Cheap (ahem, frugal) people unite!!

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Anyone else compulsive about checking the unit pricing on store shelves? I was out buying batteries today, and did the math to discover that the per-battery cost was roughly the same for most offerings ... until I found a buy-one-get-one-free hidden away on the bottom shelf that ended up less than half the cost of the others.

Oh of course. I have to whip my calculator out too, especially with coupons for name brands. Even with copuon + store sale, the generics are still cheaper. Higher counts don't always mean bigger savings too. I spent 10 minutes once comparing coffee filters..

[bjones6416]

I've found two bargains in my local thrift shop this week. The first was a Dura-Craft victorian dollhouse kit, new but in a torn box, for $5.00. (They have gone out of business, but I found two of these on ebay -- this same model -- for $79.00.) This is going to my nephew and his wife to build and furnish for their toddler daughter. I also found a beautiful knitted merino wool shawl, in perfect condition with tags attached, from Oilily Boutique. Found it on ebay also, 2 examples: 1 for $138.00 and 1 for $95.00. Original retail price: $195.00. I paid $2.99. This one I'm keeping, because I love wool shawls and wear them a lot.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I guess it's a matter of priority. Some people seem to think what other people think is more important than being able to afford everything you want...

Years ago an American wag said: Americans spend money they don't have, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like!

[CazMar]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Oh of course. I have to whip my calculator out too, especially with coupons for name brands. Even with copuon + store sale, the generics are still cheaper. Higher counts don't always mean bigger savings too. I spent 10 minutes once comparing coffee filters..

We have a system here now where the supermarkets have to show the price per 100gm or per litre (or a set type of unit) on the shelf price tag. I am good at mental arithmetic but it strains my brain trying to work out some of the different prices per package size. Amazing how often a product marked as a "special" turns out dearer than a larger pack at the normal price!

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by CazMar

We have a system here now where the supermarkets have to show the price per 100gm or per litre (or a set type of unit) on the shelf price tag. I am good at mental arithmetic but it strains my brain trying to work out some of the different prices per package size. Amazing how often a product marked as a "special" turns out dearer than a larger pack at the normal price!

Here too.

For instance a 1.3kg box of dog food costs more than 2 * 650g boxes, often by as much as 15%.

We've also had some offers, 59p each, or 3 for £2.00 .... ... problem is the tills will be programmed to recognise the item count and charge accordingly - even when it's plainly wrong.

[RCR]

You think you're frugal? ---

I took this snap in Calcutta way back in 1976 - an old lady recycling cowpats to be used as fuel for fires. Note the clever use of (free) solar power.

[kennyc]

I don't think this has been mentioned, maybe it has.... but ...

I almost always buy my paper books used through Amazon and generally get very good deals. You do have to pay for shipping -- usually a few dollars but sometimes the books go for pennies and may have some cosmetic issues or highlighting/underlines etc. but still wonderfully readable!

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by RCR

You think you're frugal? ---

I took this snap in Calcutta way back in 1976 - an old lady recycling cowpats to be used as fuel for fires. Note the clever use of (free) solar power.

That is common in developing countries. There are actually programs where people build stoves that work specifically with animal dung and people have businesses where they collect and dry the animal dung for villagers to use.

It works especially well in countries where there are elephants since they tend not to digest their food particularly well and you end up with a lot of whole grasses and even bark in the dung.

In the US the supermarkets have a section on the store label area that tells you price per some measure of unit, it depends on the good so it could be pound or liter. It makes it a great deal easier to compare. I am not sure if they do that when goods are on sale though.

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I don't think this has been mentioned, maybe it has.... but ...

I almost always buy my paper books used through Amazon and generally get very good deals. You do have to pay for shipping -- usually a few dollars but sometimes the books go for pennies and may have some cosmetic issues or highlighting/underlines etc. but still wonderfully readable!

I get my pbooks mostly at book sales. Prices are usually 50 cents for a paperback and $1 or so for hardcovers. Plus it's always for a good cause. Check out www.booksalefinder.com to find them in your area. The AAUW ones are always the best!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I don't think this has been mentioned, maybe it has.... but ...

I almost always buy my paper books used through Amazon and generally get very good deals. You do have to pay for shipping -- usually a few dollars but sometimes the books go for pennies and may have some cosmetic issues or highlighting/underlines etc. but still wonderfully readable!

I've bought some used hardbacks from 3rd party vendors at Amazon for ridiculously low prices with very satisfactory results. One that arrived recently that had been listed as being is "very good condition" looked as if it was fresh off the press. I doubt the original owner had bothered to even open it. Although another from a different source at Amazon that had been advertised as "Like New" had yellowed pages and shouldn't have been called anything more than "good" condition at best.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I get my pbooks mostly at book sales. Prices are usually 50 cents for a paperback and $1 or so for hardcovers. Plus it's always for a good cause. Check out www.booksalefinder.com to find them in your area. The AAUW ones are always the best!

I've gotten some excellent bargains at local library book sales, where the prices are usually given in terms of X amount of money per inch of books, with "X" varying on whether the books are paperbacks or hardbacks.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Although another from a different source at Amazon that had been advertised as "Like New" had yellowed pages and shouldn't have been called anything more than "good" condition at best.

I wrote a feedback along the lines of "while readable, the book stated as 'very good' was in fair condition, at best"; the seller contacted me, and we agreed that she would refund half the price (since it was quite readable), and I removed the comments.

I'm also not shy about leaving "not in stock when I went to order it" ones.

[desertblues]

I shopped at the internet today for the cheapest La Cie external disk 2TB.
In the LaCie store it was €159.90, but I found one in another store for €127
Allright; I bought it and later on I saw it somewhere for € 107.

[Freeshadow]

that hurts desertblues - i know
react just the same when things like that happen to me

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

For instance a 1.3kg box of dog food costs more than 2 * 650g boxes, often by as much as 15%.

Hmm, usually, it's the other way around here...