The real cost of things
What an hour of your life is really worth — and the true price of the things you buy, counted in time and total cost rather than the sticker.
- What an hour of your life is really worth (your real hourly wage) Your pay divided by your hours isn't what you actually earn per hour. Subtract what the job costs you and add the hours it quietly eats, and you get your real hourly wage — and the true price of a purchase, counted in hours of life. Open →
- The true cost of owning a car (it's not the sticker price) A car costs far more than what you pay for it. Add up depreciation, gas, insurance, maintenance, and registration over the years you'll own it — and see the real cost per year and per mile. Open →
- Cost per use: what it really costs you every time you use it The price tag is one number; what matters is what each use costs you. Spread the true cost — purchase plus upkeep — over the thing's life, and compare it with the cheap alternative. Open →
- Is buying in bulk actually cheaper? The unit price says who wins on the shelf, not in your home: if part of the big pack ends up in the trash, the saving evaporates. Compute the effective price on what you actually use — and the usage threshold below which bulk loses. Open →
- The true cost of commuting The commute is paid in daily installments small enough to look like nothing: here you add them all up — car money and hours behind the wheel — and see the yearly bill, the monthly one, and what that cash becomes invested for ten years. Open →