Going shopping these days seems a little like getting gas for your car. People are always looking for ways to save even a few cents on items if possible. Most retailers are loathe to tell you what the competition is doing, but there are ways you can find out how much an item would cost at another store. You don’t always even have to go out before checking the prices at different retailers.
The first thing you can do is to simply search a grocery store website. They will have the prices of the main goods on there, or in a digital copy of their Sunday flier. It is as easy as going to multiple sites and seeing what each has to offer. You will probably find the prices for milk and juice and see if there are any special deals worth going in for.
If there is a price for a good not listed on a website, you could always check the flyer that is in the store itself. Chances are good that you can skip going to the store altogether just by asking that a copy be mailed to you, or by simply calling the store and asking for a price on a certain good. The store would be happy to look up the price for you before you even come in.
Some stores will have price boards for you when you come in. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the price will always be lowest for the store you are at, but it is still a good way to see what the prices are at other locations. You might find that another store has an item you usually shop for, but now you see they lowered their price on eggs. That could be enough to persuade you to come back, and is a fact you would have never known but for that price board.
Keep in mind that some places will price a good by weight where others will go by quantity. One store might sell watermelon by the pound where another might sell it as one unit. It will usually be more expensive if sold by weight, but it is something to look at. A store might also sell an item in a two pound bag, but advertise the price per pound. For example, a bag of frozen shrimp might say $6.99, but that is per pound, and there are two pounds in a bag. The real price would be $13.98, so keep that in mind.
Comparing prices really just requires that you do your homework and keep your eyes out for good deals. Don’t be afraid to ask for prices and see if stores are advertising the prices of other stores for you. If not, just go online real quick and see what you can find out, or ask for a flier so you can compare prices on your own.