If you think a super-sized container of peanut butter is always a better deal than a tiny version, think again. Bigger is not always cheaper.
Here are three common but mistaken assumptions about grocery bargains — plus tips for avoiding getting fooled into paying too much.
•Myth
No. 1: Bigger packages and larger quantities are more economical than buying small.
Often, yes. But Tod Marks, a senior project editor at Consumer Reports, says smaller sizes are actually cheaper about a quarter of the time.
He recommends checking the unit prices — cost per ounce or other element of the package — to find the best deal. Read the fine print, and don’t assume.
•Myth No. 2: A weekly outing — with a list in hand — to Wal-Mart, Target or another big box discounter is the best way to save on groceries.
Yes, shopping at Target or Wal-Mart for a typical basket of 45 items will save you 15 percent to 25 percent, says Bob Buchanan, a retail consultant in St. Louis. But shoppers would do even better by scouring for deals at local grocery stores as well. Remember, too, that super-size stores can tempt you to go off-list and spend much more than you intend buying clothing, toys and other goods.
Furman recommends constantly comparing prices for specific items at discounters with grocers and other stores.
•Myth No. 3: Food costs more at drug stores.
In reality, compared with grocery chains, many drug stores sell basics like milk, eggs and household cleaning and paper goods for less. The idea is that then shoppers will buy other more profitable items.
Some drug chains, including Walgreens and CVS, have loyalty programs that — if used carefully and consistently — can net a shopper occasional savings up to 80 percent, says Furman.
Drug stores are becoming increasingly like mass retailers so include them in your rounds when you’re buying staples.
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