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When getting my oil changed a few days ago, my mechanic noticed a bump on my tire. Being that I just bought these tires a few months ago, I assumed that getting it replaced would be quick and easy. So when I walked into my local tire store on a slow morning, I knew I would be in and out in no time. Three hours later…

To change one tire on my masculine Neon took the good folks at the unnamed tire store nearly 3 ½ hours. Maybe they were just struck by the beauty of my Dodge Neon and wanted to bask in its splendor for awhile. Maybe, a recent tire war between them and Goodyear had made acquiring new tires a dangerous and often deadly game. Maybe, they just aren’t very good at what they do.

Humans are creatures of habit. We often stay in relationships that are going nowhere, go to the same untrustworthy mechanic, shop at the same overpriced stores simply because we are “comfortable” there.

Unknown places and situations offer the chance of unforeseen obstacles and that can be scary. We have all heard the story about the woman who went to a new store to buy a carton of milk and got eaten by a giant anaconda…right?

Over the past few months as an intern, I have heard quite a few stories of the outrageous prices companies have paid to website development companies and the subpar results they received. When asked why they have stuck with a particularly bad website company for so long, the following statements are the most often given:

“Well, we have always used them…”

“The initial price given was the best around.”

"We've already invested a lot of money into them."

In business school, I have learned a "sunk cost" is money spent that cannot be recovered. In the world of business, especially website development, it’s easier said than done to consider the money spent on an underperforming web developer a "sunk cost".

What people often forget though is investing in a sunk cost is like trying to pay off a gambling debt by gambling more. If you spent a lot of money of a website that you are not satisfied with, how is sticking with it a good investment? And trust me, I know a few things about living and learning from my mistakes…I spent over $16,000 on my 2002 Dodge Neon.

Whether it’s your mechanic, hairdresser, significant other or website developer; if you are sticking with them because you are comfortable and nothing else, chances are you are holding yourself or company back. Try something different and you might be surprised by the results. Whether it’s saving money, time or sanity, keeping your options open will often be a benefit.

Of course, you also might be eaten by a giant anaconda…