---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Money is very difficult to think about…"
description: "\"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..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/dan-ariely-1899_able_money-is-very-difficult-to-think-about-s_3121843.jpg"
---

#  Money is very difficult to think about. So, we think about…

![“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…” quote by Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/dan-ariely-1899_able_money-is-very-difficult-to-think-about-s_3121843.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/dan-ariely-1899_able_money-is-very-difficult-to-think-about-s_3121843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/dan-ariely-1899_able_money-is-very-difficult-to-think-about-s_3121843.jpg)

> “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.”

[Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

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.

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[Honda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honda/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-cost/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/)

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