Let's Talk Price

So one thing that really has gotten under my skin lately is the constant reference on how expensive things are. Sure that may not sound like anything any of us haven't heard before but let me take you to another layer that I'm sure most people never really paid attention to-- expensive as compared to 'what other price'?

How many people out there (maybe yourself included) actually say how expensive something is but don't really have a reference to compare that price to? I'm sure it's a lot. It's all about the proper use of verbiage, I guess. What the price tag says versus what actually is coming out of your wallet are two separate things. Obviously when you look at a price tag and see the how much something is, your immediate reaction if the number is high is "that's expensive". Question is, how do you know that price isn't the lowest price that item was ever offered at? In order to know how well of a bargain you're receiving, one has to already be familiar with the average price the item normally goes for.

 Just the other day, I was at Costco with my mom and aunt, looking at the salmon filets. While price shopping at the local grocery stores, the average price per pound for wild caught salmon filets is about 9.99/lb. Costco was selling their wild caught salmon filets for 7.99/lbs so of course, I had a positive reaction to see a rate lower than the norm. My mom reacted differently, saying 7.99 per pound is expensive. I asked her how much the price of salmon is per pound nowadays. She said she didn't know. So I asked her, "then how do you know that this price is expensive?" She couldn't respond to that, mainly because, I guess, she wasn't expecting anyone to go there with that simple question.

That Costco incident is just one example of how people are generally when it comes to pricing. If you want to be a conscious spender, you have to pay attention to the pricing of items. Look at what you normally buy and pay attention to how much you are paying. That is the easiest, sure way to identify a good deal when you see one. Add a coupon (that'll be another discussion) you'll be on jumpin for joy with savings!  Same thing when it comes to buying something that you don't normally get. Shop around and see what the going rate is and you'll know a deal when you see it. Don't want to use your gas, hop in the internet and peruse online.

So what can I do to lubricate the tightness people still have when it comes to spending? I'm not Suze Orman, I don't know how to effectively budget my money. But common sense guides me when it comes to getting a good deal, without a doubt. It doesn't help that my community is made of up people most want to call "cheap". But those are the ones who are stingy with their money anyway and bad economy or not, everything will still be expensive to them. It's just worse now because we do live in a bad economy. I guess I'll make it my crusade to open their eyes a bit and call them out on how much they know or don't know about product pricing. You can call it a bit ignorant on their part. I look at it as a  way of educating them, therefore you can call it a community service. I would say "if the cheap shoe fits" but that shoe might still be expensive to them.