Question 1

How many uses justify an expensive purchase?

Accepted Answer

There's no universal answer — it depends on your comparison point. The goal is to calculate cost-per-use for the expensive item and compare it to a cheaper alternative's cost-per-use, or to a rental/subscription equivalent. If the premium item costs less per use than the budget version, the premium item is actually the better value.

Question 2

What is the cost-per-use formula?

Accepted Answer

Cost Per Use = (Purchase Price − Expected Resale Value) ÷ Number of Times You'll Use It. Subtracting resale value is important for items like cameras, tools, or gym equipment that retain meaningful value. A $500 camera you'll sell for $200 after 300 uses only costs you $1.00 per use.

Question 3

How does this calculator help with clothes shopping specifically?

Accepted Answer

The 'cost per wear' variant is one of the most popular applications. A $200 quality coat worn 150 times over 5 years costs $1.33 per wear — often much less than a $60 fast-fashion coat worn only 12 times before falling apart, which costs $5.00 per wear.

Question 4

Should I include maintenance costs in my calculation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for items with ongoing maintenance costs (cars, expensive appliances, gym equipment), adding those costs to the numerator gives a more accurate total. Formula becomes: (Purchase Price − Resale Value + Total Maintenance Costs) ÷ Number of Uses.

Cost-Per-Use Calculator

Item 1

Compare with Item 2