A Full Scoop of Savings

Going out for ice cream can be a super fun treat but it can also add up quickly with little to show for it. I know many people make their own ice cream for optimal savings but there is also an argument for buying the carton at the store. I was in Braum's today, taking advantage of their 4 for $10 promotion when I decided to see how much a single scoop of ice cream cost: $1.30. Not too bad, unless of course you have a family of 5 and that quickly turns into $6.50 plus tax and that's just for one serving each! If that same family grabbed the 4 for $10 sale instead they could enjoy 48 servings of ice cream for just $3.50 more.

A carton of ice cream contains twelve 1/2 cup servings. Grab the ice cream on sale for $2.50 a carton and that's just $0.21 a serving - a full 84% savings when you grab the carton instead of the single serve cup. The buy ahead principle applies here too. The $2.50 price isn't always in place. If you buy several cartons at once you're going to save money by shopping from your freezer instead of grabbing the full price ice cream later. Factor in recent hikes in gas and you're going to save a lot more money by only going to the store once instead of every single time you run out of ice cream.

Yes, ice cream is a special treat but it doesn't have to ruin your budget. For those of us who are pinching pennies in most areas of our life, having a small splurge like this keeps us balanced and less likely to fall off of our budget wagon. What other grocery items have you found to save big on?