How do I know if something is worth the price before buying it?
Divide the price by the number of times you'll realistically use it to find the real cost per use. A €200 jacket worn twice costs €100 each wear; a €60 one worn all season costs under €1. Before paying, honestly guess your uses, then divide. A cheap thing never used is expensive.
How to do it
- Ignore the price tag as your first signalThe sticker price alone tells you nothing about value. What matters is how much each use will actually cost you.
- Honestly guess how many times you'll use itBefore you pay, estimate the real number of wears, rides, or evenings you'll get from it. Be honest, not optimistic.
- Divide the price by that numberThis gives you the true cost per use. A €200 jacket worn twice is €100 per wear; a €60 one worn all season is under a euro.
- Buy only if the per-use number still looks goodIf the cost per use holds up, buy it happy. Cheap things you never use are expensive; some pricey things used daily are your best deals.
Questions that come up
What if I can't reliably predict how many times I'll use something?
Guess honestly and lean conservative rather than optimistic, since people tend to overestimate future use. If you're unsure between two numbers, use the lower one. An honest low estimate protects you from the trap of buying cheap items that end up never used and therefore expensive per use.
Does this mean expensive purchases are always worth it?
No. The method cuts both ways. A pricey item is only a good deal if you actually use it often enough to bring the cost per use down. If you won't use it much, the high price stays high per use. The division rewards frequent use, not spending itself.
Does this work for things that aren't clothing?
Yes. The script frames it around wears, rides, and evenings, so it applies to anything you use repeatedly, like equipment, tickets, or outings. Divide the price by the realistic number of uses. It works less well for one-time purchases or consumables you use up entirely at once.
Full transcript
The price tag lies. Divide by the times you'll actually use it — that's the real price. Watch. A two-hundred-euro jacket, worn twice: a hundred per wear. The sixty-euro one you wear all season: under a euro. Before you pay, guess the number honestly — how many wears, rides, or evenings? Then divide the price by it. Cheap things you never use are expensive. And some pricey things, used daily, are the best deals you own. Next checkout, skip the tag — do the little division. If the number still looks good, buy it happy.