The Best Deal Is the One You Actually Use

We tend to measure a deal by the discount: how much was knocked off, how good the price looked. But a bargain on something that ends up unused is not a saving at all. The best deal is simply the one you actually use.

Discount is not value

A gadget at half price that sits in a drawer cost you the half you paid, not the half you saved. The size of the discount is irrelevant if the item does not earn its place in your life. Use is the only honest measure of value.

Sales are good at making us forget this. The excitement of a markdown can override the simple question of whether we wanted the thing at all, at any price.

Ask the real question

Before buying a deal, ask whether you would want it at full price, and whether you will use it within a month. If the honest answer is no, the discount is not saving you money. It is just a cheaper way to spend it.