What Do These Things Have in Common?

Exhibit A: Packet of chocolate Tim Tams

Exhibit B: Bunch of daffodils from local roadside stall

and Exhibit C: One red capsicum imported from Australia (didn't get a photo of this one, sorry).

So, have a guess at what these three things have in common. What did you guess?

Answer: They each cost $2. I found it fascinating that three very different items all cost the same. So what gives the best value for my gold coin? I'm really not sure. And if I only had just $2, which would I choose to buy? The answer might be quite different than if I had $4 or $10 spare...

The capsicium and biscuits can be eaten, which is helpful. But they've both had high energy input and travelled great distances (we do get NZ capsicums over summer, but this was taken a few months back before NZ glasshouses were in good production). The daffodils can't be eaten, but look at how beautiful they are. A packet of chocolate biscuits only lasts a few days in our house, if that. And invariably I end up eating the biscuit too fast, woolfing it down and then wishing I'd taken more time to savour the chocolate. The daffodils lasted about a week, I think. They were grown just up the road from us by a small scale grower. I could use a capsicum to make some quite nice dishes, but I'd need to use the whole thing in one sitting.

So there you go, a bit of a dilema. I'm thinking that so often we are faced with decisions like this. Probably every week, in fact. What should I buy, and what should I leave? Which of these seemingly unconnected items is the best value for me at this moment in my life? And if I have to pick and choose, how do I go about making that decision?

Amy

Thursday, 21st October, 2010