Taking into account my own time/mental energy when calculating financial decisions. You only have a certain amount of time/energy, so being efficient with that is really important. Researching small purchases just isn't worth the time and effort compared to larger ones.

• Thoroughly researching and being patient with housing options can save hundreds a month (and make your life a lot easier if you pick the right one)

• Spending time and mental energy to work towards a better job could net in a 10+% increase to income

• The last car we purchased was thousands of dollars less than the options we originally thought we wanted

All of those big things can vastly influence the amount of money in your pocket and only require a targeted amount of energy to do, as opposed to constant penny pinching.