Friday 15 February 2008

20 reasons it's okay to hate Valentine's Day

The Times has a list, 20 reasons it's okay to hate Valentine's Day. Number 14 is
It's such a rip-off. With flowers, dinner and cabs, you’re looking at a hundred quid minimum. Wouldn’t she just prefer the cash instead?
This has to be true, as any economist will tell you. Just giving her the cash must be pareto improving. With the cash she can either go out and buy what you would have bought, so she and you are no worse off, or she can buy what she really wants, and you would not have bought, so you will both be better off.

So next year, just give her the money guys.

2 comments:

Eric Crampton said...

And if you didn't have the handicap of being Kiwi, you'd have seen the Seinfeld episode where they explore the consequences of giving cash as a gift...

Doesn't that make Valentine's rather dull? You each give each other $100 in a card?

Anonymous said...

What did you give Miss G., Paul?