Suppose Tammy decides to make onion soup. Which result would be a cost?
The onion soup will be tastier than the egg drop soup would have been. Tammy will spend more time making the onion soup than she would have spent making the egg drop soup.
Tammy is deciding whether to make onion soup or egg drop 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 Tammy wants or needs:
Tammy will spend more time making the onion soup than she would have spent making the egg drop soup.