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If you’ve been grocery shopping for a while, you know some things at the store are better deals than others. But there are times when it makes sense to buy something even when it isn’t on sale. At the same time, there are lots of overpriced grocery items you should avoid at all costs, because the amount of mark-up is insane!
7 Overpriced Grocery Items You Should Avoid
Boiled eggs
They are cheap and filling, but boiling water and peeling the egg shells can be a little bit frustrating. Somebody recognized this frustration and the profit that could be made from it. Remarkably, people seem to be willing to buy two eggs for $1.29. That’s an incredibly high $7.74 per dozen! Even if it’s a little more work, you’re saving a ton of money by making them at home yourself.
Spice blends
Most people aren’t too savvy with spices and never know what to use. The manufacturers are taking full advantage of your fear of messing up and making over 500% profit on spice blends! You can find many blend recipes online with quick Google searches, so save the money and buy the main spices you like and make the blends at home.
Pre-sliced or chopped fresh vegetables
You are paying quite a price for the convenience of not having to dirty your cutting board. A mix of diced onions and green peppers is $2.99 for an 8 oz package in my store. That’s $6 per lb for items that we would normally pay less than $1 a lb for.
Meat sold by the “each” (not by the pound)
Grocery stores love to sell fish by the piece. The price is never given by the pound; you pay a flat price per piece. If you do the math on items you will be paying $25 per lb for fish that is regularly $7-$8 per lb.
Meat patties, kabobs, etc.
Along the same lines for vegetables, you want to avoid any prepared meat products. Hamburger patties are $4.99 lb when the hamburger is only $3.49 lb. Kabobs can be upwards of $3 per stick, and yet they only have 2-3 ounces of meat. These are large money makers for the stores and not really saving you that much cooking time to be worth the up-charge.
Household hardware items
It’s probably best that you not even walk down the aisle with lightbulbs, air filters, office supplies, and duct tape. While it may be convenient to grab the items you need in one place, most are items that are priced 60% more than you can get them at home improvement and office supply stores.
Cold soft drinks at checkout
Really, everything at the checkout is meant to be an impulse buy and is NEVER a good price. Cold drinks are some of the worst offenders, though, at on average $1.99 per bottle. That would make a 6 pack cost $11.94! Walk back to the soda aisle and grab a 6-pack (many times on sale for $3) and leave the cold drinks at the front of the store.
Instead of buying these overpriced grocery items, take advantage of the newest grocery store coupons!
