--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps you are thinking: 'But a tank…" description: "\"Perhaps you are thinking: 'But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don't have that kind of money.' Don't be silly. You're..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/dave-barry-222_being-silly_perhaps-you-are-thinking-but-a-tank-cost_1461023.jpg" --- # Perhaps you are thinking: 'But a tank costs several… ![“Perhaps you are thinking: 'But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don't have that kind of money.' Don't be silly. You're a consumer, right? You have credit cards, right? Perhaps you are thinking: 'Yes, but how am I going to pay the credit-card company?' Don't be…” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/dave-barry-222_being-silly_perhaps-you-are-thinking-but-a-tank-cost_1461023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/dave-barry-222_being-silly_perhaps-you-are-thinking-but-a-tank-cost_1461023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/dave-barry-222_being-silly_perhaps-you-are-thinking-but-a-tank-cost_1461023.jpg) > “Perhaps you are thinking: 'But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don't have that kind of money.' Don't be silly. You're a consumer, right? You have credit cards, right? Perhaps you are thinking: 'Yes, but how am I going to pay the credit-card company?' Don't be silly. You have a tank, right?” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often think they can’t afford big purchases, yet credit and consumerism make it possible, leading to absurd rationalizations. **In simple terms:** Credit makes big buys seem possible. Key Takeaway Assess real affordability before spending. Themes consumerism credit irrationality Mood cautious humorous Type advice satire When to use this quote - home buying - car loans - luxury items - debt management Key Concepts economics psychology budgeting Questions to Reflect On - What purchases are you rationalizing? - How does credit affect your decisions? A Different Perspective Credit can hide true costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-silly/) [Cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Costs Million](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/costs-million-1326768/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Credit card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit-card/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Million dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-dollars/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Silly Consumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly-consumer-5277608/) [Tank Costs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tank-costs-5277606/) [Tank Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tank-right-5277609/) [Tanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanks/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Tank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-tank-5277607/) ## Related quotes > [ It costs us $1 million for every troop\[soldier\] in Afghanistan. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-korb/it-costs-us-1-million-for-every-troop-soldier-in-afghanistan/) [Lawrence Korb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-korb/) > [When you only have a million dollar annual budget and a Super Bowl ad costs $4 million, you have to do something very creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-st-pierre/when-you-only-have-a-million-dollar-annual-budget-and-a-super-bowl-ad/) [Allen St. Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-st-pierre/) > [Don’t be silly. Loving is easy. It’s finding someone to love you back that’s hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/don-t-be-silly-loving-is-easy-it-s-finding-someone-to-love-you-back/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Oh, don't be silly - EVERYONE wants this. Everyone wants to be \*us\*.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-weisberger/oh-don-t-be-silly-everyone-wants-this-everyone-wants-to-be-us/) [Lauren Weisberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-weisberger/) > [Ok…so I really want a quote with LOTS of comments ^^ hehe sooooo, if your reading this and want to help me out, lol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/treasured4evr/ok-so-i-really-want-a-quote-with-lots-of-comments-hehe-sooooo-if-your/) [Treasured4Evr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/treasured4evr/) > [Hey you! Don't be silly! Put a rubber on your willie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/hey-you-don-t-be-silly-put-a-rubber-on-your-willie/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [ I really enjoyed stepping into that side of \[princess Margaret\] and being silly and naughty and fun. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kirby/i-really-enjoyed-stepping-into-that-side-of-princess-margaret-and/) [Vanessa Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kirby/) > [I like being silly cause it makes everything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-being-silly-cause-it-makes-everything-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Bunny slippers remind me of who I am.You can't get a swelled head if you wear bunny slippers. You can't lose your sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/bunny-slippers-remind-me-of-who-i-am-you-can-t-get-a-swelled-head-if/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [When I get tired I start being extra silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmitb/when-i-get-tired-i-start-being-extra-silly/) [ShmitB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmitb/) > [Being silly is still allowed, not excluded by adulthood. What's excluded by adulthood is thoughtlessness, so be thoughtful and silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/being-silly-is-still-allowed-not-excluded-by-adulthood-what-s/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [Don't be silly and don't waste your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/don-t-be-silly-and-don-t-waste-your-time/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Everyone feels like this at one point in their lives and sometimes atleast once a day :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-feels-like-this-at-one-point-in-their-lives-and-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know that sometimes when you are really worried about something, it ends up not being nearly as bad as you think it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/i-know-that-sometimes-when-you-are-really-worried-about-something-it/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Dave Barry > [This is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products, are now marketed as being low-fat or fat-free. Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [He was distracted by a giggle, and turned to see a rare sight: a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/he-was-distracted-by-a-giggle-and-turned-to-see-a-rare-sight-a-girl/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More Being silly quotes > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know that sometimes when you are really worried about something, it ends up not being nearly as bad as you think it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/i-know-that-sometimes-when-you-are-really-worried-about-something-it/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [Everyone feels like this at one point in their lives and sometimes atleast once a day :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-feels-like-this-at-one-point-in-their-lives-and-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be silly and don't waste your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/don-t-be-silly-and-don-t-waste-your-time/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Being silly is still allowed, not excluded by adulthood. What's excluded by adulthood is thoughtlessness, so be thoughtful and silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/being-silly-is-still-allowed-not-excluded-by-adulthood-what-s/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [When I get tired I start being extra silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmitb/when-i-get-tired-i-start-being-extra-silly/) [ShmitB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmitb/) > [Bunny slippers remind me of who I am.You can't get a swelled head if you wear bunny slippers. You can't lose your sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/bunny-slippers-remind-me-of-who-i-am-you-can-t-get-a-swelled-head-if/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I like being silly cause it makes everything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-being-silly-cause-it-makes-everything-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ I really enjoyed stepping into that side of \[princess Margaret\] and being silly and naughty and fun. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kirby/i-really-enjoyed-stepping-into-that-side-of-princess-margaret-and/) [Vanessa Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kirby/) > [Hey you! Don't be silly! Put a rubber on your willie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/hey-you-don-t-be-silly-put-a-rubber-on-your-willie/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Ok…so I really want a quote with LOTS of comments ^^ hehe sooooo, if your reading this and want to help me out, lol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/treasured4evr/ok-so-i-really-want-a-quote-with-lots-of-comments-hehe-sooooo-if-your/) [Treasured4Evr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/treasured4evr/) > [Oh, don't be silly - EVERYONE wants this. Everyone wants to be \*us\*.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-weisberger/oh-don-t-be-silly-everyone-wants-this-everyone-wants-to-be-us/) [Lauren Weisberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-weisberger/) > [Don’t be silly. Loving is easy. It’s finding someone to love you back that’s hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/don-t-be-silly-loving-is-easy-it-s-finding-someone-to-love-you-back/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Kids love to be silly, they love to laugh, so I think it was natural for my kids to like the sort of books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/kids-love-to-be-silly-they-love-to-laugh-so-i-think-it-was-natural/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [Don't move your money from Bear! That's just being silly! Don't be silly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cramer/don-t-move-your-money-from-bear-that-s-just-being-silly-don-t-be-silly/) [Jim Cramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cramer/) [Browse all 170 Being silly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-silly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perhaps you are thinking: 'But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don't have that kind of money.' Don't be silly. You're a consumer, right? You have credit cards, right? Perhaps you are thinking: 'Yes, but how am I going to pay the credit-card company?' Don't be silly. 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