Don’t Pay for Packaging
Manufacturers rely on pretty packages to sell their products. Think about what you end up doing with that pretty package once you eat what is inside: throw it away or recycle it. Chances are that you have paid for many, many packages over the course of your life and you could have saved thousands of dollars if you had bought the “uglier” product. Perhaps you aren’t aware of the uglies. They exist! You may have to search for them a bit, but you can find them and you can save a ton of money. Some products that come “ugly”:
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Rice
Nuts
Beans
Lentils
Coconut
Flour
I buy a lot of products in bulk from a local health food store. Many things at this store are more expensive than at other stores, but this store sells many items in bulk, that are packaged in a clear plastic bag with a label slapped on it, that are much cheaper than their counterparts in pretty packages. They are organic products, such as organically grown oats and garbanzo beans for hummus. I can buy a lot more product for a lot less money. A large back of quinoa costs about $3.0o when purchased in the ugly package and is $2-$3 more expensive for a smaller, more “decorated” package. It is the same product. I can get several meals out of the larger bag of quinoa, where the smaller one may last about 2 meals. This is a no brainer!
Also, take note that most junk food comes in attractive packaging. So many people think that foods that are bad for you are less expensive. Sometimes, maybe, but think of what you are ACTUALLY paying for. Take for instance sugared cereals. They come in bright colored packages, in a box that looks like it’s a decent size. This box of cereal is around $4.20. You open up the box, and there is a bag inside. There is a lot of room in this box. You are paying mostly for air and the pretty box. When you buy oatmeal in bulk, you are buying oats. When you buy fresh fruit, you are buying fruit.
What would you rather pay for?
