Asked by Kaileigh

Refers to the financial opportunity that is given up because you choose to do something else with your money.
Opportunity cost
Opportunity purchase

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The correct term is "opportunity cost."

Definition: opportunity cost is the value of the next-best alternative you give up when you choose one option over another. It measures what you sacrifice (not just in dollars, but in benefits, time, or utility).

Examples:
- If you spend $10,000 on a car instead of investing it at 5% annually, the opportunity cost is the interest (approx. $500 in the first year) plus any compound gains you forgo.
- Choosing to attend college instead of working for four years: the opportunity cost includes the wages you would have earned plus any work experience lost.
- Spending an evening watching TV rather than learning a skill: the opportunity cost is the benefit you would have gained from studying.

"Opportunity purchase" is not a standard economic term. Use "opportunity cost" to refer to what is foregone.