Two months ago, frustration led me to drop some software (Microsoft Office) we were using for a free alternative. Privacy matters too, I told myself.
And for two months, I have tried to justify my choice. Look at how much I am saving… missing formatting, it’s okay. Having to manually check everything… it’s not that much time.
This week it all fell apart. I spent hours trying to fix something. I finally gave up and reversed course. Office is back. My past tech skills can correct the privacy aspect well enough.
The thing is, we all do this. Using a shovel where a post-hole digger should be… spending extra on concrete to fill an oversized hole… or spending time convincing ourselves that cutting a corner won’t matter because nobody will see it.
We spend our days justifying our saved penny that costs us way more in time and effort.
Our time and labor are worth something too! The hours spent cobbling together a solution are rarely worth the tradeoff. A $5 plumbing part is infinitely better than 10 scrap parts daisy-chained together. Time spent replacing what’s working to save money today might not pay off in the end. As I found out the hard way with my software fiasco.
Doing something the right way the first time can save you tons of frustration later. And sometimes that means bringing a professional into the mix. YouTube videos will only get you so far. Building standards keep everything organized and safe.
Even a book rented from the library will get you farther when you are staring down a project and have no idea how to do it right.
Stacked 2×4’s in log cabin fashion do not make a sturdy house. The wrong plumbing part shoved in will not last. And the cents saved using nails where a screw should be will come back to bite you.
Before you dig yourself into a hole, take a few seconds and look at the big picture. What seems trivial today might be on your homestead for a long time. While cutting corners today might save a penny, how much will it cost you tomorrow?
This week was software for me. No big loss. It is something totally different when a house falls down or water floods the basement.
Pennies are great. Dollars are better. Don’t lose your dollars to save a penny.