Is this the ultimate slowlane lifestyle?

[frieden70]

I made one of my regular trips to Costco today and as usual, noticed the insanely large line at the gas pumps. I would say the wait had to be at least 30 minutes and that may be conservative.

Now, I get waiting a long time for some serious discounts. Like if you're going to be saving hundreds of dollars, I can see where the draw is at least.

But this is gas...

The premium price was 4.35/gallon. I drove down the street and paid 4.40 a gallon.

Sooo that would have been a whole savings of .65 to fill up my 13 gallon tank.

Even if I saved $3 on my tank of gas, I still just don't get how people can wait in those long of lines.

All I could think about was this had to be the perfect example of life in the slowlane.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Stubbers]

I'm with you 100% do these people have no value on wasting 30 mins of their life to save pittance?

A new Lowes opened up near me a few months back and they were offering free hotdogs ... The line up was crazy just because it was FREE

 

[frieden70]

I was thinking the same shit when I was at an event last night too.

Every month this local running shop puts on a raffle/adventure run type thing. The big draw is that you get raffle tickets and they raffle off a bunch of free stuff. We're talking about things like $10 gift cards, a free month at x gym, or the best prize of all, a pair of running shoes. It's a fun environment and I was with a bunch of people so I stuck around but I couldn't help be amazed at how much people were going crazy over the potential of winning free stuff.

And then, people were mad if they didn't win anything...

Don't get me wrong, I think it's cool to win free stuff but I guess I'm just becoming more aware of certain habits and characteristics of people.

 

[RHL]

This goes to show you how powerful a motivator a sale or "free" stuff is though. For example, you probably couldn't get people to stand in line somewhere for an hour and a half for $4.50. But if you give them a free Popeye's Chicken meal, they'll do it gladly, as Oprah demonstrated several years ago.

In the same way, Wawa, a mega-successful gas-and-deli chain in the North East, had their 50th Anniversary Wednesday and had free hot beverages, any size. At least 75 people were in line to get it; many had four 24-oz coffees just for themselves. I didn't realize it was going on until I got inside. Just absolutely insane.

So now you know. Now how are you going to use that to make money?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[frieden70]

Very good points and conclusions that I probably should have pointed out in my original post.

I guess it's a good think that my product is free .

This goes to show you how powerful a motivator a sale or "free" stuff is though. For example, you probably couldn't get people to stand in line somewhere for an hour and a half for $4.50. But if you give them a free Popeye's Chicken meal, they'll do it gladly, as Oprah demonstrated several years ago.

In the same way, Wawa, a mega-successful gas-and-deli chain in the North East, had their 50th Anniversary Wednesday and had free hot beverages, any size. At least 75 people were in line to get it; many had four 24-oz coffees just for themselves. I didn't realize it was going on until I got inside. Just absolutely insane.

So now you know. Now how are you going to use that to make money?

 

[Tiago]

I know people that drive 10 miles to another supermarket because the butter is cheaper there... I think these people don't take conscious actions, they aren't aware of themselves. They just float by the world and do whatever is imprinted in their head.

 

[Vagabond 007]

Sad, isn't it?

Why would anyone wait in line for gas in the first place, let alone for 30 minutes?!

Gas falls into the "things I'm going to buy anyway, so why worry about the price" category. I used to look at gas prices. Now I don't care. What am I going to do: Pull up to the pump, check the prices, and if it isn't what I wanted it to be, leave? I need gas, so I'm buying it.

You shouldn't know the price of small things.

The only thing worse than this is people who drive 10 miles out of their way to save a few cents on gas. Or, as someone else posted, for cheaper butter.

Kind of reminds me of when stores have sales. People, especially women , love sales! Cross out some made up price and make the sale price the price you want to sell it for in the first place. People go nuts over that..."Honey, I had to buy it. It was on sale!"

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Kak]

I have not paid attention to the price on a gas pump in years. I just fill up when I need it.

 

[Tiago]

It's marketing, and I love it! It's so easy to change buyer's perceptions by just wording things differently

 

[seamles]

I use to be more on the slowlane side where I'd wait a few minutes or try to find the best deal. Since reading the MF, the last time I got gas I sat there and was getting so PISSED that I was wasting my time and that people also don't know how to pump gas (they take forever and it's like they've never done it before).

I've really loved maximizing my time (as I type this I'm in the "man's cubicle" if you know what I mean). TMI? Oh well..

Yay for the MF and this group!

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[bgalakazam]

The sad part is how they are ruining the engines with sub-par petrol. Only Shell V-Power for me (no Chevron in SC sadly).

And with the A/C blasting in line those 5c/gal off really shrink..

 

[MorgothBauglir]

Those people were trading their most valuable commodity - time - for a few cents. That's how much they think their time is worth.

 

[Gsuz]

Gotta love the guys saving pennies on gas, then go in to buy 3 packs of cigarettes

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Simon Ashari]

This comes down to a lot of people assuming their time is worth zero (which it may very well be for some of them).

Here in Aus we find health insurance companies offering a free pair of running shoes if you buy their private health insurance policies. I used to wonder if that sort of gimmick would work. I now realize that it does.

Another example. In Australia 7Eleven have a free slurpee day (flavored, crushed ice). People pay a nominal amount and are allowed to fill a bucket of any size (they have to bring the bucket).

Idiots will wait in line for hours to fill their large bucket up with flavored ice. The ice will melt in a few minutes and they won't have consumed a fraction of the drink they poured in.

 

[McNandez]

So now you know. Now how are you going to use that to make money?

+1 to this - the slowlane's love of FREE has been incredibly helpful in building my ebook sales.

 

[mosdef]

not to talk shit about my father but since retired he spend his days taking the bike and looking for the cheapest food in the store, he tells me if you save a dime here and there it will be much saved in a year or two.

Think he forgot about the time Maybe he just enjoys biking around...

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[DennisD]

Those people were trading their most valuable commodity - time - for a few cents. That's how much they think their time is worth.

I'm not so quick to judge.
They're doing what they know to be the best course of action...
They're making a good decision based on incorrect assumptions.

The reason WE look down on it is because we've found better things to do with our time.
For them, what would they be doing if they weren't sitting in line?
Watching TV probably.

Maybe they making $8/hr at work.
In this case, spending that 30 minutes to save $3 might be an incredibly efficient use of their time...
it's the equivalent of making $6/hour, without having to do anything. They can relax and listen to the radio and maybe place a facebook game on their phones.
To them, it's a pretty sweet deal.

They don't have a lot of ca$h. That $3 might be paying for a half pound of cheese for the week to feed their kids.
In the context of their life, what they know to be true, it may be the best use of their time.

I think the problem is incorrect assumptions and cultural indoctrination.
These people don't think that making more $ is possible, so they never bother to look outside their boxes.
I think it'd be a good idea to buy 300 or 400 copies of @MJ DeMarco s book, and hand them out like candy to these people wherever we see them

 

[Stu_Hefner]

This comes down to a lot of people assuming their time is worth zero (which it may very well be for some of them).
Here in Aus we find health insurance companies offering a free pair of running shoes if you buy their private health insurance policies. I used to wonder if that sort of gimmick would work. I now realize that it does.
Another example. In Australia 7Eleven have a free slurpee day (flavored, crushed ice). People pay a nominal amount and are allowed to fill a bucket of any size (they have to bring the bucket).
Idiots will wait in line for hours to fill their large bucket up with flavored ice. The ice will melt in a few minutes and they won't have consumed a fraction of the drink they poured in.

Ahh, free slurpee day.... Last time I took part in that was 10years ago in highschool. It was convenient back then, since 7Eleven was across the road.

 

[MorgothBauglir]

I'm not so quick to judge.
They're doing what they know to be the best course of action...
They're making a good decision based on incorrect assumptions.

The reason WE look down on it is because we've found better things to do with our time.
For them, what would they be doing if they weren't sitting in line?
Watching TV probably.

Maybe they making $8/hr at work.
In this case, spending that 30 minutes to save $3 might be an incredibly efficient use of their time...
it's the equivalent of making $6/hour, without having to do anything. They can relax and listen to the radio and maybe place a facebook game on their phones.
To them, it's a pretty sweet deal.

They don't have a lot of ca$h. That $3 might be paying for a half pound of cheese for the week to feed their kids.
In the context of their life, what they know to be true, it may be the best use of their time.

I think the problem is incorrect assumptions and cultural indoctrination.
These people don't think that making more $ is possible, so they never bother to look outside their boxes.
I think it'd be a good idea to buy 300 or 400 copies of @MJ DeMarco s book, and hand them out like candy to these people wherever we see them

Good points, but if it seems like I'm looking down on them I don't mean to, cause I've been there. I used to piss away time too like I had an infinite amount of it. You could even put my parents and much of my family in the above group.
The thing is, the same people waiting half an hour for a 2-3 dollar discount on their fuel, are often the same people who walk in and buy a snickers and a coke, and other trivial items in their day to day.
"I think the problem is incorrect assumptions and cultural indoctrination." This most definitely - the culture has pushed the idea of trading your time for money, often negligible amounts such as in this case.

I'd love if everyone could join the party and see that there's an alternative way to approaching money and life, maybe handing out copies of MJ's book is the way to go, lol. Perhaps tossing them onto peoples lawn instead of the morning paper?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[DennisD]

Good points, but if it seems like I'm looking down on them I don't mean to, cause I've been there.

My post was not entirely directed at you.
It seemed like this thread was 25% useful, and 75% about patting ourselves on the back.
I personally find it more valuable to look at the causality behind the situation and WHY people behave in the way that they do,
rather than self congratulating ourselves for behaving differently.

 

[MorgothBauglir]

My post was not entirely directed at you.
It seemed like this thread was 25% useful, and 75% about patting ourselves on the back.
I personally find it more valuable to look at the causality behind the situation and WHY people behave in the way that they do,
rather than self congratulating ourselves for behaving differently.

I'm with you. I think for a lot of us, when we first start really paying attention to how we use our time, we're kinda blown away by how much other people waste. It's like a 'I'm glad that's not me anymore.'
But yeah, empathy goes a long way. Not everyone questions their reality, or the words of their authorities. Giving them a copy of TMF is great, but how many are going to open it?

 

[GSF]

[quote="MorgothBauglir, post: 359201, member:
I'd love if everyone could join the party and see that there's an alternative way to approaching money and life, maybe handing out copies of MJ's book is the way to go, lol. Perhaps tossing them onto peoples lawn instead of the morning paper?[/quote]
The amount of times I've heard i wish i had more money and could have my own business and so ive recommended mjs book to people, even offered them a copy, only one has ever gone ahead and read it and he got a few chapters in then gave up! even if mjs book was mandatory education, you'd still have 95% slow lane consumers and 5% minority producers (just a guess) just the way it is nothing wrong with it, no one shoved mjs book in my face I wanted answers why i wasnt rich yet and to better myself so i found it. Also has anyone ever thought why we are different from the majority, for example no one in my family or friends is entrepreneurial whereas for me it's all I've ever done and wanted since I can remember, noone taught me, must be in our genes or the way wer wired, sorry for rambling just interests me

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Vagabond 007]

I'm sure some of it was in jest, but giving MJ's book to people who didn't ask for it is a giant waste of time (there's that time thing again) and money. The only thing worse than free advice is unsolicited free advice.

They aren't asking for a better mindset and a different perception of the world. So trying to give it to them wouldn't do them, or us, any good. They have no interest in those things. In fact, some would even get mad at you, "How dare you question my beliefs?!"

The best use of our time is to just focus on becoming a better version of ourselves. For obvious reasons, and so whenever someone crosses our path in life, they are getting the best version of you. THEN, if they ask for help, tell them about the book or give them a copy.

 

[DeletedUser397]

I made one of my regular trips to Costco today and as usual, noticed the insanely large line at the gas pumps. I would say the wait had to be at least 30 minutes and that may be conservative.

Now, I get waiting a long time for some serious discounts. Like if you're going to be saving hundreds of dollars, I can see where the draw is at least.

But this is gas...

The premium price was 4.35/gallon. I drove down the street and paid 4.40 a gallon.

Sooo that would have been a whole savings of .65 to fill up my 13 gallon tank.

Even if I saved $3 on my tank of gas, I still just don't get how people can wait in those long of lines.

All I could think about was this had to be the perfect example of life in the slowlane.

No offense, but looking down on people for trying to save money is stupid.

First off, most people who wait in line for gas at Costco aren't pumping premium. Unless you drive a turbo or a higher-end sports car I really don't see why you'd be pumping premium in the first place. Needless to say, if you're pumping it because you think you're improving gas mileage, that's a terrible way to *think* you're saving money... but that's a whole different argument for another topic. If you compare Regular unleaded gas prices, Costco saves you a whole lot more than just $0.65 total. It's more like $3-$5 total per trip.

Here our Costco is about $0.30 cheaper PER GALLON of unleaded (I just checked on GasBuddy). So if you pump 15 gallons that's about $4.50 savings. Let's say you pump 2 times per month, that's $9/month, and about $108 per year. And that's being conservative. Most people pump more than 15 gallons (my own car holds 20 gallons).

Secondly, this whole argument of not wasting time only makes sense if you're able to put that 10-15 minutes at the pump (or 30 minutes according to you, which I think is a gross exaggeration) to actual use toward your fastlane goals or whatever else. If you have a car, you have to pump gas into it anyway (unless you drive electric of course). So you'll be spending a few minutes in a gas line somewhere. Let's say you're able to save an extra 10-20 minutes of time... how useful will that extra time be? If you assume the same calculations as before (pumping 2 times per month), it adds up to about 4-8hrs per year. Now if you're able to use those extra 4-8hrs per year to make an extra $100 per year, then by all means go pump your gas elsewhere. But for most people the decision is much simpler to just save the money at Costco.

Or maybe you don't care about the money at all and would rather spend that extra time doing something else. Go for it. But don't talk down on people who would rather spend a few minutes to save $100+ per year. Sure it's not much, but it's a mentality, and if you don't save when it's that easy, it's like throwing away money.

If you don't save at all, you end up on the sidewalk. Of course, this is just my opinion, but I've just learned that saving a little here and there can go a long way. Saving isn't stupid, unless you're going out of your way to do it.

 

[Simon Ashari]

My post was not entirely directed at you.
It seemed like this thread was 25% useful, and 75% about patting ourselves on the back.
I personally find it more valuable to look at the causality behind the situation and WHY people behave in the way that they do,
rather than self congratulating ourselves for behaving differently.

I gotta admit, I was part of the 75%.

I was reading 'the e-myth revisited' today. I was reading the party about value perception. How only perceived needs are real needs.

Another example. In Australia 7Eleven have a free slurpee day (flavored, crushed ice). People pay a nominal amount and are allowed to fill a bucket of any size (they have to bring the bucket).

Idiots will wait in line for hours to fill their large bucket up with flavored ice. The ice will melt in a few minutes and they won't have consumed a fraction of the drink they poured in.

I saw these people waiting in line and they were as happy as Larry. The whole thing was an even (especially amongst teenage boys). Having a laugh with your friends about getting a bucket of flavoured ice on the cheap.

It is the same thing with waiting in a large line for a free burger or hot dog. Perhaps the people giving away the free hot dog are giving more value than the cost of the hour long wait.

This has got me really thinking about marketing events that I previously thought were a waste of people's time.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[liquidglass]

This all comes down to a valuation of time. I'm not sure how many of you have valued your own time but if you haven't I would suggest doing so. It's really easy and it helps you make time choices more easily on a day to day basis.

Take what you earn or your projected earnings for the year, divide by 2000 hours (typical 40 hr work week over a year period) and you have the value of your time.

- Let's use Hustleeverday's example measurements
If I have $300,000 coming in this year then my time is worth $150 per hour.
My time per minute is worth $2.50
Waiting in line for even 15 minutes is $37.50 of my time
Waiting in line to save .30 cents a gallon at 20 gallons saves me $6
By waiting in line and saving $4.80 (not counting the 4-5 minutes it takes to pump gas) I am in deficit of -$31.50.
That's $31.50 I can't get back from my time and I could have spent it doing something I'd enjoy more.

Given I know it's an error to measure my time value simply by work hours. But I'd always rather over value my time than the opposite.

Be careful how you spend your minutes. You can't get interest on doing nothing.

I'm not so quick to judge.

That $3 might be paying for a half pound of cheese for the week to feed their kids.

I think it'd be a good idea to buy 300 or 400 copies of @MJ DeMarco s book, and hand them out like candy to these people wherever we see them

You had a wonderful post Dennis I just wanted to make two comments
1) If you're feeding your kids with nothing more than a half pound of cheese...there are other (gastrointestinal most likely) problems - this of course is just in jest.

2) I agree handing out books is great, but it's funny these same people would see reading a book as a waste of their time. Plus people don't value something you hand to them that they have to put work into. They would rather you give them something that gives immediate gratification as our society dictates. So a book that can teach them to earn millions vs. an Xbox One and they'll chose the xbox every time.

No offense, but looking down on people for trying to save money is stupid.

Here our Costco is about $0.30 cheaper PER GALLON of unleaded (I just checked on GasBuddy). So if you pump 15 gallons that's about $4.50 savings. Let's say you pump 2 times per month, that's $9/month, and about $108 per year. And that's being conservative. Most people pump more than 15 gallons (my own car holds 20 gallons).

Secondly, this whole argument of not wasting time only makes sense if you're able to put that 10-15 minutes at the pump (or 30 minutes according to you, which I think is a gross exaggeration) to actual use toward your fastlane goals or whatever else. If you have a car, you have to pump gas into it anyway (unless you drive electric of course). So you'll be spending a few minutes in a gas line somewhere. Let's say you're able to save an extra 10-20 minutes of time... how useful will that extra time be? If you assume the same calculations as before (pumping 2 times per month), it adds up to about 4-8hrs per year. Now if you're able to use those extra 4-8hrs per year to make an extra $100 per year, then by all means go pump your gas elsewhere. But for most people the decision is much simpler to just save the money at Costco.

I don't think anyone here was looking down on other people just examining their mindsets possibly becuase they have been in that position in their lives. Seeing something from an elevated mindset can be an incredible experience in self actualization and they just chose to share it on the forum. So I would dare say calling others "stupid" on either side of the fence negates your position.

Before I move on I will say that people making $8 an hour are getting a good deal for what they have made their time worth.

Saving 30cents per gallon is impressive although I don't think it's common in most places but let's assume that you have to wait 15 minutes as you postulated twice so 30 minutes each month plus drive time if it's out of your way. Everyone is different and everyone's time is worth what they make it worth. If it's not out of your way and there is a pump open then I say jump on it! But if I had to drive even a few miles out of my way and wait 15 minutes each time it's simply not worth my time because my value is much higher than that of what I would be saving in gas. Even if it's not spent grinding on my business it could be spent much better than waiting in line. But to each his own

 

[DennisD]

I'm sure some of it was in jest, but giving MJ's book to people who didn't ask for it is a giant waste of time (there's that time thing again) and money. The only thing worse than free advice is unsolicited free advice.
They aren't asking for a better mindset and a different perception of the world. So trying to give it to them wouldn't do them, or us, any good. They have no interest in those things. In fact, some would even get mad at you, "How dare you question my beliefs?!"
The best use of our time is to just focus on becoming a better version of ourselves. For obvious reasons, and so whenever someone crosses our path in life, they are getting the best version of you. THEN, if they ask for help, tell them about the book or give them a copy.

It's hard for me to be objective on the subject.
My first introduction to the world of business was via a free book. Somebody gifted "Multiple Streams Of Internet Income" by robert Allen to my mother, which I took as a teenager and read. I went from wanting to be a professional Psychotherapist to wanting to own a large-scale company.

When I talk about biz stuff, efficient use of time, systems, etc. I always get people BEGGING me to email them a resource. Every single time. I don't know if I'm just a good salesmen when I'm passionate about something, or if my enthusiasm bleeds through enough for them to get excited too, but I'm ALWAYS asked for more resources, even if I'm just casually talking to a stranger in front of me at the train station.

That's why handing out books to people seems like the way to go. If I could reach into my backpack and hand them a book at the top of their enthusiasm, I think there's a real chance it'd change their life forever.

But then again, that's what you're saying here "THEN, if they ask for help, tell them about the book or give them a copy". You're absolutely right... walking up to people and pretentiously handing out books as if I'm doing them a favor does seem like a jerk move.

Actually, this is a REAL example that happened to me last month:

I was listening to a biz podcast while shopping at Rite Aid. A 12 year old girl accompanied by her 23 year old sister (approximate ages based on appearance) actually TUGGED on my sleeve and asked me what I was listening to. I guess it was blasting pretty loud inside the small store, loud enough for her to hear that it wasn't music.

The older sister was visibly embarrassed but I engaged the kid anyways. I told her it was "a radio show that teaches you how to manage your money". You should have seen the look on her face. She was SHOCKED I'd be listening to that FOR FUN.

I laughed, and asked what she did for fun. She said she liked animals. So I told her that by learning how to work with money, she could travel the world and see as many animals as she wanted to.

I told her about all the friends I've been making and what they've been able to do because they learned how to handle money. (I of course mentioned @Likwid24 appearing on Shark Tank) I talked about all my college buddies who were working as tellers, and how I can now say that I don't have a boss and will probably never have one again.

I ended up talking to her sister for a while, got her email address and have been sending her information... what books she should be reading, etc. This was all initiated by HER. I have no motives for pushing this down their throats. I don't sell anything they'd be interested in, I don't hold seminars, I don't sell general entrepreneurship books. It was them initiating the transfer of ideas.

Believe it or not. This happens ALL THE TIME in my regular day-to-day interactions.
Within the past month I had a similar interaction shopping for comic books, a similar interaction at the dollar store, at the library.
It feels a little surreal at times.

 

[MorgothBauglir]

Actually, this is a REAL example that happened to me last month:

That's a cool story, but I think it depends a lot on the person. Kids especially have the belief that's its possible.
Some people I talk to just don't think they can do it/that they have the time/are willing to make the sacrifice.

I'm sure some of it was in jest, but giving MJ's book to people who didn't ask for it is a giant waste of time (there's that time thing again) and money. The only thing worse than free advice is unsolicited free advice.

I was jesting. Most people don't know there's a problem/don't care. All help is self help, and I would never wanna impose my views on somebody.

Or maybe you don't care about the money at all and would rather spend that extra time doing something else. Go for it. But don't talk down on people who would rather spend a few minutes to save $100+ per year. Sure it's not much, but it's a mentality, and if you don't save when it's that easy, it's like throwing away money.

OP said the wait was 30 minutes as a conservative estimate. This isn't just about saving a dollar or two pumping gas either, it's about how you treat your time in general. If you're happy to trade 8-12+ hours of your life for maybe $100(and that's ignoring how you actually spend the money you 'save') you're still trading time for negligible amounts of money.
It's like people who wait all day and night to get the latest gadget that they don't need.
We shouldn't talk down on them, we shouldn't talk down on anybody, but we shouldn't pretend it's a good mentality either.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[DeletedUser397]

- Let's use Hustleeverday's example measurements
If I have $300,000 coming in this year then my time is worth $150 per hour.
My time per minute is worth $2.50
Waiting in line for even 15 minutes is $37.50 of my time
Waiting in line to save .30 cents a gallon at 20 gallons saves me $6
By waiting in line and saving $4.80 (not counting the 4-5 minutes it takes to pump gas) I am in deficit of -$31.50.
That's $31.50 I can't get back from my time and I could have spent it doing something I'd enjoy more.

In order for this to make sense, you have to be using those minutes, hours, etc. saved to be making more money or doing something more valuable.

If you go too extreme with this frame of mind, you'll start doing stuff like, not having conversations with people while out and about, because, "oh I'm so high and mighty, that conversation is not worth my time because my time is worth $2.5 per minute." You stop enjoying life.

So here's the thing. I made a thread just like this a while back on the forum, and I realize how silly it was. I commented on people waiting in line for hours at Chipotle for a free burrito in my town. But I failed to realize that maybe people waiting in line were creating memories. They were living life and doing something they felt like doing.

Not everything is black and white, slowlane or fastlane. I think focusing on these tiny things is looking too much at the trees and missing the forest. There's also that part about enjoying life, like I said. Even if they are slowlane, they're memories, they're stories. Not everyone waiting in line for gas is a slowlaner. You can't just label a group of people like that.

In my opinion, saving money on stuff that you need to buy anyway is smart, especially if it only takes a few extra minutes. I'm by no means a fastlane expert, and quite honestly I don't care if my life fully conforms to the fastlane philosophies 100%. I think however that doing well in the slowlane takes an understanding of finances that most ordinary people don't have. I think that financial management is key to getting into the fastlane.

Besides, there's also something called multi-tasking. Listening to audio books while you wait in your car. Taking notes on your phone, etc. Or striking up a conversation and meeting people. I think the slowlane stupidity is in wasting time on unnecessary things, like watching reality TV shows for hours, waiting in line for things you don't really need, taking time to figure out a lower APR for that new car you can't afford, etc.

 

[liquidglass]

In order for this to make sense, you have to be using those minutes, hours, etc. saved to be making more money or doing something more valuable.

If you go too extreme with this frame of mind, you'll start doing stuff like, not having conversations with people while out and about, because, "oh I'm so high and mighty, that conversation is not worth my time because my time is worth $2.5 per minute." You stop enjoying life.

So here's the thing. I made a thread just like this a while back on the forum, and I realize how silly it was. I commented on people waiting in line for hours at Chipotle for a free burrito in my town. But I failed to realize that maybe people waiting in line were creating memories. They were living life and doing something they felt like doing.

Not everything is black and white, slowlane or fastlane. I think focusing on these tiny things is looking too much at the trees and missing the forest. There's also that part about enjoying life, like I said. Even if they are slowlane, they're memories, they're stories. Not everyone waiting in line for gas is a slowlaner. You can't just label a group of people like that.

In my opinion, saving money on stuff that you need to buy anyway is smart, especially if it only takes a few extra minutes. I'm by no means a fastlane expert, and quite honestly I don't care if my life fully conforms to the fastlane philosophies 100%. I think however that doing well in the slowlane takes an understanding of finances that most ordinary people don't have. I think that financial management is key to getting into the fastlane.

Besides, there's also something called multi-tasking. Listening to audio books while you wait in your car. Taking notes on your phone, etc. Or striking up a conversation and meeting people. I think the slowlane stupidity is in wasting time on unnecessary things, like watching reality TV shows for hours, waiting in line for things you don't really need, taking time to figure out a lower APR for that new car you can't afford, etc.

I think any reply I make may be futile based on what I'm seeing from your posts but I'll try anyway. I'll just hit on a few key points.

I do agree that you could use the time in the car to listen to cds and mp3s that are success focused. However, when you say you must be using the time to do something more valuable I would argue that literally ANYTHING I would like to do is infinitely more valuable that simply ENDURING the 15-30 minute wait for most everything.

What's with the assumptions that just because someone values their time that they are "too good" for other people? You say you dislike labeling people or groups but you've done it on numerous occasions.

People waiting in line for a free burrito are in fact NOT doing something they want to do or creating memories they are doing exactly what you think they are doing trading their time to save $2-$4. I would make a bet 99.9% of all people waiting in a line to save a few cents is a slowlaner.

If I'm going to create memories I'm going to spend my money and more importantly my time on something I want to do not just where life happens to take me for a free item that day.

Multi-tasking is a myth created as a buzz word and does not exist. You can only do many things poorly. You can read "The ONE Thing" if you'd like a more in depth explanation as to why.

So you say that slowlaners "spend hours watching TV" or "waiting for something in line they don't need" etc etc. But what if they are, as you say, 'creating memories' or 'doing something they felt like doing' . I'd hate for you to be labeling a group because honestly "you can't just label a group like that"

You're absolutely right good financial management is an important part of success but I would rather take the time to value my time than to figure out how to save a a few bucks. In the fastlane how you manage your time is of the utmost importance if you really want to achieve your goals.

Here's why: I can always make more money, I can never buy my time back.






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk