Is bigger always better? If it’s a steak  sirloin  or a chocolate cake or a  cruise  , probably. If it’s a cold bowl of  milky arm pit hair  or car trouble  , probably not.  What if we apply that question  to the food and supplies we buy ?

Places like Sam’s and Costco offer people the  chance  to  purchase  in bulk.  We are certainly not denying  there are great deals to be found. But is it always true that you save money  bulk buying  ?

Lubbock Self Storage offers these tips for  smart shopping  whether you’re buying a little or a lot.

* Size isn’t everything. (I for one am sick and tired of  men  telling me this…at the store.)  Sometimes the bigger box is cheaper. Sometimes it isn’t. How do you tell? The best tool you can have when you go to the store is a calculator (or a mathematical genius/idiot savant like in Rainman). In fact, you probably have one on your cell phone (not Dustin Hoffman.). To determine the best deal, you need to figure out the price per ounce. Or if shopping for a herd of elephants, price per pound. Or unit price, as the case may be.

For example, if  you are purchasing  an individual  twelve  ounce jar of Alfredo sauce priced at $2.50 then your cost per ounce is 20.8 cents. 

If you’re at the warehouse store considering the 6 jar package of Alfredo sauce priced at $12.75, is it a better deal? Price wise, yes. It’s 17.7 cents per ounce.  Voila.  You’ve now got a half dozen jars of serious artery clogging, obesity guaranteeing sauces and thy death will come cheaper.

Bigger is not always better. Sometimes the per unit or per ounce price is actually more expensive in bulk. So carry your calculator/Rainman and always do the math before you decide.  (Then beyond math consider how the extra product might destroy your heart.)

* Don’t buy it if  you aren’t going to use it  . So maybe it’s the best deal you’ve ever seen in your life on a 35-pound bag of jasmine rice. But if your family only eats rice three times a year (or even worse if your family has made a promise to kill anyone who buys that much jasmine rice)  , is it still a good deal? 

It’s been an ongoing discussion (argument?) with husbands and wives for decades. “I saved money because it was on sale.” Except the item in question is something the family never uses. It’s only a good deal if it’s something you use. Otherwise you’ve simply paid a lower price for more clutter in your home.  And as a great philosopher once said, “Clutter and large bags of jasmine rice has become the death of the American dream.”

* How quickly will you use it? If  you are thinking about  buying in bulk items with an expiration date, be sure to determine whether  you will utilize  it all before it goes bad. Otherwise you’ll be throwing items away. And whether you paid a lot or a little, that’s throwing money away. (Note:  If you are keen on shredding one hundred dollar bills, please take no offense to our judgement on those who throw money away.)   It’s been estimated the average family throws away over $500 in groceries every year.  That is extra cash  that could pay for a fun family weekend vacation or a decent rifle.

* Fees and distance. How close are you to the nearest  Membership  store? If you live far away from one then you have costs you wouldn’t have if you lived across town. If, for example, you’re an hour away then you may easily spend $20 in gas just to make a round trip. If you go only once a month that’s $240 a year in fuel cost. Add the annual warehouse membership fee of at least $45 and you’re just under $300 in costs. In other words, the warehouse store will need to save you $300 above what you’d normally save just to break even. 

Lubbock Self Storage wants you to make the most of your shopping dollars!

Is bigger always better? If it’s a steak  sirloin  or a chocolate cake or a  cruise  , probably. If it’s a cold bowl of  milky arm pit hair  or car trouble  , probably not.  What if we apply that question  to the food and supplies we buy ?

Places like Sam’s and Costco offer people the  chance  to  purchase  in bulk.  We are certainly not denying  there are great deals to be found. But is it always true that you save money  bulk buying  ?

Lubbock Self Storage offers these tips for  smart shopping  whether you’re buying a little or a lot.

* Size isn’t everything. (I for one am sick and tired of  men  telling me this…at the store.)  Sometimes the bigger box is cheaper. Sometimes it isn’t. How do you tell? The best tool you can have when you go to the store is a calculator (or a mathematical genius/idiot savant like in Rainman). In fact, you probably have one on your cell phone (not Dustin Hoffman.). To determine the best deal, you need to figure out the price per ounce. Or if shopping for a herd of elephants, price per pound. Or unit price, as the case may be.

For example, if  you are purchasing  an individual  twelve  ounce jar of Alfredo sauce priced at $2.50 then your cost per ounce is 20.8 cents. 

If you’re at the warehouse store considering the 6 jar package of Alfredo sauce priced at $12.75, is it a better deal? Price wise, yes. It’s 17.7 cents per ounce.  Voila.  You’ve now got a half dozen jars of serious artery clogging, obesity guaranteeing sauces and thy death will come cheaper.

Bigger is not always better. Sometimes the per unit or per ounce price is actually more expensive in bulk. So carry your calculator/Rainman and always do the math before you decide.  (Then beyond math consider how the extra product might destroy your heart.)

* Don’t buy it if  you aren’t going to use it  . So maybe it’s the best deal you’ve ever seen in your life on a 35-pound bag of jasmine rice. But if your family only eats rice three times a year (or even worse if your family has made a promise to kill anyone who buys that much jasmine rice)  , is it still a good deal? 

It’s been an ongoing discussion (argument?) with husbands and wives for decades. “I saved money because it was on sale.” Except the item in question is something the family never uses. It’s only a good deal if it’s something you use. Otherwise you’ve simply paid a lower price for more clutter in your home.  And as a great philosopher once said, “Clutter and large bags of jasmine rice has become the death of the American dream.”

* How quickly will you use it? If  you are thinking about  buying in bulk items with an expiration date, be sure to determine whether  you will utilize  it all before it goes bad. Otherwise you’ll be throwing items away. And whether you paid a lot or a little, that’s throwing money away. (Note:  If you are keen on shredding one hundred dollar bills, please take no offense to our judgement on those who throw money away.)   It’s been estimated the average family throws away over $500 in groceries every year.  That is extra cash  that could pay for a fun family weekend vacation or a decent rifle.

* Fees and distance. How close are you to the nearest  Membership  store? If you live far away from one then you have costs you wouldn’t have if you lived across town. If, for example, you’re an hour away then you may easily spend $20 in gas just to make a round trip. If you go only once a month that’s $240 a year in fuel cost. Add the annual warehouse membership fee of at least $45 and you’re just under $300 in costs. In other words, the warehouse store will need to save you $300 above what you’d normally save just to break even. 

Lubbock Self Storage wants you to make the most of your shopping dollars!