The cheap is expensive in the end.
Every marketing specialist knows the truth in this proverb. People are lured in by low prices, then spend more than they planned. It happens with $19.95 knife sets on TV and Black Friday early bird specials. The same tactic has been used over and over for years for one simple reason – it works! The siren song of a deal lures us in, and we spend…
But the proverb doesn’t only refer to money. It’s also about the idea that there’s a shortcut way to the results we want. And while that idea is tempting, generally things just don’t work out that way. When I’m planning to go to the beach and want to look great in my bathing suit, I may think I can go on a quick weight loss plan with shakes or pills or some such. But when the big day arrives I find myself at the same weight, or more!
What about you? Ever cheat on a test? Try a get rich quick scheme? Expand a bit on the paramenters of a diet (apple pie has apples therefore it is a fruit)? We’ve all been there. This proverb reminds us that even though something may be hard or take longer, the results are worth the effort. The cheap is expensive in the end because shortcuts deprive us of the full experience – and we miss out on a bit of life’s richness. And that is REALLY expensive.
