Suppose Dan decides to make beef barley soup. Which result would be a cost?
The beef barley soup will be tastier than the split pea soup would have been. Dan will spend more time making the beef barley soup than he would have spent making the split pea soup.
Dan is deciding whether to make beef barley soup or split pea soup for dinner. He wants dinner to be as tasty as possible. But he is also hungry and wants to eat soon.
Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need.
This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Dan wants or needs:
Dan will spend more time making the beef barley soup than he would have spent making the split pea soup.