Cost comparison-Extract vs. All-grain vs. Macrobrew

[remilard]

You do realize that those "stuffing envolopes from home" things are scams, right?

Yes, I was using that as a proxy for work that can be done at home which does exist.

I have a coworker who bought a lawnmower from some guy who buys nonworking ones cheap and fixes them and resells them. If you could fix a lawnmower, you could do that according to the schedule you posted above.

I have no idea what you can do but I assume there is something.

 

[menschmaschine]

Maybe I'm not looking at this in depth enough, but to me it's simple. When I'm not working at my job, I'm not making money. I make enough money at my job to not have to do other things to make money. So, when I'm not "at work", then that time is MINE to do as I please and, no matter what I do, I'm not creating income. As far as doing things to SAVE income, (e.g., chopping firewood for heat or preventive maintenance on car to prolong its life), I have enough time to fit all those things in and to brew as well without encroaching on my time creating income (work). So, to me, the monetary cost of brew-time is nil.

 

[Eves]

Yes, I was using that as a proxy for work that can be done at home which does exist.

I have a coworker who bought a lawnmower from some guy who buys nonworking ones cheap and fixes them and resells them. If you could fix a lawnmower, you could do that according to the schedule you posted above.

I have no idea what you can do but I assume there is something.

You might be surprised how untalented I am

 

[TXCrash]

An economist and a friend walk into the bar...

But what does that time at the bar cost? ;-)

 

[Bobby_M]

Maybe I'm not looking at this in depth enough, but to me it's simple. When I'm not working at my job, I'm not making money. I make enough money at my job to not have to do other things to make money. So, when I'm not "at work", then that time is MINE to do as I please and, no matter what I do, I'm not creating income. As far as doing things to SAVE income, (e.g., chopping firewood for heat or preventive maintenance on car to prolong its life), I have enough time to fit all those things in and to brew as well without encroaching on my time creating income (work). So, to me, the monetary cost of brew-time is nil.

Only because you LIKE brewing. I'm a broken record on this one of course. Any time spent doing one thing is time spent NOT doing another thing. If that other thing has the potential of benefiting you (of course it does whether it's economic, spiritual, etc) then that is the "cost" of not doing it. Sleeping late means not cleaning the dishes. Just because that alternative activity is not pounding down your door (like a boss practically begging you to work 2 hours of overtime) doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

It's easy to think of your own personal situation and write off opportunity. There's ALWAYS something else you can be, ought to be doing. You could be taking online college courses that will ultimately increase your income potential. If that degree or certification is worth 300k over the life of your career, that's the cost of not taking the classes.

Again, just because you decide NOT to do something else doesn't mean it isn't costing you something.

 

[remilard]

I think we are all just talking past each other but I think meschmaschine makes a good point when he says that he makes enough money in the time he works.

All of us need money to buy food and shelter and otherwise provide the standard of life that we choose. The vast majority of us need to work our first hour to meet those obligations and so at that point, leisure time is too expensive because it would cause us to lose our desired lifestyle.

At some point we choose not to work another hour (or not get another degree or not kill ourselves for another promotion or whatever) because we are satisfied with our lifestyle and that extra $X we could get for working another hour is now worth less to us in terms of what it can buy than an extra hour of leisure.

While there are arguments that brewing beer can save money, especially in terms of viewing equipment costs as sunk and comparing only the cost of ingredients to the cost of comparable commercial beer, I would argue that most people would not brew if they did not enjoy it, as evidenced by the fact that many people who are by no means rich choose to hire out lawn work or eat out instead of at home. Most people try to get out of at least some of the work they could possibly do by paying someone to do it (which is why we have service industries) and not making your own alcohol is an excellent chore to avoid if you view it as a chore.