Notes on a telephone conversation wherein one party learns a painful truth about spending other people's money

“Guess how much Office Depot [1] wants for a 10′ cross-over cable?”

“Oh … maybe $20?”

“Try $26.99. That's insane! Home Depot [2] sells them for around $7.00.”

“So why aren't you at Home Depot then?”

“They ran out.”

“Ah.”

“But $26.99! That's insane! I realize they have to make money, and while I can make my own it's more a convenience factor, but $27?”

“See, Office Depot expects you to buy the cables and expense it to a company, so you aren't spending your money, but Other People's Money™.”

“But $80 for a few cables?”

“Other People's Money™, man.”

[1] http://www.officedepot.com/

[2] http://www.homedepot.com/

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