Suppose Kayla decides to make minestrone soup. Which result would be a cost?
The minestrone soup will be tastier than the cream of mushroom soup would have been. Kayla will spend more time making the minestrone soup than she would have spent making the cream of mushroom soup.
Kayla is deciding whether to make minestrone soup or cream of mushroom soup for dinner. She wants dinner to be as tasty as possible. But she is also hungry and wants to eat soon.
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 Kayla wants or needs:
Kayla will spend more time making the minestrone soup than she would have spent making the cream of mushroom soup.