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