DecisionLab

Your decision workspace

Account

Supporting tools

Savings GoalsGoalLensSavings Simulator

Small decisions.
More possibilities.

Created, designed, and developed by Berke B.

A clearer view of your next purchase.

Before you buy it,
see what it will really cost.

See the price, the upkeep, and what each use could cost.

Analyze a product Compare products

No account required. No bank details. Optional cloud saving.

Fictional camera · USD · see beyond the price
The price you see$899.00Reveal the hidden costs

Fictional inputs. Nothing saved.

See the whole picture

01 / Follow the cost

Where does the
money actually go?

Follow one fictional camera from its price tag to the cost of owning it.

Scroll to follow the story, or choose a stage.

The whole picture, on paper.

Across 520 expected uses, that is $2.17 per use. Your assumptions shape the result.

Estimated true cost: $1,129.00

Analyze your own product →Try the receipt ↓

Fictional camera · USD · 24 months · 5 uses per week. Tax, shipping and repairs: $0. Accessories: $120 total; maintenance: $90/year; subscription: $10/month. Resale is an estimate. Nothing saved.

02 / Your assumptions, on paper

Your True Cost.
One clear receipt.

Adjust the usage below, then try your own purchase.

Create your own receipt

Fictional everyday camera. Change usage to see the cost per use. Nothing is saved.

DecisionLab / Fictional demonstration

True Cost Receipt

Fictional everyday camera · Illustration only

new · USD · 24 months planned ownership
Sticker price
$899.00
+ Ownership expenses
$540.00
− Expected resale deduction
$310.00
Estimated true cost · net ownership$1,129.00
Estimated cost per use$2.17Across approximately 520 uses

Fictional example, not market prices. Based on your estimates, not verified prices.

Full cost breakdown
Sticker price
$899.00
+ Tax
$0.00
+ Shipping
$0.00
Total initial cost
$899.00
+ Maintenance over 24 months
$180.00
+ Accessories / consumables, entire period
$120.00
+ Subscriptions over 24 months
$240.00
+ Repair allowance, entire period
$0.00
Ownership expenses
$540.00
− Expected resale deduction
$310.00
Assumptions, missing inputs & formulas

Inputs are your estimates. Totals and cost per use are DecisionLab calculations. No cost inputs are missing.

Ownership: 2 years; usage: 5 per week. Years use 12 months and 52 weeks. Weekly usage is spread evenly across months. These are expectations, not durability guarantees.

Initial = price + tax + shipping. Ownership expenses = yearly maintenance × months ÷ 12 + accessories/consumables for the whole period + subscription × months (÷ 12 for an annual rate) + repair allowance. Net = max(0, initial + ownership expenses − resale). Uses = frequency × duration. Cost per use = net ÷ uses; unavailable at zero uses.

True Cost is floored at $0.00. DecisionLab does not model profit or appreciation if expected resale exceeds total ownership cost.

Currency is USD; no exchange-rate conversion. Amounts round to cents; estimates do not become more certain because they have decimal places. No inflation, interest, financing, energy, insurance, disposal fees, or other costs are included unless entered in the relevant cost allowances.

Alternative differences compare purchase prices only, not ownership value. Use Compare for a fuller comparison. Importance 3/5 and usefulness 3/5 are your subjective assessments, never a scientific buying score.

Purpose: Personal photography — fictional example. Not marked as a replacement. Next-best use: Keep money available.

03 / A matter of perspective

Different assumptions.
Different costs.

Fictional example / new

The new laptop

$1.20per expected use

Net ownership cost
$1,250.00
Planned ownership
48 months

Fictional example / refurbished

The refurbished laptop

$1.21per expected use

Net ownership cost
$945.00
Planned ownership
36 months

Fictional estimates, not market prices. Your priorities decide the trade-off.

Explore this comparison

04 / Time to consider

Give the decision
some space.

Save a receipt and choose a date to reconsider.

Open your queue

  1. Save your receipt

  2. Give it a day. Or seven.

  3. Return with a clearer head

05 / After the purchase

What did you
actually get from it?

Compare your original estimate with the costs and use you record.

Fictional laptop example · both columns cover a completed 48-month ownership period.

The prediction

Expected uses
1,040
Estimated cost per use
$1.20

The imagined outcome

Recorded uses
650
Cost per use
$2.12
Illustration assumptions

This is a fictional demonstration, not a user record or a claim about laptop performance. The prediction uses the new-laptop example above. The imagined outcome is a $1,200.00 purchase, $140.00 maintenance, $95.00 accessories, $140.00 repairs, and $200.00 resale after four years. Tax, shipping, and subscriptions are zero. Net cost is $1,375.00 across 650 uses. Nothing is saved.

Your purchases Insights from your records

Analyze your
next purchase.

Analyze a product

Created by Berke B.