Issue 348, August 30, 2026
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”
— Warren Buffett
I was making a purchase online the other day when I discovered the biggest difference between internet and local purchases: the trade-off between effortless convenience and the security of human relationships. Online, we can get food, cars, clothes, and even hot prepared meals at the touch of our fingers, often at lower prices. Yet those savings can vanish the moment something arrives that is the wrong size, printed incorrectly, or made from the wrong material, problems that are far harder to fix when the seller is only an email address or chatbot.
There is real value in having someone you know and trust handle your needs. People prefer to do business with friends, and something as simple as having lunch with them twice a month builds the knowledge and mutual confidence that make transactions smoother. When you deal with a local business, any issue can usually be resolved face-to-face without endless email exchanges or waiting on the phone to try to talk with a representative.
So remember: when buying things on the internet, there is more to a product than its price.
Are you seeing value in what you are paying?
Mark Geil
2026 President