Price versus Value

Yesterday, I found myself discussing a topic that I find of value. It was basically about the difference between price and value—something we grapple with every day, but more this time of year than any other.

How often do you find yourself considering a purchase and asking yourself, “Do I really want to spend that much for that item? Do I want it that much?”

Asking questions like that have value. That is because to answer them, we much consider how much we do or will value the item in question. If it is a gift, we might be considering how much we value the person we are buying it for. Or, we might be considering how much we value the experience of giving.

Contemplating values is something some of us do all the time…at least when we’re not on autopilot. In my opinion, contemplating values is always valuable because knowing our values is valuable.

When we decide that we want a better experience (nicer things, more comfortable situations, relationships that are more pleasurable, what-have-you), we enter into contemplation of values. That is because our unique values are the answers to the questions.

For example, if I say I want a better job, I must contemplate my values to know what “better” is for me. For one person, a better job is one that pays more. For another person, a better job is one that includes travel. Some value creativity; some value autonomy. Each has his or her own value system and thus will desire something different when seeking better. If you know your values well, you will be able to quickly determine what is better for you.

And then we go shopping.

Stores shelve items that are priced. These days, most do not wheel and deal—you pay the price shown or you do not buy the item. If you find yourself spending time trying to decide whether to buy or not based on price, consider this:

The price of an item is someone else’s value, not yours!

Prices rarely match your values system. Sure, you’re happy to pay less for something than your value of it, but you often feel bad about paying more for it.

Aligning with wealth and abundance may require us to separate price and value. The more we can do this, the more we can allow money to flow out AND IN!

I personally have had just as much struggle with the in flow as the out flow. Do you know how many times I’ve changed the prices of my readings? I’ve done this often because I try to align price and value. It’s futile!

But here’s the thing:

We cannot ever align price and value—at least not for long. That is because price does not equal value. They are not the same thing.

Price is simply the agreement between the buyer and the seller. Even if I agree to buy or sell at a given price says nothing about how much or little I value the thing I’m buying or selling. Hell, I cannot value the same item as much one day as the next. My values fluctuate constantly.

And prices fluctuate as well. For example, the price of a gallon of gas changes every single day. Yet, our individual value of gas doesn’t. We do not let our cars go empty because we value the freedom of movement so much greater than any price a gallon of gas might cost…well, any price we’ve seen. I’m sure there is a point where we’ll stop buying gas and walk or ride the bus instead.

More often, what we do adjust is our happiness when filling up. When gas is cheap, we joyfully fill up our tank. When gas is expensive, we groan and complain about it. Higher prices might have us driving around hunting for deals, but we’ll fill our tank anyway.

Society collectively links value and price. We individually do not need to. The more we can separate price and value within our minds and hearts, the wealthier we become.

Consider this: if you are sitting on a million dollars, but are not allowed to spend a dime of it, you are as poor as a beggar. Money only has value when it is spent!

Practice separating price and value by simply recognizing that your values are unique. You value things others don’t and they value things you don’t and all of that is perfectly fine. You never need to spend too much for anything because it is always your choice. It is usually your choice to spend or not, but the idea of too much is subjective and is thus always your choice. You can and do change your thoughts about too much all the time.

Months ago, when I was apartment hunting, I considered $1700 too much for an apartment. I didn’t want to spend that much…it didn’t seem worth it. And then I looked around at what I could get for less than that. I ultimately (and for the time being) decided that $1700 was NOT too much to pay to live where I want. I successfully separated the price and the value.

I love where I live. There is nowhere in Austin I would rather live. Given that, I changed my idea of too much and then stopped thinking about it. Instead, I am priming my manifestational potential of earning. I am readying myself to bring in more. I am aligning with in flow—with income.

Price and wage are aspects of our current way of living. It needn’t have anything to do with our personal values. You are free to cherish a cheap trinket as if it were made of gold. You are also free to throw out items that not longer have value to you even if they are still worth a lot to others. In fact, I love when I can give away things that have little value to me, but are valued by others. It’s a joyful exchange; it’s a win-win!

Giving and receiving gifts can challenge us as well. How often have you or another said, “You shouldn’t have; you spent too much!”

My values will never match your values exactly. We shouldn’t even compare. Better said: we’ll experience more joy given and receiving when we don’t compare our value systems.

Imagine how freeing it would be to consider only value and never price. The question we could stop asking is, “Do I want it enough?” and the question we would ask instead is simply, “Do I want it?”

We desire wealth because we think more money will allow us to buy what we want with more freedom. Freedom is the truer desire!

Practice freedom to experience freedom. Spend less time thinking about if it’s worth it, and think only about whether you want it or not.

And stop justifying what you want!

Earlier, I said that price is an agreement between buyer and seller. It is justification! People who share finances are constantly justifying purchases by either emphasizing the want or the price. “I really wanted it, that’s why I bought it,” or, “It was cheap, so why not?”

Again, practice all of this vibrationally before applying it. Don’t justify what you want to yourself, just decide if you want it or not. It’s okay to contemplate why you want it, or how much you want it, but don’t defend the desire…just know what it is!

And spend less time wondering where the money will come from. Think of what you want and then feel for the excitement of having it. You can feel that right now. Enjoy the imagination of it. Decide that you want it AND that you are going to be happy regardless. Recognize that you do not need it to be happy. Happiness is a choice and one you can make no matter what!

My father once said to me, “Why wish for a loaf of bread when you can wish for a grocery store?” Wish for the loaf of bread AND the grocery store. Enjoy every slice of bread that comes and then expect more. You can’t eat all of the food in the grocery store at once, but if you consider all of the food you’ve eaten already in this life, you would more than fill a grocery store. You received the grocery store already! So just keep on going!

This post is quickly turning into a rampage of appreciation…so switch from reading to writing and keep going. List everything you love, everything you have, everything you once had, every event you have enjoyed. You’ll soon realize how rich you are…right here and now. Isn’t that delicious!