Cost and Benefits

There are costs and benefits throughout life. I don't know if it's only poor people who learn this early on, or if it's something average people learn (I doubt the latter is true).

That "latest fashion" item might look cool and get one accepted in a social setting, but aside from an inflated price tag, what other costs are there? It's likely something that can only be worn once (because that's how "fashion" and keeping up with the latest and greatest works). It's likely to not fit correctly (almost always the case for me), and thus can draw more scorn, or worse, laughter.

It might appear cheaper to the pocket book to buy pre-made uh... "foods," but what is really going into your body with all the pre-wrapped, "just warm it up" or "nuke it" uh, "food?" It can't be food-- have you looked at ingredient lists lately?

Apparently, there exists a term by which I utilize a "cost and benefits" measure-- I've been told it's called "perceived value." Okay, I'll go with that. There's not a whole lot of value in mass market type stuff, in my opinion. Give me something hand crafted any day of the week! Particular if it was crafted with me in mind! That's even more special. I do realize, however, no all people are... "crafty," but it's important to realize that "crafty" can be expressed all sorts of ways.

I crochet. A lot! I have crocheted & sold well over 100 hats in the past couple of years. I can't count how many blankets I've crocheted, including a very beautiful 8' by 8' double-stranded blanket which I custom-made for a California King sized water bed-- I was paid cash for it, but not really fully compensated. There is no monetary compensation for something that's handmade-- if there is, then the payer much have tons of money, and that person hasn't come to me yet! It takes hours upon hours upon hours (and sometimes stretches into months or years) for a blanket completion-- I still have at least 3 that I started before we moved here (nearly 5 years ago), or just after we moved here, that still are not completed! There's been many scarves and shawls I've made, and some really wacky and fun projects, like the 'idol' The Flying Spaghetti Monster (or FSM for short-- do a search on it).

In the fairly recent history, Hubby got mad at me for buying a car ("I didn't go on a deployment so you could get a new car!"). First of all, let me say, "It wasn't new!" I bought a... "pre-owned" car, and now after driving it for nearly two years, it was one of the best investments I ever made! The reason I bought the 'new' car was based on a variety of factors, but ultimately came down to "cost and benefits" or "perceived value." I thought it better to get a properly working, well designed, great for the PNW and the roads we face here vehicle, than to risk the impending failure of our Durango. Admittedly, there are times I miss that gas hog (like, on shopping trips to Costco and WinCo and hardware stores), but I knew the "cost" of keeping the Durango far outweighed the benefits of keeping it. I hope that came out the way I meant to write it. In other words, I am extremely glad I got the 2006 Subaru Legacy (fully loaded!), at a steeply discounted price (I have 5 hours to kill, why not go buy a car? Oh, and I'll trade... and oh, oops, I do have money down... forgot about that, etc). The ONLY near-misses I've had to worry about with my Blue Baby is other drivers! Oh, and that near car-jacking not too long back (that's a story in and of itself!).

For most every decision I make, my choice is based on a "Cost and Benefits" analysis. Others may not see the processing or that what I'm doing or the choice I'm making could possibly work or be the best, but that's where the "perceived value" comes into play. Other people do not have my perception. They do not know what I know, have my experiences to employ in the decision making process, nor is anyone close enough to my little family to rightly judge any of the choices we've made. We make decisions what appear to be "on a whim," but in truth, when we (by "we" I mean Hubby and me") look back, we can see all the steps I/he/we took prior to finally making whatever choice. It looks whimsical only when you don't see the workings.

Cost and benefits can also apply to relationships. What is the cost of a relationship? What are the benefits? This can be a very subjectively logical approach to analyzing what is or isn't working in a relationship, no matter how close or distant it is.

When Hubby and I took our vows, we were quite serious. Our 'eloping' took everyone by a whirlwind, no-forewarning storm. Seemed perfectly natural to us! Life for us has continued to be a whirlwind, and we often go back to the basics: cost and benefits. Well the cost of staying married is getting farted on, having a messy house, getting nagged, having to pay unexpected bills, getting into arguments, not being thoroughly and completely your own person (what's the point of getting married, then?). What are the benefits? You can learn from each other, you can fight statistics and everyone who said, "It won't work or won't last long," as much as those "unexpected bills" might be, it's far less expensive than getting a divorce. And that's just the monetary aspect. How about two children who have seen incredibly solid parents their entire lives? They would be devastated, and they would be ripped to their very core.

Thankfully, they have nothing to fear. See, we've gone over the cost and benefits of marriage repeatedly, and have always drawn the same conclusion-- it's much simpler (aka, lazier) and cheaper to just work things out with what you've got, than pretending the "grass is greener" over somewhere else. Those we've known who have tried nibbling at that "greener grass" seemed stunned to learn that the reason that grass appears greener is because it's been cared for and maintained. Thus, if you put the work into your own grass, it'll be what every one else is wanting to taste and see-- you can be the envy by just taking care of your own grass! It's cheaper!

I've been piling up the "recycle" for the CFL bulbs. You know, that band wagon for replacing standard bulbs with CFLs because they are "better for the environment" (more on that in a bit), they last longer, and they cost less energy. I have a problem with each one of those claims, as I have been using ONLY CFLs in EVERY light in this house since we moved in. I have replaced each of the standard bulbs (I should have kept them). Once in replacing on of the bulbs for the pendant lamp in the entry, I dropped the CFL. Oops. And I hadn't read all the safety info about cleaning those up. I don't have a hazmat center in my home! Hell, I don't even have bleach in my home! I am finding that with the cost of each CFL bulb, and given how often they have to be changed--I mention once more, we've been here 5 years-- I have a big stack of bulbs to take to recycling, and I'm just not certain the benefits out weight the costs. I'm fairly sure I've also read that each recycling center can only accept so many bulbs per visit. Why? Because it's a hazardous substance-- a "trace amount of mercury."

Probably less than in most people's tooth fillings!

What has me looking into a different "lighting" direction isn't just money costs (because, yes, the electric bill is minutely lower), it's also the cost of health. I determined this after one of the CFLs in my bathroom... 'blew' and I could see the smoke-- mercury smoke? It smelled horrendous, so I held my breath, opened the bathroom window and turned on the exhaust fan before shutting door (after having turned the lights off immediately, though that didn't stop the smoke). That one little incident got me researching, especially after looking at my pile of spent CLFs, knowing I cannot in good conscience just toss them into the garbage-- I have to take them to a "special" disposal site. Do I really want something in my house that I have to take to a special disposal site? Not so much.

Therefore, I have determined I'll be decreasing my use of CFL's and looking into alternatives. Possibly very creative alternatives, such as the LED light strands sold around Christmas. They come in clear and all sorts of single and mixed colors. Using them at Christmas significantly decreased my power bill over years of not using them (I love Christmas lights... I love LOTS of Christmas lights!). Apparently, LED lights are looking to get into 'standard' home lighting. Until then, I might just keep my creativeness going-- a jar of clear 'marbles' or glass (dollar store or craft store) with some clear (or colored, if you prefer) lights shoved in there makes a nice little table lamp. A strand strung by the door makes for a nice, well-lit entry for a late arrival, without it running up the electric bill. I've noticed the LED night lights tend to last for ages, too, so I see some promise.

Cost and benefits... and alternatives! Don't forget that last part. It comes in very handy during a cost/benefits analysis that isn't working out the way you want it to. If that happens, start looking at alternatives. You'll be surprised at what you find. Such as the perfect size of tea baskets in the bathroom section :)

I hope this entry helps you think about life and the way you live it a little more. The more "aware" and conscious we are about how we live, the more of ourselves we can give to those that matter.

Bedtime!

~Cedeham~