To Buy or Not to Buy? Determining the Best Place to Make Your Purchases

We like to shop at Sam's Club.  They have carts that hold multiple children, it's on the way home from work for my husband and the food lasts a long time since you get a larger amount at once!  If you frequent a bulk grocer like Sam's or Costco, I'm sure there are many reasons you enjoy shopping there.  But, have you ever wondered if you're really getting the best prices on things you purchase there?  I know I have many times.  Well, I finally decided to do something about it and I thought I'd share that idea with you.

A screenshot of part of my spreadsheet.

I created a spreadsheet of items I regularly purchase at Sam's.  This doesn't take much time and can easily be done in in the comfort of your own home (in other words, while snug in your pajamas after the kids are in bed!).  Sam's Club lets you select your local club on their website and look up items which show their in-club prices.  So, you don't even have to walk around the store to do it!

As you can see from the picture, once I got the list of items with prices, I used Excel formulas to determine cost-per unit on each item.  This makes it much easier to tell if a sale price at a regular grocery store is cheaper than Sam's Club's price.  Here's a close-up view of just a few items:

You have to make sure you write the size of the product (ounces, number of items, etc.) so that you can figure the cost per unit.  Here is a close-up view of the price per unit:

All you have to do here is divide the price by the number of units and you'll get the price per unit.  This makes it simpler to cost compare with the grocery store sale papers.  Also, it doesn't require much upkeep.  Just check periodically to make sure your prices and product sizes are up to date.  If you use a formula to determine the cost per unit, then it will automatically update when you have to change a price.

If anyone local (you know who you are!) would like to have a copy of my spreadsheet, just let me know and I'll be glad to send it you as a starting point.  I hope this is helpful for your stewardship of the resources God has blessed you with!  Also, I'd love to hear tips on how you make sure you're getting the best deals when grocery shopping.  Leave me a comment with your tips!