When purchasing a new product, consumers are often tempted to opt for the latest and greatest version, justifying the higher price tag with their perception of increased value. The actual value is different for each individual, and can be largely rooted in personal preference. While there are certainly benefits to most upgrades, many of these decisions are made impulsively, or based on poor logic. Is the durability of a hardcover book worth paying three times the price? Do you typically wear-out your paperbacks? It is important to consider how much of the benefit will actually be utilized to ensure that the upgrade is not merely out of desire to have the best.
A similar logic is often used upon the launch of a new product, as consumers rush to be the first to own one. These consumers can be found waiting in lines and paying high prices for buggy first versions of products that are typically made obsolete by better, cheaper versions only a few months later. This “early adopters tax” shows that patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to your pocketbook.
*Disclaimer regarding “early adopter tax” – Later versions of the products sometimes omit some non-key features but are for all intents and purposes overall a better package.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Too true!
This is great! I have subscribed.
Thanks,
Nate
Actually, the gasoline picture and its description is completely incorrect. With each higher grade of gasoline (87, 89, 91, etc.), it has a higher resistance to predetonation. While 87 is fine, predetonation can be a huge issue with a gasoline engine. Please check your facts before you post such nonsense.
Dan: As you’ve mentioned, grades of gasoline are base on octane rating, which in a nut shell, measures the resistance of gasoline to premature combustion, aka engine knocking (combusting before it should be combusting by a spark plug).
But in today’s modern fuel-injected vehicles, engines are designed to be use with specific octane rating, usually correlating an engine’s compression ratio to the grade of gas (higher compression ratio, higher octane grade).
If you car is engineered to run with an octane rating of 87, using 91 will result in no real benefit. In some instances, you may even accumulate un-burnt fuel into your emission system, which can end up collected into your catalytic converter — eventually stressing the system.
If you accidentally pump lower octane fuel into a vehicle that’s designed to run with a higher octane, no worries – a modern car’s onboard ECU (engine control unit) will dial back the ignition timing to prevent issues.
Thanks, BillShrink Guy. I hate nitpicking people like Dan, especially when they’re wrong.
Dan….you just got Pwned!
Fantastic! When I walk past the first class cabin back to coach I will smile ever so mysteriously as I think:
“You fools! I am going to buy a new iPhone, a Ralph Lauren Marino Wool Sweater, a 32″ Flat Panel TV, a Blu-Ray player, a PlayStation 3, a bottle of scotch, a few paperback books, fill up my gas tank… and then take a few Hydrocodon Acetaminophen for the headache I’ll get from all this conspicuous consumption and still having spent less money than these first class fliers!!”
Thank you for this great post.
Dan is crabby . . . and WRONG! Only if you get knocking should you use a higher octane gas in most cases (unless your vehicle specifically REQUIRES it).
gold label is worth it, old ps3 was more backwards compatible, nice list
I have known people who insist on using premium fuel during cold weather”because it starts easier”.This is incorrect higher octane fuels detonate at a higher temperature,therefore they are less apt to start at 15 below zero.
you guys are wasting your time dithering over drivel!
bravo. A great list in all.
I think it should be said that Tylenol with Codeine is easier to pronounce than you might think (Listed here as Hydrocodon Acetaminophen). Also, while it helps many forms of pain, many are uneffected and require a stronger, eg. Vicodin, or more targeted painkiller.
Vicodin is Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen not Codiene and Acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a stronger opiate than codiene.
Very well done, I especially like the early adopter tax.
I sit in First Class a lot.
But I’ve never paid for it. However, there is one value to it not mentioned: I’m a LOT less tired after flying First. Less noise, more room to wiggle around results in me getting to my destination requiring less time to recover from the trip.
I drive an Acura TL that requires premium gas. For years now, I have been filling it up with regular gas. Guess what! it runs smooth and I don’t even know the difference.
Yes! This imbodies the mindset I’ve had for years & years. It also allows me the rare occasional splurge (without guilt) on Dom Perignon because we’re all entitled to our special preferences at least once in a blue moon. Right?
Well said… all too often we get into the mindset of needing the latest and greatest, which often isn’t true!
That being said though, if you DO have the cash to spend, I don’t see any issue with rewarding yourself at times for the hard work.
Hey, tim is stupid. Hydrocodone IS codiene. It’s just in a water soluble form. A mg of hydrocodone is the same strength as a mg of codiene. It just doesn’t stay in the body as long.