Decisions that don't matter

[trailrated]

So whenever I run out of my little K cups I swing by this coffee shop on the way to work. The coffee is in little pots and you just grab what you want. I would always have a hard time choosing between the French Roast and the Italian roast. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what the difference was. So each time I would switch off between the two to see if I could taste what makes French Coffee French and vice versa.

This morning they were both close to empty so I shrugged my shoulders and mixed them together to fill my cup. The lady came over to refill the pots and filled them both with the same exact coffee. It made me laugh, all this time I was trying to differentiate between the two just to find out there never was a difference to begin with.

Anyone out there ever try to make a decision just to find out in the end it didn't matter?

P.S. I know I deserve a facepunch for buying coffee on the way to work sometimes...I'm working on it

[Rezdent]

Yes I find it happens to me even though I am now aware of my tendency.   Usually has to do with choosing between different brands.  I think it's a result of having so many choices.

[MrsPete]

Slightly off topic, but I think decisions -- especially small ones like coffee -- matter less and less the older you get.  Here's what I mean:

When we were in our 20s and just married, we were ninja-style frugal.  I mean, we watched every penny, were careful with every financial move we made, did without things, SAVED and INVESTED. 

Now that we're past 40, we have the stash accumulated.  We're just seeing the course through the last few years of our careers, but -- for us -- our magical years when compound interest worked in our favor are gone.  I don't mean to imply that we're spending willy-nilly these days, or that saving is no longer important . . . but it is MORE IMPORTANT when you're younger. 

Of course, the opposite of that is that if we hadn't done what we did then, we wouldn't be in good shape now. 

[Beric01]

Slightly off topic, but I think decisions -- especially small ones like coffee -- matter less and less the older you get.  Here's what I mean:

When we were in our 20s and just married, we were ninja-style frugal.  I mean, we watched every penny, were careful with every financial move we made, did without things, SAVED and INVESTED. 

Now that we're past 40, we have the stash accumulated.  We're just seeing the course through the last few years of our careers, but -- for us -- our magical years when compound interest worked in our favor are gone.  I don't mean to imply that we're spending willy-nilly these days, or that saving is no longer important . . . but it is MORE IMPORTANT when you're younger. 

Of course, the opposite of that is that if we hadn't done what we did then, we wouldn't be in good shape now.

Very well said. As a young person just starting the accumulation phase with almost a decade to go - saving every penny counts for me, as I have almost 10 years to compound the money before I FIRE. Once I FIRE I can understand not focusing as closely, not that I would let loose or anything.

[Gone Fishing]

This doesn't apply in your case because the coffee was the same price (I assume), but marketing folks have been applying false differentiation via price for a long time.  For example:  You brew the same coffee and label one regular and one premium (different packaging helps).  The regular is $1.00 a cup and the premium is $1.50 a cup.  By doing this, you do not lose the guy who wants coffee at $1.00 a cup, and make an extra $.50 on the guy who is duped into buying premium.

In your case, it just sounds like they ran out of one or another at some point and never bothered to restock two different vareties.  Or maybe they are using hand-me-down coffee pots (very mustachian if you ask me). 

Choices take energy, purposely limiting your choices (by not buying much) gives you more energy to spend on the choices you do make.  That's my theory anyway...

[deborah]

Slightly off topic, but I think decisions -- especially small ones like coffee -- matter less and less the older you get. 

Now that we're past 40, we have the stash accumulated.  We're just seeing the course through the last few years of our careers, but -- for us -- our magical years when compound interest worked in our favor are gone. 

I disagree. You have half your life left - another 40 years - so compounding still has a looooong time to work its magic.