Suppose Joe decides to bake chocolate muffins. Which result would be a cost?
Joe will get to eat more muffins. He can make more chocolate muffins than pumpkin muffins. Joe will give up the chance to eat pumpkin muffins. He thinks pumpkin muffins are tastier than chocolate muffins.
Joe is deciding whether to bake pumpkin muffins or chocolate muffins. He wants the muffins to be tasty. But he also wants to make a lot of muffins.
Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need.
This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Joe wants or needs:
Joe will give up the chance to eat pumpkin muffins. He thinks pumpkin muffins are tastier than chocolate muffins.