About Cost of Choice
Every major financial decision comes with costs that aren't obvious at first glance. The monthly mortgage payment is just the beginning. The real cost includes opportunity costs, hidden fees, time value of money, and trade-offs that only become clear years later.
Cost of Choice exists to surface those hidden costs before you make a decision—not after.
What We Cover
We focus on housing and debt decisions because they're typically the largest financial choices most people make:
- Rent vs Buy: The real math behind one of life's biggest financial decisions
- Refinancing: When it actually saves money and when it quietly costs you more
- Mortgage Choices: 15-year vs 30-year, fixed vs ARM, and other structural decisions
Our Approach
We don't write "How to" guides or dictionary definitions. We write analysis that assumes you're an adult who can handle nuance and make your own decisions.
Every article follows the same structure: identify the common misconception, reveal the hidden costs on both sides, and give you a framework for deciding what's right for your situation.
We're not here to tell you what to do. We're here to make sure you see the full picture before you decide.
Cost of Choice is an independent editorial project created by researchers and analysts focused on long-term financial decision-making.
We do not sell financial products, accept sponsorships, or receive compensation for specific recommendations.
Our goal is to provide clear analysis so readers can make better-informed decisions on their own.
Last updated: December 2025