Have you checked out my Price Check button on the left lately? I first wrote about my price book HERE, so be sure to check that out first! I have been doing some much needed updating and editing to it. It still has many holes and as I said before… will be my ongoing and never ending project! Although there still are prices and unit sizes to record, the data I have gathered so far is very useful and I hope it has been able to save you money! Feel free to email me if you'd like a hard copy created in Excel!
There are a few new things additions! Checkout the new Quick Check, Quick Links and lowest cost per unit highlighted items (making it easy to see what the best buys are at each store.) On the quick check, if I haven't entered a lowest unit price, it is because I feel like I haven't gathered enough information yet.
| Quick Links: | |
| Price Check | Quick Check |
| Beverages | Beverages |
| Children | Children |
| Cold/Dairy | Cold/Dairy |
| Frozen | Frozen |
| Household | Household |
| Medications | Medications |
| Meat | Meat |
| Pantry 1 and 2 | Pantry |
| Produce | Produce |
| Toiletries | Toiletries |
Here are some scenarios on how you can use a price book. I really do recommend making one for you and your family's needs, but hope my pricing has given you a place to start!
Scenario 1: Where to use your coupon….
You have a $.40/1 coupon for Hunts diced tomatoes. By looking at the chart below found on the Pantry link in Price Check, you can see…
- If you use the coupon at Walmart, the tomatoes would be $.64.
- If you go to Aldi, where coupons aren't accepted, you could get the same amount of diced tomatoes for $.55 with a generic brand.
- If you use the coupon at Dillons, where coupons are doubles up to $1, you could get Hunts Diced tomatoes for $.36!
Something to think about….Is it worth it to drive to a separate store to save $.19? No, but if you have multiple coupons (by purchasing them on eBay or buying multiple papers) and stock up by purchasing twenty cans because you use them a lot in your recipes, you would save $3.80 and these savings really start to add up when you use them for everything you buy! Or have a list of all the best buy things you need or have coupons for at the stores you will to shop at for the week. Wouldn't it be worth it to save lots of money just by comparing prices between two stores you shop at regularly?
Scenario 2: When NOT to use a coupon…
Let's say you have a coupon for $.50 off string cheese and a pack of 12 sticks costs $4.99. You do the math and see that $4.99-$.50/12=$.37 per stick. Using the Quick Check Dairy Link you can see that it's not a good deal because the lowest cost per unit is $.20. Use the Price Check link later to figure out where!
Scenario 3: Where to buy a something you don't have a coupon for….
Let's say you need paper plates and have been watching for weeks for a coupon without any luck. Look over the Price Check and find that you can get the best bang for your buck at Dillons, at $.017 per plate.
Scenario 4: When something REALLY is on sale…
You stop into a store and see big signs saying that chicken breast is on sale for only $3.99 a pound! You get excited and start fill up your cart, but then check the Price Check to see that it's not a deal at all! You wouldn't believe how many things that are advertised as being on sale that really aren't!
Scenario 5: When to buy according to the cost per unit…
Let's say the only way you can eat salad is with Hidden Valley Ranch and you're out! There aren't coupons out for it currently, which you find out by checking the Coupon Data Base, so you buy the big 52 oz tub, stretching your dollar and only paying $.125 per ounce. If you would have bought 52 ounces (let's say your whole family loves ranch!) at the .234 cost per unit, you'd have spent $12.16, which makes comparing the unit cost a possible savings of $5.68!
My future goals with my Price Book are to track when products go on sale, learning the pattern of that six to eight week cycle I've read about. I also plan to compare prices at Sams, Walgreens, and Food 4 Less. By using the quick check, I can see when I am at a store how a unit price compares to my recorded data.
Please don't forget how quickly prices change and how seasonal prices can be, as this will be something I will be tracking and be able to report more on later, but until then, just know a price on my sheet may not match exactly what you find, especially if there is a sale, which would be a good thing! =) I did price everything over the past month and will be updating it frequently. Also, please note that prices vary by region and I live in Springfield, MO.
Has Price Check helped save you money?
Don't forget to email me if you'd like a copy! I printed them four to sheet to have a copy with me at all times!
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