Unit Pricing: Bigger isn’t always better

I’ve talked about unit pricing a couple of times at OnOurWayOnline but last week Matt and I had a great real life experience I wanted to share.

I was at Meijer buying some rice for an upcoming craft project when faced with a choice. Buy one - 36 oz bag of rice for $2.09 or two – 16oz bags for $ .98 each. My first reaction was to grab the big bag and be done with it but something made me stop.

Once I ran the numbers it was painfully obvious the two smaller bags were cheaper.

32 oz - $2.09
(2) 16 oz @ $.98 = $1.98

$.11 cents cheaper to be exact.

I’m getting the same amount of rice but paying eleven cents more to have a single bag. It’s ridiculous, but we as consumers fall for it all the time and Meijer knows this. Why else would they charge more for a larger bag?

Now you might be saying, Megan, you’re crazy it’s only eleven cents what’s the big deal? But it is a bid deal. If you don’t want that eleven cents feel free to send it my way along with any extra money your spending on a bigger box of cereal, oranges, coffee, anything. Maybe it will be more than eleven cents next time. At any amount it is going to add up over time and you’ll never even know it.

Now stop giving your money away and make sure to unit shop the next time you’re at the store.

Have you noticed any odd pricing parodies where you shop? What other goods is this common for?