Does a Bulk Store Really Save you Money?
Check the unit price to find the best deal
Before you buy something
in bulk, you need to do a little math to determine whether you will be getting
the best price. The best way to do this is to use the bulk price and divide it
by the number of items in that package. That will be your unit price or price
per unit. This number is what you need to compare when determining whether the
bulk or your standard grocery store has the best price.
Will you be able to use it all?
Your fridge and freezer
can extend the life of many food items that would otherwise go bad, but it
can’t save everything. If you are limited in space or don’t have a lot of space
to work in the first place, you want to rethink buying everything in bulk. The
best items to buy in bulk are items that can last a long time, such as rice,
nuts, grains, and other items with a long shelf life. However, if you use a lot
of an item and can go through the entire thing before it goes bad, then buying
it in bulk can also be a good deal! The important thing to determine is whether
or not you can use the entire thing!
Bulk stores typically cut down the price by sacrificing other areas
Bulk stores can be a
great deal because they are usually giving up something in exchange for the low
price. For example, shops like Costco carry only a few brands even though all
of their items are in bulk. Many bulk stores may get rid of excess packaging,
require you to bag your own groceries, and even package those items yourself in
bulk bins. These stores don’t just get these crazy deals; there is usually a
reason for it! Ask yourself if those reasons are still okay with you before you
consider shopping there.
If your bulk store requires a membership, you need to be careful
Sam's Club, Costco, and
other bulk stores usually require some membership to walk into the store and
shop there. This means that to save money, you have to pay back the membership
cost and THEN SOME on your purchases. If you won’t be shopping very often, then
getting a bulk store membership won’t save you any money!
You don’t have to always
shop bulk to save money! As you can see here, there are many cases when it
doesn’t always save you money! But, there are also plenty of opportunities when
it will! Keep these things in mind the next time you want to consider buying in
bulk.
I went for years without a Costco membership after writing a few blog posts about it. I shared what I don't buy at Costco {though after reading through it, my opinion has changed on A LOT of it!} and why I hate Costco {many of those thoughts are still the same!}.
Every family will have to approach their finances and their situation differently. How do you feel about shopping bulk stores? Do you feel like you are saving money?
Want more money saving tips? Check out these posts!
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