What's the cheapest way to go?
June 14, 2010 5:46 PM Subscribe
When buying paper goods and health and beauty products, can anybody list stores/store types in order from cheapest to least expensive? My list, which I don't know whether it's correct, is:
1. Dollar stores
2. Five Below
3. Family Dollar
4. Wal-Mart
5. Discount grocers such as Aldi's
5. K-Mart
6. Drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreen's
6. Supermarket
7. Convenience stores.
1. Dollar stores
2. Five Below
3. Family Dollar
4. Wal-Mart
5. Discount grocers such as Aldi's
5. K-Mart
6. Drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreen's
6. Supermarket
7. Convenience stores.
I don't think that 1-3 are necessarily cheaper. It depends on the quality and even some brands aren't the same size at the dollar stores. I would be very very careful. I'm also not certain that discount grocers rank that high.
posted by micawber at 6:04 PM on June 14, 2010
posted by micawber at 6:04 PM on June 14, 2010
I don't think this is possible on this scale. I know people who pay enough attention to bargain shopping that they could, for a specific product in their town, tell you which stores have that item at what price in rank order, but this varies so much by product and location and individual needs that a list like that is not going to be useful.
posted by needs more cowbell at 6:34 PM on June 14, 2010
posted by needs more cowbell at 6:34 PM on June 14, 2010
Costco. Costco, Costco, Costco. Or Sam's Club probably, too.
There are certain things (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, vitamins, I could go on...) that I know I'll always need. And thankfully Costco carries my preferred brand. I buy all these things in bulk now, and get them for about 60% of the price they are at WalMart/Target.
In my experience, your list would read:
1. Costco/similar bulk-type store
2. Wal-Mart/Target
3. Drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreen's
4. Supermarket
5. Convenience stores
I wouldn't even include dollar stores on my list because the products are generally crappy quality, old (because often they haven't sold at real stores), and tricky sizing, like what micawber said.
posted by phunniemee at 8:19 PM on June 14, 2010
There are certain things (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, vitamins, I could go on...) that I know I'll always need. And thankfully Costco carries my preferred brand. I buy all these things in bulk now, and get them for about 60% of the price they are at WalMart/Target.
In my experience, your list would read:
1. Costco/similar bulk-type store
2. Wal-Mart/Target
3. Drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreen's
4. Supermarket
5. Convenience stores
I wouldn't even include dollar stores on my list because the products are generally crappy quality, old (because often they haven't sold at real stores), and tricky sizing, like what micawber said.
posted by phunniemee at 8:19 PM on June 14, 2010
The cheapest method for acquiring these items is to use a store with really good loss leader sales. These stores tend to have higher prices, but that's okay, because you're only going to buy things when they're on sale, stocking up enough to last you until the next time they go on sale. Your favorite shampoo, toilet paper, etc. go on sale in predictable cycles, so if you buy the right quantities, you never have to pay full price for them. Combine the sales with newspaper or store coupons and deals and you can get this stuff for next to nothing. For details, you'll want to consult the experts at a site like The Grocery Game or Hot Coupon World.
(I have spent less than $20 on all of my toiletries, cleaning products, etc. at CVS so far this year, and I have about $15 worth of rebates coming to me, so my out of pocket is very, very low. I also have a year's supply of shampoo and at least two years' worth of toothpaste, among other things, stored under my bed. I am an amateur compared to what some folks who are really dedicated to shopping accomplish.)
posted by decathecting at 8:42 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
(I have spent less than $20 on all of my toiletries, cleaning products, etc. at CVS so far this year, and I have about $15 worth of rebates coming to me, so my out of pocket is very, very low. I also have a year's supply of shampoo and at least two years' worth of toothpaste, among other things, stored under my bed. I am an amateur compared to what some folks who are really dedicated to shopping accomplish.)
posted by decathecting at 8:42 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by box at 6:01 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]