Personal Finance / Unit 9: Consumer Skills and Protection
9.1 Comparison Shopping and Unit Prices
Notes
Comparison shopping means checking price, quality and total cost before you buy.
- Unit price = price $\div$ quantity (per ounce, per item, per sheet). The lower unit price is the better value if you will use it all.
- Example: 12 oz for $3.00 is $0.25 per ounce. 20 oz for $4.60 is $0.23 per ounce, so the larger size is the better deal.
- Include the total cost: tax, shipping, fees and add-ons.
- A bigger package is not a bargain if food spoils or goes unused.
- Read reviews from several sources, and compare brands, store brands and used or refurbished options.
Practice
Which is the unit price of a 10-ounce box that costs $2.50?
$\displaystyle \frac{2.50}{10} = 0.25$.
Juice A is 16 oz for $4.00. Juice B is 32 oz for $7.20. Which is the better value?
A costs $0.25 per ounce; B costs $\displaystyle \frac{7.20}{32} = 0.225$ per ounce.
A jacket is $60 at Store A with free shipping. At Store B it is $52 plus $10 shipping. Which costs less?
Store B totals $52 + 10 = 62$, which is more than $60.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 9 test.