Is that $600 espresso machine or $250 coat actually a good deal? Enter the price, how often you expect to use it (times per week, month or year) and how many years you’ll keep it. Add yearly upkeep (pods, repairs, cleaning) and what you could sell it for later if you like. You get the total number of uses, the true cost per use and per day. To compare with the alternative — a coffee shop latte, a rental, a day pass — enter what that costs each time, and see when the purchase pays for itself. Tap an example to try it.
How it works: Total uses = times per period × periods per year × years. Total cost = price + upkeep per year × years − resale value, and cost per use = total cost ÷ total uses. The purchase pays for itself once total cost ÷ alternative cost per use is reached.