What’s a good price anyway?
You find yourself in the store once again, looking at one of those basic necessities you buy all the time: coffee, shampoo, what have you. You’re seeing: “$5.99.”
You ask yourself, “Is that a deal? Is that what it was last time? I feel like maybe it was lower… in the 4-something range… or maybe I’m just misremembering.”
There you are, standing too long in the same aisle, stuck in a loop. Finally, you throw it in the cart because you’re tired and you’re not in the mood to do internet research.
So, did you overpay or not? Did you get a deal? What is the going rate of shampoo anyway?
This actually isn’t about getting a deal — it’s just about knowing an appropriate price for your regular item. One you will be purchasing ad nauseum for years to come …
A price anchor = your number, not theirs
Remember that the store is incentivized to sell. But your agenda is not their agenda. Sale stickers and markdown games are for their benefit, not yours. A price anchor is your number.
If you don’t have that anchor, you can start to float. Think about those times when you’re grabbing random brands, trying to compare right there in the store, getting confused, and choosing an expensive, but recognizable brand. Then wondering as you left the store if you’d messed up.
The fix is simple. You write your own list.
Start with 12 things. Not more.
Don’t go wild. Just pick 12 things you buy a lot. Not once a year. Regular stuff.
Here’s a starting point:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Pasta
- Shampoo
- Toilet paper
- Rice
- Coffee
- Chicken
- Trash bags
- Detergent
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
Our memories are shockingly unreliable, so it’s best to go to the hard evidence: receipts.
Write down the brand, size, and the best regular price you’ve paid. This shouldn’t be a flash sale — just a solid, consistent price that felt fair.
Save it wherever you’ll actually look. Notes app. Photo album. Paper taped inside the pantry door. Doesn’t matter.
Use it when you shop (like, actually use it)
You’re in Target. You see your usual detergent. Price looks okay. You pull up your list. Anchor says $8.49. Today it’s $7.99.
Nice. You grab one. Maybe two.
In a couple weeks, you’re looking at the same item for $9.29. Hmm… that’s higher than your anchor. Try again next week or see if a different brand is on sale.
Here’s an extra habit you can implement if you think it helps: after the store, drop a quick note in your list. “Eggs are $2.79 at Aldi.” If it’s lower than usual, congrats – new anchor.
The great thing is, there’s no need to memorize anything. You’re just paying attention to the things that matter.
Don’t make this a full-time job
Prices change. Slowly. Then fast. Then they sit still. It’s weird and annoying.
You don’t need to update the list every week. Just check it every few months. Quarterly is enough.
Maybe your brand changed. Maybe the price jumped and never came back down. Fine. Adjust it.
Keep the list small. 12 to 15 items. That’s it. More than that and it turns into a spreadsheet you’ll never open again.
When something changes, mark it. “June: chicken $3.19 → $3.49.” Now you know.
This isn’t about accuracy. It’s about awareness. Enough to stop the weird second-guessing.
Stop depending on sale signs to tell you what’s good
Let’s be real. Most of the time, “sale” means nothing. Or it means they raised the price last week so they could drop it now and make you feel like you won.
When you have your own number, you control the decision instead of the sticker.
Say goodbye to hunting for deals or clipping coupons. The anchor decides all. And that’s the system.
Also, if you shop with someone else — a partner, roommate, whoever — share your list!
What it amounts to
We’re not looking at saving hundreds a week here.
But you will stop feeling low-key annoyed at yourself every time you check out. You’ll stop wondering if you made the wrong call. You’ll stop buying stuff “just in case it’s a good deal.”
This takes away the friction. That’s what matters.
Start small. Five items. Build from there. Milk, eggs, coffee, toilet paper, pasta. Boom. Done.
Picture yourself: shopping next week, with that reference point that’s real – not part of a marketing campaign.
And you’ll feel better.
Which, let’s be honest, is the only reason any of this matters in the first place.