The case for procrastination

I procrastinated on buying something last July just long enough to ruin the deal. Now, seven months later, a pleasant happenstance has made it worthwhile.

You may recall that last July I missed out on a major tool purchase because I waited too long and the price jumped considerably. Deciding to buy that tool was the result of a lot of research, and when the price hike put it out of reach I had to start over and do homework for an alternate. The tool my new research came up with was a bit more expensive than the original (even at its now-higher price), but I was ultimately glad I didn’t get my first choice. The new choice, although pricier than the first, is simply the better machine. Sure, I’d still have to wait till finances allow the purchase, but it’s worth it.

Flash forward seven months, and while I still haven’t gotten that tool my financial situation has progressed to the point where I was just about ready to pull the trigger. And then serendipity stepped in – I learned a few days ago that the machine’s gone on sale at a considerable discount and the current price of the better tool is actually lower than that of the lesser machine I almost bought last summer.

It’s hard to ever justify being a procrastinator; by its very nature, even the term is a pejorative. But there’s nothing wrong with waiting to do more research on an item, or putting something off till a more prudent time with regards finances. There’s always the chance of disappointment when acting too fast or waiting too long, but the odds always seem slightly in favor of waiting. In this case it certainly has and I couldn’t be happier for it, as the end result is that I’m going to go out and get that better machine.

But first, I have to go do the taxes I’ve been procrastinating.

A.J.