Suppose Gavin decides to get the vanilla fudge ripple ice cream. Which result would be a cost?
Gavin will give up the chance to get a free waffle cone. He would have enjoyed the waffle cone. Gavin will get to eat the vanilla fudge ripple ice cream. He likes this flavor more than sweet cream.
Gavin is deciding whether to get vanilla fudge ripple ice cream or sweet cream ice cream. He likes vanilla fudge ripple more than sweet cream. But a scoop of sweet cream ice cream comes with a free waffle cone.
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 Gavin wants or needs:
Gavin will give up the chance to get a free waffle cone. He would have enjoyed the waffle cone.