Our 2003 Honda Civic started leaking oil at the bottom a while back. The owner at the car repair shop kindly advised it would cost more than the car’s worth to fix the car. “It may be time to move on,” she said. I admired her honesty.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been on a journey looking at car options: new, used, everything. Wow—it’s clear I have lived under a rock for the last 15 years. Cars have evolved and gotten way cooler while I wasn’t looking.
An option we are considering is electric vehicles (EVs). Certain models now come with a $7,500 incentive in the US. While the cars on the market are interesting, the most fascinating aspect of this process is my psychology: I find myself trying very hard to convince myself to do whatever it takes to get the $7,500 rebate.
One EV we looked at is within our budget, but I see six issues with the car. Yet my internal dialogue goes, “There is a $7,500 discount, though…” Another car is a decent fit but 40% over budget, and I say to myself, “BUT YOU GET $7,500 BACK!!!”
This experience reminds me of my first-ever visit to IKEA. On my second day in America—August 18, 2007—my cousin Jo took me to get some furniture. When I reached the food court after checkout, I noticed a deal on the menu that seemed too good to be true: A cinnamon bun was selling for $1, but you could get six for $3. My mind was blown.
Why would anyone get only one bun if half a dozen is 50% off?
I went home that afternoon and planned to eat the buns as a snack. A chill went through my bones as I bit into the first one.
I forgot I hated cinnamon.
A few weeks later, a friend took me to another quintessential American experience. My first visit to Costco was a culture shock: everything was so big… and so cheap.
The $5 rotisserie chickens were appealing, but it was the junk food I couldn’t walk away from. I was a fairly frugal student then and didn’t plan on spending money that day. Still, I managed to stuff my friend’s trunk with big boxes of Rice Crispies Treats (I fell for the samples), Oreos (I loved those since I was a kid), Nutella with bread sticks (those were expensive in Asia), and party size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (I finished the whole bag on my own in two days—and didn’t touch chocolate with peanut butter again in the next two years).
The hunt for a car continues. Have I learned my lesson?