"invested"

[kwerk]

Does it bother anyone else when you see something for sale and the person says how much they have "invested" in it?

"for sale blah blah, I have $1000 invested in this, asking $600 obo".

Or when people talk about investing in something that will obviously DEPRECIATE?

"I think I will invest in a big mac for lunch"

definition of invest:

to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.

 

[kwerk]

The value of an investment can go down as well as up. Therefore there's nothing wrong as such with the scenario in the op.

But you see it with things that are blatantly not investments. Nobody would ever expect it to appreciate in normal circumstances. Like computer parts. Or some car that you filled up with vulgar after market bits and bobs that nobody except you thinks is cool.

That's not an investment, that's just buying stuff. "Invest" and "buy" are not the same thing.

 

[kwerk]

"i'm going to invest in a brand new car".

That's never going to be an investment unless it's a rare collectible that may appreciate, or you manage to buy it for LESS than you expect to be able to sell it.

But everyone knows that new cars instantly depreciate as soon as you drive them off the lot.

That's not investing, that's just buying!

 

[kwerk]

why not just pay me directly?