Spending $1 for a brand new house would feel very, very good. Spending $1,000 for a ham sandwich would feel very, very bad. Spending $19,000 for a small family car would feel, well, more or less right. But as with physical pain, fiscal pain can depend on the individual, and everyone has a different threshold.

Summary

This quote highlights the subjectivity of the perception of value and affordability. It suggests that the emotional response to spending money is not solely based on the amount spent, but also on our personal priorities, desires, and financial capabilities. While buying a new house for a dollar would bring immense satisfaction and purchasing an overpriced ham sandwich would be frustrating, the expense of buying a modest family car would generally align with our expectations. Similarly, just like physical pain tolerance varies from person to person, the ability to bear financial expenses varies as well.

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