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AIBU?

To think that multibuys and BOGOFs are a bad idea all round?

83 replies

urbanproserpine · 04/08/2011 16:54

I am now getting so angry and frustrated that I am thinking of starting a campaign.

Every single time I go to a supermarket I end up having to buy extra stuff because I 'can't afford not to'. There are five of us, and I am lucky enough to be able to afford to pay out extra for multibuys to get the best deals, but I resent all the messing about and waste. Not to mention the environmental impact all the extra packets creates.

Anyone who doesn't have the cash to buy three packs of toilet roll at once, or can't possibly eat two pineapples in one week is really paying over the odds on these items. I'm beginning to think that the 'real' price is the offer price in many cases anyway.

thoughts?

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Paschaelina · 04/08/2011 16:56

I only take up the offer if its going to be used. Toilet roll - yes, fruit - no, waste of money.

StrandedBear · 04/08/2011 16:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LineRunner · 04/08/2011 16:58

You don't have to buy them.

There's loads of stuff that's just as cheap or cheaper on the shelves.

To whit: Asda, 3 bottle of wine for a tenner. Great, except for the fact that they are selling an individual drinkable bottle of dry white for £3.28.

Of course not everyone has my ability to sniff out cheap booze.

AgentZigzag · 04/08/2011 17:00

Multibuys/BOGOFs not a good idea on chocolate?

I don't understand...

Sirzy · 04/08/2011 17:04

They are a great idea. I buy the offers that work out well for us and which will get used before things go off.

I have never felt compelled to buy because things are on offer

kiery · 04/08/2011 17:06

Just a scam to keep us buying more; the more units they shift the higher their profits.

These offers don't get absorbed by the supermarkets either. The suppilers have to swallow them or the supermarkets will buy elsewhere.

I'm with you.

Laquitar · 04/08/2011 17:13

I buy the boring things. And the ones i can freeze.

The nice ones would be too dangerous to have them double in the cupboard.

How does it make difference to the enviroment?

notso · 04/08/2011 17:14

I don't understand how you can't afford not to buy them.
I do understand the waste thing, I hate it when it's BOGOF on a short shelf life item like green beans or similar.

WhereYouLeftIt · 04/08/2011 17:16

I think I see what you mean by a bad idea - the supermarkets are not going to take less profit, so they must be marking prices up somewhere else, maybe on that item or on (lots of) others. They're fooling us into thinking we're getting a bargain when we aren't really, and people who cannot make use of the BOGOFs therefore end up paying more overall than they would if the BOGOFs didn't exist.

But from the purely selfish perspective of someone who has a lot of storage space, I make a lot of use of them. I can usually multibuy enough of particular items (e.g. toilet rolls, breakfast cereals, tinned tomatoes) that tide me over to the next time they have an offer.

thenightsky · 04/08/2011 17:21

I don't mind the buy-one-get-one-free thing, but I do get frustrated at the buy-TWO-get-third-free offers. I put the two extras away in cupboards and forget them. I looked in a bottom cupboard the other day and found 2 bottles of eye make up remover.... I'd just brought home 3 more!

thenightsky · 04/08/2011 17:22

Oooh and I really hate the buy 3 get cheapest free as I can never decide what three to have

notso · 04/08/2011 17:23

Posted that too soon.

I would far rather have a good price than loads of offers, but that isn't how supermarkets work, they want you to buy certain things.

Laquitar · 04/08/2011 17:25

That requires too much maths thenightsky, i dont like it either .

Tesco has Buy 1, get 2 free.

diddl · 04/08/2011 17:25

I think it depends on the item-& if you can store it.

I don´t find we use more toilet paper than usual if we get BOGOF.

And if it´s fruit/veg we eat more than usual for the same price-plus the guinea pigs & rabbit get extra!

Jonnyfan · 04/08/2011 17:26

I hate "but 3 get cheapest free " too. I always seem to need 2 expensive things and one cheap one, so I get a second of one of the expensive ones, so then I've got 4, so I might as well have 2 more...

diddl · 04/08/2011 17:29

But ideally I´d like no BOGOFs & everything cheaper!

SquishyCinnamonSwirls · 04/08/2011 17:29

I think they're a good deal on items that you would have used anyway. You're not obliged to buy the extra one, and there are other alternatives available.

Laquitar · 04/08/2011 17:29

Oh and i just bought L'oreal face cream 2 for £7. I bought 4

LineRunner · 04/08/2011 17:33

Laquitar, I NEED four.

BrandyAlexander · 04/08/2011 17:35

I live by the offers but only on stuff we actually use. Dh says he always knows what's on offer that week! I bulk buy if something is on offer and then buy again when its on offer again but tend to do this with store cupboard foods/laundry/cleaning materials rather than fresh foods. I hate paying the full price for things!

BrandyAlexander · 04/08/2011 17:35

I live by the offers but only on stuff we actually use. Dh says he always knows what's on offer that week! I bulk buy if something is on offer and then buy again when its on offer again but tend to do this with store cupboard foods/laundry/cleaning materials rather than fresh foods. I hate paying the full price for things!

urbanproserpine · 04/08/2011 17:36

on the button whereyouleftit

on the environmental thing:
one: waste of food on the perishable items. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have thrown stuff out, or felt guilty about not using yet more strawberries up.

Two: packaging. if you are selling three packets of something for the price of two (or insert unmissable offer that makes you an idiot to buy one item - M&S I'm looking at you) - some of them quite small packets, then you are using way more packaging than one large pack would have used.

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Laquitar · 04/08/2011 17:37

You can never have too many. Go to tesco. They are usually £6 each.

Andrewofgg · 04/08/2011 17:39

urbanproserpine - the fact that you have not got the will power not to buy things you don't need is no reason to prevent others from taking advantage of these offers and save money on things they do need.

2BoysTooLoud · 04/08/2011 17:39

I walk with toddler in pushchair to Tescos. Balance basket on back while in supermarket and then balancing act with bags on pushchair on way home.
Get frustrated sometimes as can't always take advantage of BOGOF offers as too tricky to get stuff home eg toilet rolls/ nappies etc.
[Gone value range with nappies mind and not many offers can beat them- bit plasticy tho!].

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