Sticker Shock or Smart Investment?

My social feeds over the past few months have been filled with wild numbers related to government spending. Elon and his DOGE team have been ruthlessly posting the details. Some figures sound outrageous at first glance, and some are crazy. But beyond the noise, it’s hard to have strong opinions because most of us don’t have the full context.

It’s easy to say, “X & Y costs this much?” and compare it to what we’re used to X & Y costing. The government’s electric bill is in the millions? What? Turn off some light switches. My electric bill is only a few hundred dollars. (And some of you just read that and can’t believe my bill is in the hundreds—gotta love California and overcharges.) The point is, you and I have never run a country. We have no real benchmark for what X & Y should cost. So, our knee-jerk reaction is often, “That’s insane.”

I’ve seen the same thing happen with new tech costs. “I can’t believe the website, app, giving platform, cameras, etc., will cost that much!” But the real question isn’t the amount—it’s the return. What do you get for that investment? How much could it save your organization? Could the new tech scale your goals? Maybe you’ll need fewer staff. Maybe it saves time. Maybe it’s an upfront cost that pays off in a few years—or even sets you up for the next decade. Some investments are like buying a house—expensive now, but they make long-term sense.

I’m not saying cutting government spending is a bad idea. I actually like a little chaos in this area if it leads to better ideas. But don’t just cut for the sake of cutting. Don’t get scared by big numbers just because they look big. Ask the follow-up questions: Is this a good investment based on our strategy and objectives? Sometimes you have to spend a little more to get a much bigger return. New tech might cost more than you'd like, but the payoff can be greater than expected.