Should I Stockpile a Buy X, Get Y Deal?

[flash]

One of the most important concepts in stockpiling is to stockpile the savings, rather than just buying something to have it. But sometimes the savings aren’t obvious. Stores often offer “deals” that emotionally feel like good deals, but really aren’t.

A deal term that stores often use to attract customers is the BUY X GET Y. One example is Buy One, Get One 50%. While this can easily “seem” like a great deal, look at the actual spending, versus savings. Buying one item at full price, and the second at half price simply means you are buying two items at only 25% savings each. Unless you have great coupons, or there is an additional deal to add on, this probably isn’t the deal to stockpile.

Here are some charts to quickly evaluate the savings for Buy X Get Y deals:

[meeakit]

INTERESTING I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT THIS WAY THANK YOU!!!

[#1Abigail]

thank you i never thought about it that way befor

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Great charts...I must have missed these! I knew that Buy 1 get one 50% off was not that great of a sale at 25% off.

I sometimes will stockile on a B1G1 free sale or coupon depending on how much we use the item or if it is something that rarely if ever goes on a better sale.

[exhaustedrnstudent]

Nice charts. I am very sad to learn that buy one get one half off is not to good I wait around for the payless sale. shame on me.

[MrsPinecone]

One other thing to consider is how your store rings up the B1G1 Free deals.

EX:
Food Lion has frequent B1G1 Free sales.
They ring up at 50% off, and you are not required to buy two to get the savings.
Use a store coupon or manufacturer's coupon (or both), and the deal is suddenly a LOT better.

If the deal at your store rings up with one at full price, and the other at 0, the "not so great" aspect applies.

[LynetteS]

One other thing to consider is how your store rings up the B1G1 Free deals.

EX:
Food Lion has frequent B1G1 Free sales.
They ring up at 50% off, and you are not required to buy two to get the savings.
Use a store coupon or manufacturer's coupon (or both), and the deal is suddenly a LOT better.

If the deal at your store rings up with one at full price, and the other at 0, the "not so great" aspect applies.

I found this to be true at Walgreen's....I went to the counter with just one item that was B1G1 and it rang up full price. Suddenly, NO DEAL. I had the cashier take it off...btw, they do not keep a whole lot of stock on the shelf and one of the items there was ONLY one on the shelf!

Lynette

[arselia ben]

If I use buy1 get 1 free I use another coupon so I can save more. The only thing that kills me is the taxes that I have to pay.

[nannabownanna]

The only way that I do bogo is if I have a bogo coupon or major $$/$ man q.
I like free or very cheap, not 50% off.

[sbourland]

I love the BOGO when I have BOGO coupons! Or a BOGO with good coupons. This week at CVS I stocked up on the Revlon tools It was BOGO the tweezers were a great deal. anything 2.99 and under was good with two of the 1.00 of coupons. And the nail polish 4.99 BOGO with 2 of the 2.00 off coupons, made it 99 cents for 2. Love those deals!