Buying in bulk is a strategy many of us use to try to get more bang for our buck. But if you’ve ever walked out of one of those big bulk stores, wondering if you really saved money, you’re not alone!
“Things that I know that I’ll use, paper goods, chicken, things like that, that I buy in bulk. It certainly, for me, turns out to be less expensive and more convenient,” said Dedham shopper Susan Faldesz.
“It’s more cost-effective, honestly, like I know I’m going to use it, so I think it just makes more sense to buy more, and it’s a little bit cheaper, can’t go wrong,” added shopper Julia Carrier.
MAKE SURE YOU BUY WHAT YOU’LL ACTUALLY USE
ConsumerWorld.org founder Edgar Dworsky tells Boston 25 News that the shopper is right!
The first key to saving is making sure you buy what you’ll actually use.
“I mean, no one needs an industrial-size can of kidney beans,” quipped Dworsky. “If the product is going to go bad and you’re not going to use it, you really haven’t saved money.”
DOUBLE CHECK UNIT PRICES
Dworsky says, to make sure it’s really a deal, double-check those unit prices.
“Check for that orange sign on the shelf that says how much you’re paying per pound,” said Dworsky.
He used peanut butter as an example. On a recent trip, he says he found 6 pounds for about $1.25 to $1.50 a pound at a warehouse store, versus $2.99 for a pound at the supermarket, noting that was a big savings
THINK ABOUT YOUR SPACE
If it’s a great sale, Dworsky says you should stock up, but think about your space.
“If you don’t have the room for it, your bedroom is going to start to look like your kitchen cabinet,” said Dworsky.
FACTOR IN COUPONS… AND CONVENIENCE
Dworsky says a good comparison shopper factors in the coupons, too.
“If you can buy an item in bulk with a coupon, even at BJ’s or Costco, you’re really going to save some money. But double check because sometimes a sale item at a Stop & Shop or Star Market with a digital coupon may be a better deal, and it’s a smaller quantity,” Dworsky noted.
And in a busy world where time is money, don’t forget to factor in convenience.
“You don’t always have to run to the store. Like when I buy (in bulk), I just separate and then I know that I have enough stuff to last me for a while,” said shopper Cherrie Greene.
One disadvantage to buying in bulk that one shopper mentioned to Boston 25, it’s not as easy to buy local.
“I like to support local, so where I live I like to support local stores, because they’re struggling right now with this economy,” said shopper Monica Keane.,
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