How far would you drive/how much time would you spend to save $250?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>The title pretty much says it all . . . . I can save $250 if I drive 90 miles - something I am going to purchase is on sale, but the closest place offering the sale price is 90 miles away. I have been vascilating all morning. On one hand, $250 is a fair amount of money, and the drive is not bad (nice weather today). On the other hand, by the time I drive there and back, and pay for gas, I am saving something like $50 an hour.</p>

<p>This is causing flashbacks to a cognitive psychology class I took in college, but I can’t recall what lesson I was supposed to learn about how to make this decision!</p>

2

<p>Any way you can get the store to ship the item to a nearer store for you to pick it up there? If the cost for shipping is less than $50, you are probably ahead. OTOH, maybe there is some place you can shop in the other town, have lunch, make an event of it?</p>

3

<p>I get about 30 mpg so a round trip for me would be about $24, plus my time, which, since I don’t have a real job, isn’t worth much. I would definitely do it.</p>

4

<p>Me , personally , I’d first call and see cost of shipping or if it can be picked up locally (which most stores do it nowdays).</p>

<p>Or …second option , you can make a day of it …by eating out too (but the spending of that food money goes into the money you would have saved if you would have stayed home to eat).</p>

5

<p>The 90-miles-away store is the closest store that has this item on sale. And the item is not ship-able.</p>

6

<p>In general, I’d say no. I would consider finding a way to make the extra money - especially by trading the stock of the company making the product.</p>

<p>I would try to think if there were something else in the area that I needed or wanted to do and, perhaps considering a combination trip to make it worthwhile.</p>

<p>Edit: do you have a friend or co-worker that is local to the store?</p>

7

<p>Sure, go get it. By the time you finish agonizing over buying the item, you would be there and back.</p>

8

<p>An alternative is to go to a local store that has the item and see if they’ll match the price in the further away store. Stores almost never price things such that they’ll actually lose money on the deal so if that distant store can still earn a bit of a profit despite the sale price so could a local store.</p>

<p>If that doesn’t work, or if you just feel like a nice drive, then sure, go ahead and do the drive and get the thing.</p>

9

<p>I would drive, if I have nothing to do. I spent 2 hours doing survey for $200. Hey it’s tax free. A good way to get out of the house without sitting in front of the computer and being a couch potato.</p>

10

<p>We are redecorating our den. I want my husband’s input. I have always gone the extra mile (not 250 of them) to save a few dollars. Now…nope. My husband and I went to one store for sofas…the price seemed fine. Done. We went to a local furniture store and found a custom desk. Could I have found something similar farther away? Yep. But they are delivering for free. These were not the furniture of "we have kids and/or if is perfectl fine and its free or low cost. Not inspiring…but available. This is what I want.</p>

<p>ON THE OTHER HAND, going to a local store with the style/brand/specs you may be surprised that the local place will meet prices. Try it. Your local business wants to stay in business.</p>

11

<p>From Freakonomics:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>You are looking to buy a small radio/CD player. There is one in a store close to your home for $50. You also learn there is one of the exact same item 6 blocks away for $25. Would you travel the 6 blocks to get the lower price?</p></li>
<li><p>You are looking to buy a very expensive TV. There is one in a store close to your home for $1,895. You also learn there is one of the exact same item 6 blocks away for $1,870. Would you travel the 6 blocks to get the lower price?</p></li>
</ol>

12

<p>250 bucks less gas for 3 1/2 hours of my time? Since I am ‘retired’ I would do it. ;)</p>

13

<p>Fwiw, I drive 1 hour each way to buy liquor ;)</p>

14

<p>

I would - it’s only 6 blocks. Plus, I’d walk the 6 blocks and get some free exercise win/win.</p>

15

<p>Clearly you want the item. $250 is not chump change. Go get it and enjoy every moment of it!</p>

16

<p>It looks like this is something that you want, rather than something that you truly need, and you are still struggling with justifying the purchase in the first place. </p>

<p>Once you know whether or not the purchase is truly justifiable, you will know whether or not a road trip to save $250 is worth it too you.</p>

17

<p>Staples’ Lenovo lappy on tax-free weekend?</p>

<p>Kat</p>

18

<p>What exactly you are buying? Can it be found on Amazon or Ebay? I’d look very hard on the net before driving 180 miles to get it, although $250 is pretty big spread for a semi-retired person like me.</p>

19

<p>I’d drive and save the money, but only after calling ahead and either confirming their was sufficient stock or that they’d hold one for me.</p>

20

<p>You also need to factor in the cost of wear and tear on your car, not just cost of gas…</p>