When less is more

There are things that take away value from our lives the more we buy them. Purchasing these things requires careful balance.

Take food. You can get food in large quantities for a very low price. At a discount supermarket, a half dozen donuts are only dollar. A jumbo pack of a marshmallows is only $2. Party-sized bags of chips are also only $2. For the price-conscious who have lots of storage space, the response may be "bonanza!" But, look at the real value. If one finishes off a huge bag of marshmallows, what is that going to do for the person's health? How many hours of exercise will that person need to do to consume the energy from those marshmallows? A party-size bag of chips may be the energy equivalent of three hours of swimming. Three hours! ... and swimming is exhausting.

The same principal applies to other consumable goods like entertainment. 5-for-1 DVDs are a real bargain, but you have to spend up to 15 hours watching them. Is it really worth it? In an already squeezed schedule, will those 15 hours bring added value to our lives?

Sometimes, it is better to purchase high quality goods in low quantities. This applies more when we have to add our health or time to consume them.