Prev | Next | Contents

Free Budget Calculators
Loans, Insurance, Cash Flow, Irregular Payments
Generic Vs. Name Brand Products
Brown Bagging Lunch

HOW TO COMPARISON SHOP - COMPARE COSTS, PRICE DIFFERENCES EQUAL BIG DISCOUNTS

1.0 PRICE COMPARISON BOOK -- HOW TO COMPARE PRICES

The only way to know if you are getting a good deal or paying a reasonable price is to compare prices. No one can remember all the prices and specifications of each product. We suggest that you take a little time and create a price comparison book. This is even easier than it used to be since many stores such as Wal-Mart list each item on the checkout receipt. You can simply copy these items and prices into your book after you go shopping.

Your own price comparison book will save you $1000s over the years. People think they can remember all the prices of hundreds of products, but they can't. One survey revealed that 90% of shoppers could not remember what they paid for things.

Why? You need to remember not only the regular price at various stores but also the sale price. Then you'll need to recall the exact specifications, for example, was it 50 plastic bags .95 mil thick or 60 bags .85 mil? So, why not use one of civilization's greatest inventions, paper and pencil?

Keeping a price comparison book sounds like work, but it can be very easy. I suggest you buy a small hard cover "cash record" book usually found at the office supply section of a department store with at least a hundred usable pages. The firm cover keeps it from becoming dog eared. Divide the book into product sections. Use the money columns for prices and the other columns for a description of the product and the name of the store. Add tabs by folding a small white label to the first page of a section. Some people prefer a compact loose leaf binder since pages can be easily added.

Next save all your receipts. When you've got a month's worth, go through them and write down what you are currently paying. I prefer to have one category per page such as "envelopes." Write down the brand (e.g. Pen-Tab), type (No. 10 Security), size (70 envelopes), plus any other specifications (white) along with the price and the store.

Then take your price book with you when you happen to go to a new store, but don't go out of your way. Make a note of prices. Also, pay attention to sales fliers. List the sale price, the store name, date and note that it was a sale.

In a few months or so, you can effortlessly gather accurate information about what things cost. In the process you will come across some pleasant low cost surprises.

This sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't. You will save much more than you realize. Trust me. If you're still not convinced take this test. Make a list of everything you buy, then write down what each costs from memory. Next compare this to your actual supermarket receipts. How accurate were you?

In the following pages we give you specific examples of price differences that we found. These listings are from old issues of SAVVY-DISCOUNTS.com going back eight years and many prices will have changed.

Prev | Next | Contents

Free Budget Calculators
Loans, Insurance, Cash Flow, Irregular Payments
Generic Vs. Name Brand Products
Brown Bagging Lunch