidebar ads and other writing opportunities brought on by what’s posted here.
But if I place a “Donate” button here…
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