Two package sizes. Same Product. Half a cent difference in price per ounce. Would it matter to you?
True situation
In a supermarket a few days ago. One product sold in two different size packages. One package held 24 ounces for $2.39. The second package held three pounds (48 ounces) for $4.99.
Quick math shows that …
24 ounces at 2.39 is 0.09958 per ounce.
48 ounces at 4.99 is 0.10395 per ounce.
Forget about the fact that we normally associate buying a larger size with a cheaper per-unit price. Well, that is not always the case, is it?
The difference in price is 0.00437 per ounce, or less that half a cent per ounce.
Is That Important?
At 0.00437 per ounce, it means about a seven cents difference per pound between the two packages. Not important?
In some ways yes, on other ways no.
If it meant travelling to another store for a separate trip, I would never consider it. But in this case…
The Situation
Not only was it the same product, it was from the same company. And the two package sizes were sitting next to each other on the shelf at the same store. The only thing one had to do was choose.
What Happened
At it happened, I purchased four 24-ounce packages for a total of six pounds. Cost 9.56. If I had purchased two three-pound packages, it would have cost me 9.98. So in this situation I “saved” 42 cents. That really translates to: I spent 42 cents less than I could have when I chose A over B.
Is 42 cents Important?
That’s pretty close to fifty cents, which we already knew is worth the effort. But I think the principle is the major point here, not how much is being saved.
Not Very Important
In the scheme of things, the price difference is almost irrelevant. The world continues to spin without my spending those 42 cents.
Keeping My Eyes Open
Awareness is key. It occurs whenever there is a choice that involves money: How will I spend my money?
Repeat
Let me repeat that word. Awareness. If I am aware of my spending habits on small things, then I can expect to keep that awareness on larger purchases. It is a habit of perception that I trust will hold me in good stead in most, if not all, areas that involve money.
What do you think? Is 42 cents something you would consider? Comment here.
The etching “The Difficulty of Ruling over a Diverse Nation” was made in 1578 by Pieter van der Borcht the Elder. It depicts heads of various animals sprouting from the body of a larger animal body, as an allegory for the difficulty of ruling over a diverse nation. It is perhaps just as relevant now as it was then. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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