The Price of Free

Back in my TV news days, I would sometimes enjoy a hair and makeup allowance from the TV station. Usually this would be a reimbursement of my expenses.

But at one station, the only way on-air staff could get their hair done for free was to go to a stylist who happened to be a friend of the General Manager. Many of my female colleagues didn't take up this offer because the stylist styled hair in a way that was about ten years out of date.

But my hair is pretty flexible, there's not much to mess up, and I hate to pass up a free offer. So I decided to make an appointment. When I arrived, I was promptly led into her garage which featured a big barber's chair in the middle of the room. When I sat down into the chair, I noticed that the stylist seemed a bit confused. I asked if everything was alright.

She looked at me and said, "I can't find my glasses anywhere and I can't see a thing without them. Oh well, let's cut your hair."

It was at this moment that I realized that sometimes free stuff comes a price. It turns out that the haircut wasn't a disaster but I've had better ones. The good news is that my hair grows quickly.

But out of the experience I realized that sometimes when you buy something, you're not just buying the product but the peace of mind that comes from experience and expertise. Today I still love a good discount or free stuff but sometimes I can't afford the emotional price that can come from it.