I just filled up the ol’ car with gas. I don’t pay attention to the price of gas anymore. The last time I actually paid attention to the price of gas was a few months ago in California when the price per gallon was approaching $5. Even then I just chuckled while sitting in the Uber.

When the original iPhone was released in 2010, one of the “web-apps” that I used a lot was a gas price finder. I used it to find the cheapest gas, and I would drive out of my way just to make sure I got the cheapest price. Yes, I had the most expensive cell phone in the market and was driving around trying to save a penny or two per gallon on gas. Not anymore.

I have come to understand that time is more valuable than money. Sure, I don’t want to waste money or pay more than I should for something. But now I draw the line.

The British saying, “Penny wise, pound foolish” is a good one. I take it to mean someone who wastes time saving a penny and missing the bigger picture. Eliminating satellite TV and saving over $100 per month–that’s big picture. Worrying about $0.99/month for iCloud space, not big picture.

Some people might argue, “Yes, but those pennies add up.” I call it the price of doing business. I’m not going to waste time focusing on the pennies.

7-17-20

The light switch for the porch light decided to stop working. It’s not the original switch. After I moved into my house, I had an electrician replace the switch with one that had a timer. The theory is that I could program the porch light to come on in the evening and turn off in the morning, which creates an illusion that someone is home even when I was traveling. In practice, the timer was a pain to program because I had to change it periodically to accommodate changing daylight hours. Eventually, the timer switch just stopped working and wouldn’t even allow me to turn the light on or off. 

I debated about replacing it myself. I got so far as to remove the cover and pulled the switch out and then realized this is not my thing. The extent of my electrical handiwork is to replace a light bulb or a 9-volt battery in a smoke detector. Sure, I could go to YouTube and watch videos, but it would take time and I’d need to get special tools.

I decided to hire a professional. He had it fixed in less than 30 minutes. While he was here, I had him also replace another ill-fated timer switch for the garage light. The service call was $125/hr, and he didn’t even take that full time. It was worth it.

But wait, no more timer? I am using these fancy From Dusk Till Dawn (great movie) bulbs that have sensors that detect sunlight and turn on and off accordingly. No programming needed!