How many hours of your life is that?

The number almost nobody runs before they buy.

Curiosity first, pride second: see the hours in black and white. If you’re still happy after the number — buy with confidence. If not, you just saved yourself a regret.

Your take-home hourly wage ($)

Thing you’re tempted to buy ($)

That purchase costs you

—

of your life at work

Work days

—

If invested 10 yrs*

—

A note on “hourly wage”: Rent, food, insurance, and other bills come out of your pay first. What’s left for fun purchases is usually less than your full hourly rate — so this number is a best-case. In real life it can take more hours of work than we show.

Ego check: what if you invested that money instead?

Same dollars. Different story. Simple compound-growth illustration — not a forecast, not advice. Past market returns don’t guarantee the future.

Amount to grow ($)

Assumed annual return (%)

Years

Rough future value

—

Not financial advice. This is compound interest with a steady rate you choose (default 8% is a rough long-run stock-market-style example, not a promise). Real investments bounce year to year; you can lose money. For rates & markets context (not recommendations), see Yoyosup Finance. *The “10 yrs” teaser above uses the same default rate.