Realized I was overspending on groceries by $80 a month because of one stupid habit

I used to just throw things in my cart without checking the unit price. My girlfriend pointed it out at a Target in Phoenix last month when I grabbed a small box of granola for $5.49 instead of the big bag for $4.99. I laughed it off but then she showed me the math on 5 different items. I was basically burning like $80 a month for nothing. Now I check the little price tag per ounce on everything. Anyone else ever wake up to something that simple?

3 comments

3 Comments

kevin_bailey1mo ago

I was basically burning like $80 a month for nothing" - oh man, that hits close to home. I did the exact same thing but with coffee creamer. I'd grab the little glass bottle for $6.99 without even glancing at the price per ounce. Turns out the giant plastic jug right next to it was $4.29 for twice as much. My wallet was crying and I didn't even know it. Now I look like a weirdo standing in the aisle doing math on my phone for five minutes.

cora4001mo ago

It's wild how many traps like that are scattered around every grocery store. The packaging is basically designed to trick you into grabbing the expensive version without thinking.

troy_owens1mo ago

I used to roll my eyes at people who pulled out their phones in the store to compare prices. Thought it was way too much effort for a few cents. But man, that granola example is brutal. Seeing the hard numbers like that really changes your whole mindset. Now I'm the guy holding up the line checking the unit price on everything, but I don't care because my wallet thanks me later.

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