What Size To Buy: Price Per Unit

Most people think that buying food in bulk will save them money. When I talk with friends and store associates about finding the lowest cost items, they are often surprised to hear that sometimes the bulk buys are actually not the best deal.So here’s a quick run down of how I calculate which size to buy so I can get the biggest bang for my buck.

Warning: This will involve using your brain and flexing your math muscles. Come on! You can do it!

Tip of the day: Compare prices per unit.

Don’t compare price per item because some packaging makes it difficult to tell how much product you are getting. If you factor in the size of the product, the material it is made from (glass, plastic, paper, etc), you’ll start to realize that some items take up the same shelf space but they don’t have the same amount of product.
So when you go to the store, pull out your calculator and do a little math.

Price / # of units = price per unit

If you have a coupon for a specific item, you will want to factor that into the equation:

(Price – coupon value) / # of units = price per unit if you have a coupon.

Sometimes items without coupons are cheaper and the coupons might not actually save you money. Keep this in mind!

Real life application:

Say for instance,  you have a coupon for $1 off of any Dr. Pepper 12 pack and the sale price at the store is 3 packs of any soda for $10.  This is the equation you will do:
$10/ 3 packs = $3.33 per 12 pack
or
$10/ 3 packs/ 12 cans = about 28 cents a can!

With a coupon your equation will look like this:

($10- $1 coupon) / 3 packs/12 cans =
$9 /3 packs = $3 per 12 pack
or
$9/ 3 packs/12 cans = exactly 25 cents a can!

Some of you might say, well 3 cents a can is not really that great of savings. However if you have one can of soda every day for a year and can save 3 cents per can, you’ve saved about $11 on soda alone. Now imagine you follow this same tip for all groceries and personal care products that you buy. Every penny adds up! Once you get this process down, it will come naturally.

No Calculator? Look at shelf tags:

If you forget your calculator or you are in a hurry, or have no coupons, look at the price tag on the shelf. Usually it will be listed as a price per unit. Watch out for similar products that are measured by different units. This can make one product appear to be cheaper than the other one.

This is a great tip, even for those of you who don’t clip coupons. If you follow this tip alone, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars per year.

I hope this helps break down one of my basics for how to find a great deal at the grocery store! This time, I hope you’ll grab whichever one is truly the best deal!

Always Read The Fine Print + DIY Magnifying Glass Project

While reading my friends Facebook updates today I noticed one of those dear to my heart posted this:
“I wonder if there is such a thing as an honest realtor??? Found out today that we have to vacate our house on the day of closing instead of getting the 10 days we agreed to. I will never listen to anyone again who tells me.. “Just sign here, it’s like all the other addendums you’ve signed.”

Which brings me to my savings tips for today… always read the fine print, especially for anything relating to money changing hands. If you are signing a lease, read the fine print. If you are confirming a job offer, read the fine print. If you are submitting a rebate, read the fine print. Not only will this help ensure accuracy, it will help you make sure that everything you thought you were getting is what you are actually getting out of the deal.

It broke my heart to see something like this happen to someone I love, and it could have been prevented quite simply by reading the fine print.

Reading Takes Time:

If you can, take the paperwork home to review at your leisure. Ensure you read both your copy and the copy for the person with whom you are entering a contract, and that your copies are identical so there's no bait-and-switch going on.

Consider The Buddy System:

If you are aged, or have poor eyesight, always bring a trusted friend to read your paperwork to you or for you. If that is not possible, ask for the file to be sent digitally and use a text to voice program.

Try Your Hand At Sleuthing:

Use a magnifying glass. Not only will it help you read the fine print, it will make you look cool. Ok, maybe not, but it will be fun… While you are at it, wear a trench jacket and chew on a fat pretzel stick as if it is a cigar (sorry, no real cigars- lung cancer is expensive). You can find fake mustaches here, to complete the look.

DIY Magnifying Glass:

To really romanticize poor eyesight (you know you want to), make a cool yet affordable magnifying glass. Buy a cheap metal one and transform it with bake-able clay and some bronze colored paint.While the clay is soft, mold it to your liking. Add texture with fishnet, tulle, or a toothpick. After baking is complete, rub some green paint into the creases and wipe off for that antiqued look. Let dry.
Of course, if your eyesight is that bad, creating a custom made fine art magnifying glass is probably not at the top of your list… so humor me. I’m the humorous,Sherlock Holmes fangirl romantizing-poor-eyesight creative type.

***Nerd Warning*** 
(Mental image: Can you hear the sirens? Sorry, I watch too much sci-fi and I'm envisioning red flashing lights and an annoyingly repetitive beeping signalling something like a nuclear reactor preparing to blow or a ship full of aliens flying through a Stargate... please continue...)
This link will be useless to you if you have poor eyesight, but it's really cool if you have kids: Make your own water magnifier.

If that doesn't work for you, you can always request a digital copy to view zoomed in on your computer, them print at home to ensure it is the same thing you are signing.

Consult A Lawyer:

Is the legal-eze just above your head? Legal documents sometimes seem like they are purposefully written to confuse you. If you are low income and cannot afford a lawyer but have the need for one, consider visiting www.lawhelp.org or Google search “free legal advice.” Depending on your case, there may be professionals in your area willing to help for a small fee or pro- bono (volunteer).

Moral of the story: Don’t let yourself become the victim.
Have you ever had any issues understanding the legal paperwork of rebates or contracts?