The Economics of Arcades always cracks me up…you spend $40 to play enough games to win 40,000 tickets so you can cash in for a prize that would have costed you 40 cents on Amazon!

Similarly, I spent $25 to “drop in” on some Crossfit classes the last couple of days. Some would argue this was even more questionable financial stewardship than the arcade, since now I need to go out and buy some Ibuprofen to alleviate the “prize” I won of crippling muscular soreness!

But life is much more than practical economics, and basic financial concepts can never capture the value of the moments and memories themselves. Setting the new High Score in Down the Clown was far more priceless than the plastic turtle my tickets “earned” me. And the opportunity to test my fitness and fortitude with a disgusting amount of burpee box jump-overs and push jerks was…FUN! And given the chance for a do-over, I’d pay the drop-in fee every time…and try to surpass my previous performance!

It’s good to be wise with your money. But it’s the magic of the memorable moments themselves that really matter