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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that most people shop like this?

129 replies

MojacaSunset · 30/04/2023 16:22

I was with my cousin and we were chatting about the cost of living and the price of washing powder, she has always bought the same brand her mother used but is now looking for something cheaper. I usually buy own brand or branded if it works out better, I said that I compare brands and decide what to buy by working out the cost per wash and she asked me how? I had to explain that I divide the total cost of the product by the number of washes (usually on the packageing) to see which worked out cheapest.
She was really surprised and said she never bothers to do that. I asked her if she looked at the price per kilo / 100g when comparing food and she doesn't do that either.

YANBU I always compare prices by looking at price per kilo / number of uses

YABU I don't compare prices per kilo / number of uses.

OP posts:
FancyFanny · 30/04/2023 20:16

If you shop online it's literally done for you!

I don't always buy the cheapest brand as sometimes it's false economy- eg. cheap washing up liquid might be a better price per 100mls but Fairy definitely lasts longer as you use less- and I often go for quality with food unless the cheaper is just as good.

Lilyhatesjaz · 30/04/2023 20:34

I do this, some times just to compare different size packs of the same brand, the largest is not always the cheapest but some times they don't put the price per unit of special offers so you have to do the maths

woodhill · 30/04/2023 20:37

DucksNewburyport · 30/04/2023 16:34

I partially do this. But there are some brands I prefer regardless of price.

Yes same with me

I am

woodhill · 30/04/2023 20:38

I am price conscious but prefer Maris Pioer potatoes for example to generic own brand potatoes

Cantthinkof1rightnow · 30/04/2023 20:43

I do this and anyways have done, even though we're comfortable now, so I don't need to do this. I just like to know, and in times past every penny counted.
Just be aware though, that the info on the price ticket isn't always correct. I've picked up a few errors at several stores where they've stated price per kilo is x for product A, which makes it better value than a product B, but the stated info was incorrect and actually the product B worked out cheaper.

Blackcountryexile · 30/04/2023 20:48

@Ariela I do the same.

Rightnowstraightaway · 30/04/2023 21:17

MyFaceIsAnAONB · 30/04/2023 16:27

Sometimes. There are brands I like better, but for example today doing my online shop, some potatoes are much more expensive per kilo so I go cheap. A potato is a potato if you ask me.

I thought that until I tried to make my own gnocchi! Let's just say that I should have followed the recipe instructions to buy a specific type!

MyFaceIsAnAONB · 30/04/2023 22:50

Rightnowstraightaway · 30/04/2023 21:17

I thought that until I tried to make my own gnocchi! Let's just say that I should have followed the recipe instructions to buy a specific type!

Show quote history

To be fair I tried to make gnocchi once and it was an absolute shit show so true, perhaps in that instance the type of potato matters. But homemade gnocchi is not an everyday occurrence in our household, especially not if I’m counting every penny 😄

Emotionalstorm · 01/05/2023 00:50

I just buy the thing I want and like the most. Life is too short for this.

smooththecat · 01/05/2023 01:47

Cantthinkof1rightnow · 30/04/2023 20:43

I do this and anyways have done, even though we're comfortable now, so I don't need to do this. I just like to know, and in times past every penny counted.
Just be aware though, that the info on the price ticket isn't always correct. I've picked up a few errors at several stores where they've stated price per kilo is x for product A, which makes it better value than a product B, but the stated info was incorrect and actually the product B worked out cheaper.

Yeah, I’ve noticed that if there’s a really expensive product they’ll put price per 100ml instead of 1 litre for example. Bit disingenuous.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 01/05/2023 01:57

For some things I do, but for others I find it a false economy. If I buy the cheapest cat and my cat won’t eat it I haven’t really saved anything. When I was broke I would buy the cheap drug store shampoo and conditioner, but found I was using more with poorer results than the expensive salon brand.

If it’s a basic product then yeah I’ll generally go for the cheapest…as another poster said a potato is a potato 🥔 I don’t really need the free ranged organic spud.

ChocWeb · 01/05/2023 10:00

I always do this, another throw back from having a single mother parent who always did it, so I just do it in my head as I go around. But I don’t know if it’s already been mentioned but yes, supermarkets do have it on their shelf edge labels but if it’s on offer, and I’m meaning tescos with their club card price, it’ll still show the unit price for the original price and not the clubcard price, so you do need to watch out.

Minervia · 01/05/2023 10:06

I don't. I'm not mathematically minded. I think I might be missing a maths gene

Healthworrierextraordinaire · 01/05/2023 10:21

TheChosenTwo · 30/04/2023 17:16

I don’t do this, I just buy what I’m looking for. I mostly shop online and from my list of favourites, then manually search for what else I need that week.
And @Healthworrierextraordinaire I don’t weigh out pasta, does anyone actually weigh out pasta 😳

Um... yeah. I do. I mean, not necessarily precisely for the exact recommended portions, but I need to get 2 meals for 3 or 4 people out of each 500g bag.

AnneElliott · 01/05/2023 11:08

Yes I do this. It we had very little money growing up and so we had to look after the pennies. Plus when I first moved out we had very little spare cash so it's always been a way of life.

MasterBeth · 01/05/2023 11:20

The calculation is done for you on the shelf label. I definitely check across brands and sizes in order to compare like with like. Things like tea bags and coffee come in lots of different pack sizes and bigger isn't always cheaper.

MasterBeth · 01/05/2023 11:27

Minervia · 01/05/2023 10:06

I don't. I'm not mathematically minded. I think I might be missing a maths gene

You don't need to be mathematically minded. You just compare the price per 100g or per item on the shelf labels.

If you are buying tea bags, one box may cost £3.45 for 80 bags and another box may cost £4.65 for 130 bags.

The shelf label will say box 1 costs
4.3p per tea bag and box 2 costs 3.6 p per tea bag. So box 2 is cheaper per bag.

Wingedharpy · 01/05/2023 12:02

Healthworrierextraordinaire · 01/05/2023 10:21

Um... yeah. I do. I mean, not necessarily precisely for the exact recommended portions, but I need to get 2 meals for 3 or 4 people out of each 500g bag.

Show quote history

I also weigh out pasta - I find it difficult to assess cooked portion size when looking at dried product (it always looks too small pre-cooking) but if I just throw into pan what I think looks right, I cook too much and consequently will eat too much as I hate waste.

determinedtomakethiswork · 01/05/2023 12:31

With anything like that, I just tend to look at the price per kilo.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 01/05/2023 13:52

I always look at the costs of things I'm buying. I definitely don't stick to any specific brand. I buy whichever one is on offer and even then I always make sure that it's really value for money.

The only exception is Heinz ketchup. I can't find another brand I like!

SisyphusDad · 01/05/2023 14:03

@Kazzyhoward

Don't worry. The food won't be the only reason he'll have come home.

He'll want his washing done as well.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 01/05/2023 14:27

Yes I do this. Compare prices per kg and I check volumes on tins etc
Often what seems a bargain actually isn't ( particularly with laundry detergent and fabric conditioner)

KeepScrapingBy · 01/05/2023 14:34

You can also use less washing powder than what it says on the packet. Try cutting down by a third or even a half and see if your washing comes out clean.

DyslexicPoster · 01/05/2023 14:38

Yes always check on certain things as the biggest isn't always the cheapest. I'm not always, but often skint so it just sticks all the time. There's no brand now that I'm loyal too.

ims0rrydarlingg · 01/05/2023 14:46

I only do this if I’m looking for a specific item and the own brand is right next to it, but cheaper. I check it out of curiosity and if it does seem significantly cheaper, I purchase it.

Did this with the Cif cream yesterday. The Asda own brand one for the same amount was around 70/80 pence. Whereas the Cif was over £1.50.

Im lucky enough where I can purchase what I like during my supermarket run without having to cut corners, but if I can save where I can, I’m open to it.