I needed to level up before I could build my next factory and that would take two days.
So I had two days to get 150 cement. My factories are at AE4 and my entrepreneurship is 45.
The values below is based on that.
This can be applied to Iron and Steel as well. (if we stick to building materials)
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When preparing for a new factory, there are two ways to build up the required cement stock:
Option 1: Produce your own limestone and split your work actions between limestone and cement.
Option 2: Buy limestone and use all of your work actions directly for cement.
Let's compare them over two days, using a target of 150 cement.
Automatic cement production: 10 cement/day
Own produced limestone → manual production: 20 cement/day
Bought limestone → manual production: 40 cement/day
10 limestone = 1 cement
Limestone price: 0.08 BTC
Cement price: 1.586 BTC
Over two days:
Automatic: 10 × 2 = 20 cement
Manual: 20 × 2 = 40 cement
Total: 60 cement
You still need:
150 − 60 = 90 cement
Buying 90 cement costs:
90 × 1.586 = 142.74 BTC
Over two days:
Automatic: 20 cement
Manual: 40 × 2 = 80 cement
Total: 100 cement
You now only need:
150 − 100 = 50 cement
Buying 50 cement costs:
50 × 1.586 = 79.30 BTC
The additional 40 cement requires:
40 × 10 = 400 limestone
400 limestone costs:
400 × 0.08 = 32 BTC
So total spending is:
79.30 + 32 = 111.30 BTC

So under these assumptions, buying limestone saves 31.44 BTC while producing 40 additional cement over the two days.
This doesn't necessarily mean it is always the better choice. Market prices, available cash and what else you could use your money for can all change the calculation.
Am I missing something? Any logical fallacy?