Is Your Bargain Find Costing You More?

There is power in knowing the prices in the area for the best bargains or highest quality. It allows you to go to that grocery store for proteins and bulk foods, while going to that market on the edge of town for stellar produce that lasts longer in the fridge. It also makes you savvy to purchase online for certain products versus in-store. I’d like to introduce a new concept on bulk and bargain shopping that is not talked about enough: the mental and behavioral link post-purchase.

Typically, I operate my house with on-demand inventory, meaning that we only keep in stock what we need and repurchase when the need approaches. There are a few exceptions where certain items are in bulk. As my kids age — and as I learn more about how to adapt their nutrition to their needs — budget and adjustments must be made. I thought I would try to flex more of my household shopping at Costco, but I soon realized a mindset shift that resulted in behavior change (and not in the beneficial way!) The cost of food storage bags was $0.24/count for the signature brand of the local grocery, but only $0.08/count for the signature brand of the local bulk store. It meant we had to purchase 192 count versus 32 count, but at a $0.16 savings, there is nothing to balk at…or is there? With my family — me included — knowing that we have plenty of gallon-sized food storage bags, there was an unexpected shift in the thought process of food clean up. We did tend to reach more for the gallon size, even if a quart size would probably do the trick, and again if a glass container ought to have been used. When the item was more scarce, we were inclined to be more thoughtful. Were we burning up the $0.16 savings? Perhaps beyond? This was, of course, an easy fix, but the takeaway is a song with many verses. Think of our shampoo bottle: at the beginning, we may give it a hard pump like it is bottomless, but as it nears the end, we become more cautious, only pumping what we truly need.

This discovery in my household has brightened my awareness of two ideas:

1. Scarcity mentality — do we ravage when something feels plentiful?

2. Spending less at checkout is not the end of the savings effort

Thoughtfulness to stretch the dollar then goes beyond bargain shopping and moves into waste management through behavior. For my family, living on an island has also helped boost our awareness of waste, plastic, and sustainability because we can physically see the impact.

Here are my family’s rules for food savings:

1. Go grocery/marketing on a full stomach

2. Only purchase items that are on the list. If we forgot to add something and only remember while shopping, it has to wait until next time.

3. Check-in challenge. Can we last another week by getting creative with what we have?

4. How can we convert leftovers into something else

5. Just before produce wilts or becomes overly ripe, throw it in the freezer

6. Every other week, check the freezer for anything that can be used for dinner

7. Avoid even cheap purchases that rob our health (because poor health equals medical bills)

Here at PIHA, we are all about your total wellness…and that includes your bank account. Cheers to healthy wallets and savvy skills!