• Calculate and use unit prices to find the best deals.

After studying information about unit prices, you will calculate the unit prices of various grocery items.

You will find that most grocery stores use unit pricing, listing the cost of an item per ounce, pound, piece, etc. For example, if a box containing ten packages of fruit snacks costs $1.99, then the unit price, or price per package, is $.19. Unit prices are usually on the shelf tag below the item. You will find the price of the item in large numbers, and somewhere on the tag you will find the unit price printed in smaller numbers.

It is to your advantage to understand unit pricing for a number of reasons. First, you can compare the cost of different forms of a product. For example, you can determine if it is more economical to buy fresh or frozen broccoli. Second, with unit pricing, you can compare cost based on package sizes. For example, by reading unit prices, you will often find that breakfast cereal is more expensive per ounce if it comes in a small box than the same cereal packaged in a larger box. Third, you can compare cost by brand when you are aware of unit prices. National brand peaches may be $.09 per ounce, while store brand peaches may be $.05 per ounce. You may not always purchase the most economical product for a number of reasons, but when you are aware of the unit price, you can make informed decisions about your purchases. Remember that even a fraction of a cent makes a big difference when you are buying large quantities.