When is bigger - or even cheaper - NOT better??
By SaraCate
@SaraCate (184)
Canada
February 18, 2007 2:17pm CST
My answer is when it leads to gratuitous wastefulness. A case in point: a well-known retail outlet stocked (and perhaps still does...) 1-gallon jars of pickles at very low prices. Anecdotes abound to the effect that folks would buy these large jars of pickles, only to have half the jar turn rancid and get thrown out.
Apart from the material wastefulness of this act, the product is no cheaper - to you - than if you'd bouht half the amount to begin with.
Opinions, please? - regarding both the financial and environmental consequences of this level and type of consumerism.
I look forward to your responses!
~Sara
5 people like this
5 responses
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I agree that bigger is not always cheaper but sometimes it is. I use a calculator to decide which is the best deal. If it was indeed the larger size. I would purchase it and then divide it into smallers portions at home. I am not one to just purchase the larger item because it may be cheaper. I always check prices before I purchase.
Sometimes a frined of mine will split the cost and then split the product. Thus we both get a good deal without spending more money. We keep jars from previous purchases and plastic containers on hand to put these large purchases in when we divide them into smaller portions. Thus we are not a use it disposible kind of people
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I usually use a calculator and decide which is the better deal also.
I think the one of the main reasons that store sell them like that though is also for the local businesses.
@kitchenwitchoftupper (2290)
• United States
21 Feb 07
I am pretty much in agreement with you. Since there are only 2 of us living together it does not make economical sense for us to purchase a Sam's Card. We did it one year and found out exactly what you have stated. If we lived in a house where we had a lot of storage space it would be great for toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, etc. If we lived in a house that allowed us to have a separate freezer, it would be great for meat. To purchase huge amounts of ketchup, mustard, and all the other things, to us was just a waste of our money.~Donna
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
20 Feb 07
I only buy in bulk when the cost is less than buying smaller packages and if I also know that what I have bought will be used in its entirety. Waste not want not.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
20 Feb 07
As village above states, I use a calculator and get price per unit. If it indeed comes out that the bulk item is cheaper, I have to decide if I will use that much product before it is too old to eat/use. Fortunately, my parents live nearby and I can give some to them if it is a product that they use. Having another family to split cost with on bulk items is nice, but I just can't ask them to split the cost...I just take it to them! I am forever getting a 25 pound bag of potatoes and splitting it with them. The potatos are much cheaper that way and yet would ruin if only my family tried to eat 25 pounds!
@cerium (689)
•
18 Feb 07
I agree with you, but I think it's the consumer's fault. If people just realize that it's not cheaper, and stop buying it, then it will just disappear. They just get distracted by the quantity without knowing how much do they really need. And yes, this have very bad financial and environmental consequences due to these wasted products.
