"BUT IT'S FREE" is somethin a good friend of mine used to say over and over again when we lived in Holland Michigan. If I can get it for free or for a substantial discount why should I pay for it?

I can think of a lot of reasons: I don't need it; It won't do the job I need done; It won't last long enough to meet my needs; It comes with a lot of hooks I can't or don't want to live with; It's plain UGLY! are a few that come to mind.

To me, the "It won't do the job I really need done" is one we should really focus on. We all, whether in business, government, or personally want to save money. There is nothing wrong with this. We need to understand what we are getting and what we are giving up in order to save the money. We need to ask questions and, above all, read the fine print and make a true value judgement. Particularly, if in business, and politics, we need to be able to stand up and explain our decision, particularly when the decision will impact those we serve.

Remember, You Get What You Pay For. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Businesses don't do things for free.

Jim