Frugal Fail, Cheap Bread Woes

A while back I was shopping at my local discount grocery store and I needed bread. I usually purchase bread from the bread store. They always have good deals on bread, just $1 a loaf for whole grain organic bread. It’s a great deal.

Well, the discount grocery store, also had bread for just $1 a loaf. It wasn’t organic, but I thought, it will be fine. My first mistake settling for lesser quality, when I could get the higher quality bread for the same price. But the price was the same and it would save me trip to the bread store.

Mind you, the bread store is right across the street, just a few feet away. As you can see, I was being lazy and I thought cheap.

I should have know when I picked up the bread it was so light. Like almost throw in the air light, because you didn’t expect it to be so light, light.

But that didn’t deter me, I guess I was on a mission to save myself another stop, that was right across the street. I brought the bread home and as I was putting the bread into the freezer, that’s I realized what a frugal fail I had made.

The Lesser Quality Item Cost Me More

You see the weight of the bread at the discount grocery store was 10 oz lighter. I knew it was lighter, but didn’t realize by how much, until I arrived home. The whole grain organic bread is 26 oz per loaf and a wide pan loaf. The lesser quality bread was 16 oz per loaf and a long/narrow pan loaf.

I think that is where I was thrown off. I knew the bread at the discount store was a longer/narrow pan loaf, so instead of looking at the ounce, I rationalized they were really close. One was shorter and fatter, the other longer and narrower. How much difference could there really be?! Frugal Fail number two, I didn’t check my price per ounce.

That difference in weight, drove up the cost of the lesser quality bread up to $.06 an ounce. I usually only pay $.04 an ounce for the organic bread. About a third more costly than the bread store, higher quality bread, that was right across the street. When I figured out the price difference I knew how much my laziness had cost me.

I share this story to let you know, you will have frugal fails. There will be times you will think you are getting a deal, and it will be more expensive.

I’m one of those people who will purchase lesser quality for a lesser price. I can be kinda cheap. But then there are those things, I will find the best deal on the higher quality item, because I know it will last. And avoid the lesser quality item, like the plaque. These items are usually higher dollar items, like appliances, computers, and other things I use and use and want them to last and last.

What Went Wrong with this Purchase

My frugal fail bread purchase was one I made out of laziness and not taking the time to really think through how much that loaf was really costing me. We will all do it, once in a while, that is have a frugal failure.

Don’t get down on yourself or feel discourage, when you make a frugal fail. Laugh it off, you know laughter is the best medicine right?! And keep it in the back of your mind so it won’t happen again.

I know we have all had frugal fails. What is one instance where you tried to save money, but it ended up costing you more in the end?

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Let me Feature a Frugal Triumph or Frugal Fail of Yours

I would love to have you share your frugal triumphs and fails. Do you have a great story to share with the other readers about a great deal you got and your bursting at the seams to tell someone?

Or maybe you have a frugal fail, like me recently and you want to share what went wrong to help others out. Either way, send it to me through my contact page and I’ll share it here on the blog. Be sure to let me know if I can include your name or not, in the email. (I’ll only share first names) Can’t wait to hear what you have to share!