What is the better deal?

[frugalmom2]

I am on maternity leave and just started couponing in January to shave some money off our grocery bills. I have a question.

On these forums I have seen several people buy the trial sizes of Gillette Foamy (1.7 oz) and use the Gillette buy3 save $5 coupon. How often does Gillette issue coupons and is this truly the best deal?

At my local Walmart the regular size Gillette Foamy (11oz) is $2.16 so buying three and using the coupon my total before tax would be $1.48 which works out to 4 1/2 cents an ounce. If I bought the trial size of Foamy I may get them free but I would only get 5 ounces of Foamy (less than half a regular can). If we needed more before another coupon surfaced I'd have to pay full price.

Maybe it is just a "thrill of the hunt" thing to get something for free but I think the 11 ounce size is the better deal. What are your thoughts?

[orv]

The bigger ones are the better deal especially when they go on sale for like 1.47! (it happens) but even 1.99(more frequently) .99 cents for 3 cans of gillette shaving cream is a steal.

[Mrsb07]

You're seeing posts for the trial sizes mainly because people will buy them at Walmart so they get the overage back. It's not a good deal really, very little in the cans. I buy the full size ones when they're on sale and use that coupon then.

[frugalmom2]

I have definatly bought them for $1.49 in the past but I was not sure they would go on sale before the coupon expired at the end of May.

I'm trying to get the best deal per ounce on all my products and not get to caught up in the "get it free" frenzy.

I just started keeping a price book so I don't know when Foamy is going to be on sale again. Is there anyone out there that can tell me if Gillette Foamy is due to go on sale in May. Jean Coutu had it on for $2.49 this week (lousy sale) so Walmarts regular price is still the cheapest. I can't wait till my price book is complete and I know the sales cycles and rock bottem prices for all my products.

Thanks for your replies.

[army_girl29]

It depends on if you need the product or not and if you are donating. I would buy small bc I don't use it and therefore want the overage for something else. If I use the product then yes I would buy the bigger one.

[ElisaM]

The bigger is better deal

[Ang735]

I personally wouldn't waste my my buying travel size, unless I actually needed "travel size" Considering you still need to spend tax on each of the small sizes you purchase it isn't as great of a deal as some think. Like orv said the bigger ones are a much better deal when they go on sale.

[ElisaM]

The bigger is better deal

[CpnAimsey]

I also just started a price book because although some prices are just ingrained in my head others can be tricky...like laundry soap for example..because of so many different bottle sizes and load sizes...

Does anyone know if there are any related posts on the forum in regards to standard prices vs sale prices vs can't pass up deal prices????

If not maybe we could start one over in the deals forum????? Thoughts????

[momof5boys]

Not to mention how all this travel size stuff is bad for the environment!

[bekki3]

I bought a few of the travel size for my husband when he travels but I've been trying to use the coupons for bigger items that go on sale.

[moefox]

Another thing to look out for is clearance, I always wander through the beauty iles of where ever I shop, I've stumbled on a lot of awesome deals that way.

[MercuryBlue]

For me, it depends on what I need.

For example: Say I already have 20 bottles of body wash, 16 cans of shaving foam and 30 sticks of deodorant. I don't really need any more- but I've got a bunch of Gillette coupons that are going to expire at the end of the month. Do I wait and cross my fingers that Gillette will go on sale before the coupons expire so I can buy more of something I don't really need?

In this case, no. I don't really need any Gillette products at all- but I do need other stuff. I may as well grab some trial-sized Gillettes and have them pay me to take them out of the store, allowing me to apply a couple of extra bucks towards my other purchases. Sure, I'm left with a nice collection of mini shaving foams- but I can either donate these to charity or save them for stocking stuffers.

Really, it all depends on what your personal needs are. When it comes to buying trial-sized it's definitely not about 'what the best deal is' - but, rather, what's the best deal FOR YOU.