What to Do When There is No Choice

by David@MoneyNing.com · 6 comments

“Sometimes, you just have no choice but to bite the bullet. Or at least, the stars are lined up to give you that illusion.

Whether it’s at the airport or coffee shop, I have no problem paying for internet services. It’s a bit pricey alright, but the convenience they provide should be worth something. However, as I sit in front of my computer on the cruise right now, I find myself unable to click the connect button. The reason? $0.55 a minute.

This is the evil counterpart of the beauty of supply and demand at work. When there is a monopoly with no other choices, expect ridiculous fees simply because there’s no competition. I can be complaining all I want, but is it really the cruises’ fault for trying to make more money, especially when it’s optional?

Work Around the Monopoly

Luckily, I foresaw the high charges and wrote a few posts in advance to reduce the time I needed to be online. I also decided to log onto my computer twice a day instead of being connected the entire time. I would go online, download all my emails and reply them while being offline. That way, I cut down on the time spent paying even more.

How About Other Situations

Often times, we wrap layers upon layers of protection around what we call necessary expenses until we push them aside and simply leave them alone. What we don’t realize is that nothing is really necessary. There are many people I’ve met these few days that live on a tiny fraction of what we make. They are fine. Actually, they are more thankful than most people I know, they are more friendly and most important of all, they are happier than most of us.

  • We are heavily reliant on gas, but do we really have to drive everywhere?
  • Having that credit card might be ultra convenient and powerful, but civilization survived long before the invention.
  • You may think that you have no choice but to work for your current employer, but do you actually think that you would never be employed otherwise? If you didn’t ace that initial interview and was offered a job, do you think you will not survive?

There might be no other options, but the choice is always yours.

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{ read the comments below or add one }

  • kenyantykoon says:

    WHAT $.55 a minute…???? thats really really expensive but being the internet junky that i am, i think that i would have to pay up or take an internet modem or something.
    about the heavy reliance on gas, have you tried walking(just asking)??

  • Wilson Pon says:

    Ning, in this case, you should lay back and enjoys the great moment, try not to think about the internet too much.

  • Financial Samurai says:

    Enjoy the cruise David and stop blogging. 😉

  • Judith says:

    Good post. I think the idea of debt relates to this exactly. Everyone thinks they have no choice but they eat fancy dinners, get a big house and drive nice cars. If they would only realize that it’s THEM who choose to go into debt, we wouldn’t need to borrow so much.

  • David@DINKS Finance says:

    You make some great points – usually when we think there are no other options, there really are.

    Hate your job but can’t leave? Get another job, even if its lower pay – at least you won’t hate being there.
    Can’t make ends meet? Do some work on the side, or cut back on spending.

    There’s limitless opportunities and choices to be made in our world. That is the beauty of it. You only live once, so make sure you consider all your options before you decide you have no choice (which is a decision in itself 🙂

  • Lee says:

    Ouch. That’s expensive. Could you get a dongle for a laptop instead? Even roaming data might work out cheaper than that.

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