Everyone loves convenience, right?. If it saves us time, then it is worth the cost. “Time is money”, they say, so let’s take a look at how much a little convenience is costing us.
Scenario:
You are on your way home from work and stop at the local market to pick up some dinner items: chicken, spinach, and potatoes. You hit the produce aisle first and your eyes gravitate to the bagged spinach, in the cart it goes. Next item on the list, potatoes….”ooh that little package of roasted potatoes looks quick and easy to make and I don’t feel like peeling potatoes tonight”, so… in the cart it goes. You grab the chicken next and throw it in the cart and head to the speedy check out line and you’re out of the store in 10 minutes flat. That sure was quick and now you are headed home. Let’s break it down and see what convenience packaging can really cost you.
Your Cost:
Packaged spinach $2.99 Store Brand
Potatoes $2.99 (1 lb.) The Little Potato Company
Thin sliced chicken cutlets $5.29 (1 lb.) store brand ______________________________________________________________________________ Grand Total: $11.27
Potential Savings
fresh spinach bunch $1.49 (1 lb.)
fresh loose potatoes $ .99 (1 lb.)
whole chicken breast $2.79 (1 lb.) store brand ______________________________________________________________________________ Grand Total: $5.27
For a difference of : $6.00
Bagged Spinach on the left at $2.99 vs. Bunch Spinach on the right at $1.49
Something to Chew On
Just a $6.00 difference for one meal of the day, one day of the week can save you $312 annually. Just imagine how much you can cut off your annual grocery bill if you never chose convenience packaging. Now maybe that isn’t realistic, but you get the idea.
[…] The Real Cost of Convenience Packaging […]