I Actually Learned Something in College
For the most part, everything I was taught in college is pretty useless in my chosen career as a stay at home mom. I have a degree in marketing, which means I know a little bit about the “Four Ps,” (product, place, price, promotion). Basically, nothing that is really helpful in the home setting. I did have one class though, Consumer Marketing, that has basically changed the way I shop.
I think everyone knows that buying in bulk is usually cheaper. It doesn’t always have to be in massive quantities either. For example, at the commissary the other day, I was in the mac & cheese aisle. The lady in front of me picked up three boxes at $1.25 each. Sitting right next to it, was a four-pack of the same exact product for $3.79. So, pretty much a free box. I cringed, grabbed my four-pack (these kids eat mac & cheese like it’s their job), and kept on walking.
I’ve become the crazy person that stands there comparing each product’s price per ounce. When I used to do my shopping at Walmart, it meant that usually, I would end up with the store brand product. Never really an issue for me, since I don’t have a brand loyalty for most products. Plus, a majority of the time, the store brand and the name brand item are the same exact thing in different packaging. Now though, I feel like a grandma, because I stand there and compare every. single. product.
During class one day, the professor told us that he always checked out what other shoppers had in their carts, to see if they were doing decent job saving money and buying the best deal. At the time, I thought he was a total creep. Seriously, who the hell does that?! Five years later, I do the same exact thing.
Anyone else crazy when it comes to grocery shopping or is it just me?
I do calculations at the grocery store too. Also, end up with store brand. You’re absolutely right though. My mom used to work for Borden Dairy and their “secret” labels were Target, etc. So the Target brand milk was actually Borden Dairy.
This is why I do not do the grocery shopping. I just grab stuff and put it in the cart, constantly spending more because I don’t take the time to look. Chris does all the shopping because he actually reads labels, and price tags as well. haha! I cannot be trusted at the grocery store.
I do compare prices. And I prefer to buy something if I have a coupon.
I do the same thing!! I try to be really conscious of what I spend.
Nope not crazy at all, I check out others buggies all the time and have been known to offer a helpful tip to moms with kids in tow.
I’m the one walking around with the calculator in tow, the apps running on the phone and a child marking off items on the list. The only thing I don’t do is couponing because they very rarely are worth it for me. I tend to make more stuff from scratch and don’t buy a lot of junk.
With a small budget you have to do everything you can to make sure it stretches.
I do the same thing when comparing prices.
Ways I used my BS in Food Science this week: I threw about 3 pounds of moldy cheese. My father-in-law ate some chili I made last month when Mac was home. He told me how good it was. I almost cried at the idea of eating month-old refrigerated food.
I’ve started price comparing a lot lately. Even going so far as to compare multiple stores in the area! Its really the only way to stretch your dollar these days!
Lets see … have I used any of my BS in Health Science lately? Nope … not really.
I do the same thing! I try to use the ads, sales, and coupons to compare everything. Most of the time I end up with the store brand. There are a few times I will buy a certain brand, but it is only a few products.
crazy shopper all the way and i am loud about it too. i even bust out the phone and see who has a lower price. yep. gotta save where you can.
Nope, not crazy, smart. Target had Kraft Mac and Cheese on sale 5 for $5 the other day, plus they were buy 5 get 5 free. I got 10 boxes of Mac and Cheese for $5. It’s not like the kids won’t eat it.
I do the same thing – most of the time! Especially with packs and things like that, sometime it really is cheaper to buy the 4-pack. Or in our house, it’s always with the soda. Lance LOVES his Dr. Pepper, I use to sometimes just go for the sale 3-12 packs for $XX but then I started noticing the not-on-sale 24-pack would be cheaper, so now I compare, compare, compare lol
I totally thought about this post today while I was grocery shopping. Haha!
It really irks me when places don’t post the price per ounce! I’m normally in too big of a hurry to pull out my phone to use the calculator to figure it out.