Reducing the cost of food and groceries seems to be a very difficult task. For many people, this makes them feel fearful every week. This task is very important in wise financial planning. This is true for essential foods, but the prices of many products are outrageously high. Careful observation reveals that high prices are not always fair. Understanding these additional costs can help you consume better, which can save you a lot of money.
Past shopping experience will give you some advice about certain products. These foods may cost you unnecessary money. From products that cost more for convenience, to products that do not meet expectations in quality. This guide aims to show you how to save money. You won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything you want. Now, let’s take a look at some of the preferred products on the list.
1. **Whole Foods Hot Bar**: When hungry, fast food is certainly tempting. Entering and selecting various foods sounds simple. Think about pairing jasmine rice with some steamed vegetables. Or would you like some spicy tofu. Add another Samosa triangle dumpling and crispy pumpkin seeds. It looks both convenient and delicious.
The main reason why many people avoid this hot food bar is the price. At first glance, the price of $11.99 per pound may seem decent. But high-density food will soon pile up like a mountain in your lunch box. Your total cost may be faster than you imagine. Only half a cup of rice weighs over 4 ounces. Just this small portion costs about $3. Other heavy things, such as potatoes, can also quickly increase in weight. Roasted chicken or boiled eggs also require an additional fee. Unconsciously, your lunch box can easily weigh over a pound. The total weight may even be close to two pounds. A meal costs $22. It is frustrating that if the price is too high, returns cannot be made. Unlike pre packaged food, if you don’t buy it, it may be thrown away. In addition, Whole Foods usually no longer cooks these foods on-site. Since 2017, they have been using outdoor kitchens to cook many things. You may pay high fees for simply reheating food. This makes the price more difficult to accept, just like the local buffet prices.
2. **Precut Fruits and Vegetables**: The pace of life is fast, and most people feel that convenience is necessary. Buying pre cut vegetables seems to save time. Its appeal is obvious, you only need to hold a container and don’t have to clean, peel, or cut it into pieces. Sometimes, this can help you save valuable time.
But in reality, for this convenience, you almost always have to pay more. You need to pay more because this job was done by someone else. At a large store, a box of 16 ounce pre cut watermelons is priced at $4.58. In contrast, a complete uncut watermelon is only sold for $4.27 there. The whole watermelon is cheaper than pre cut watermelon from the beginning. Usually, whole watermelons also have more usable uses. The pre cut part is usually trimmed during the processing. Buying the entire watermelon also means less plastic packaging. If you mind packaging waste, this option is better. The cost difference indicates that the cost of this convenience is enormous. Buying a whole watermelon saves both money and time.
3. **Name-Brand Spices**: People like to use a lot of herbs and spices when cooking. Choosing a familiar brand is often taken for granted. People always believe that the quality of big brands is better. But for most spices, the quality difference between branded and store owned brands is usually small. However, the price difference is often even greater.
The price of branded products is usually very high. You will see that in a store, a 2.6-ounce can of branded garlic powder is priced as high as $7.36. This is Morton&Bassett brand. However, you can also purchase the same product in a larger bottle. This store sells 3.12 ounces of garlic powder for only $4.99. From this, it can be seen that branded products have higher prices but fewer product types. Choosing a regular brand can save money and won’t affect the taste of the dishes.
4. **Single-Serve Snack Packs**: Busy parents like to have snacks ready at any time. This makes it more convenient to pack lunch boxes or car snacks. Pre packaged snack packs seem to be very suitable for their needs. They are easy to carry and can also control the amount used by children.
However, these individual packages are almost always priced higher per unit. You need to pay additional fees for packaging and repackaging. Consider buying a large box of cookies instead of small packages. Or purchase a large bag of fruit snacks in bulk. Buy more, value for money. Then, you can easily pack them into small packages. This only takes a little time, but it can save a lot of money in the future. Single packaging is a typical example of “small yet convenient, large yet expensive”.
5. **Bottled and Specialty Coffees**: Drinking coffee is a daily habit for many people. It can make people feel refreshed or give them a moment of rest. Drinking coffee or bottled beverages in a café is indeed very convenient. But it is also a quick way to spend money. Home brewed coffee consumed outside is usually much more expensive.
At a Target store, a 13.7-ounce bottle of Starbucks vanilla flavored beverage is priced at $3.49. This is just a ready-made drink. Think about it, why not buy coffee beans at home. A 12 ounce Starbucks breakfast combo coffee is priced at $9.89. This bag of coffee can make you brew multiple cups for a long time. If the cost of each cup of coffee is included, brewing at home is indeed much cheaper. Making coffee by oneself can save a lot of money in the long run. These convenient pre made coffees are also a luxury choice, but they come at a high price.
