Able Quote by Dan Ariely
“Money is very difficult to think about. So, we think about money as the opportunity cost of money. So, we at some point went to a Toyota dealership and we asked people, what will you not be able to do in the future if you bought this Toyota? Now, you would expect people to have an answer. But people were kind of shocked by the question. They never thought about it before. So, the most we got was people said, "Well, if I can't buy this Toyota, if I buy this Toyota, I can't buy a Honda." What is this thing? What is this value of price? Very hard to think about it.”
About This Quote
Source Talk: TED Talk on Behavioral Economics, 2015
People struggle to conceptualize the true cost of purchases, often overlooking opportunity costs and future trade‑offs.
In simple terms: Hard to see what buying means for future choices.
Key Takeaway
Consider hidden trade‑offs before spending.
Themes
economics
decisionmaking
opportunity cost
behavioral finance
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
educational
thought‑provoking
When to use this quote
- budget planning
- large purchases
- investment decisions
- personal finance
Key Concepts
Opportunity cost
mental accounting
choice architecture
Questions to Reflect On
- How would you evaluate a purchase if you listed what you’d lose?
- What hidden costs affect your buying habits?
A Different Perspective
People may ignore long‑term consequences when focusing on immediate desire.
![“[..] we human beings are ready and willing to steal something that does not explicitly reference monetary value - that is, something that lacks the face of a dead president.” quote by Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a1f/dan-ariely-1899_funny_we-human-beings-are-ready-and-willing-to_4436.jpg)
