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<DIV>Here's a question of the type that I think Avodah-ites
(Ovdim?) sometimes like to discuss. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I bought a large jar of mayonnaise, and the lady at the checkout
pointed out that it was on special that week, "buy one, get one
free," so I might as well get a second jar -- which I did, even though I didn't
need so much mayo and now have extra mayo sitting on a shelf, not to be used
probably for many weeks.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The mayo cost, let's say, four dollars, something like that.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A few days later my neighbor asked me if I could spare a couple of spoons
of mayo for her kids' lunch, as she was out of mayo. I told her I could do
better, I had a whole extra unopened jar of mayonnaise on the shelf, which
I happily gave her. She asked me how much she owed me for it, and this
left me with a question.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. The replacement cost of the mayo, weeks from now when I need some
more, will be $4 -- so I should charge her $4?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. The actual cost of the mayo to me was zero -- since I only got
that second jar because it was "get one free." So I should charge her
nothing? If I charge her anything, I am stealing from her?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3. In reality, no matter how the store advertises it, what I got was
two jars of mayo for four dollars. So I should charge her two dollars for
one jar?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I will tell you what I did after you tell me what I should have done.
Thank you.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><B>--Toby Katz<BR>==========<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"></B>--------------------</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>