Toilet Paper Math!

@MarieCoyle (27202)
October 1, 2022 6:36pm CST
I was at Target, checking out the paper towels. A lady asked me how did I know what was a better deal, and I tried to explain that I compared the price per sheet, plus decide on quality and size of package. So we did a little calculating on the phone and she understood then...she was not from the US but from Thailand, only fair to help her out. So we parted ways and I saw her shaking her head at the TP packages, and of course I had to stop again and help her. That TP math is confusing enough to us without not being used to the brands and sizes in another country! I lined up the Charmin choices and we looked them over. Regular roll, 100 sheets, one small roll Giant roll, 250 sheets Mega roll, 400 sheets Mega plus 450 sheets Super Mega roll, 600 sheets. Good grief. Why don't they just stick to one size and call it good? This is ridiculous. Other brands are the same way, not just Charmin. Anyway, we figured out on this particular day, the mega rolls were the best buy so she got those. She thanked me several times, said she knew her English was poor but she appreciated my time. It didn't take that long. When I've traveled, others have helped me, so it's all fair. Life is complicated enough without having to figure out how to save money on all the sizes of TP. Afterwards, I googled and looked at articles about TP math, evidently it is really a thing, for sure!
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/money/toilet-paper-deals/
11 people like this
11 responses
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
2 Oct 22
You must look at the package information to save money.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
I try to look for bargains. I check prices pretty much everywhere I go, constantly.
3 people like this
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
2 Oct 22
@MarieCoyle Sodo I. I don’t pay more than I have too.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72517)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
1 Oct 22
I get my groceries once a month through Walmart online. I was used to ordering Angel Soft toilet paper twelve rolls but discovered that the rolls were not so mega and I get a better deal with Great Value mega rolls, so I am going that way next time,
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
I am glad you find good deals there. I personally hate Walmart with a real passion, I haven't been there in years. I hope I don't have to go there, either.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133787)
• Roseburg, Oregon
2 Oct 22
I just buy a case every month from Costco and I am happy for another month.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133787)
• Roseburg, Oregon
2 Oct 22
@MarieCoyle A total of thirty rolls. Six to a pack and five packs. We buy Costco brand.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
Oh, my, an entire case? How many rolls is that? I buy a lot of things at Costco, it's been a lifesaver.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
@jstory07 The Costco Kirkland brand is good. I haven't bought anything in that brand that I didn't like.
@LadyDuck (455007)
• Switzerland
2 Oct 22
It looks complicated in your country, we can have 2 layers, 3 layers and 4 layers. I check the best options but I only buy 4 layers.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (455007)
• Switzerland
2 Oct 22
@MarieCoyle I am pretty sure that you are right. Then there are those brilliant ideas to oblige all people to switch to old light bulbs to halogen, simply to discover that halogen was not a good thing, so we now we have to switch to the LED bulbs... and we pay.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
Anna, sometimes I think the manufacturers stay up late at night to think up ways to trick consumers into bad deals.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
@LadyDuck Oh, wow...I never buy the old style light bulbs at all, they are rather hard to find and not that cost effective where I live. But there is not a big demand for them, either.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (56322)
• Philippines
9 Nov 22
I have no idea that TP has several rolls. I just buy them not comparing the sizes.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (56322)
• Philippines
15 Nov 22
@MarieCoyle That's a bad business technique... fooling the consumer or the buying public.
@MarieCoyle (27202)
9 Nov 22
It's a crazy game. Like they want to trick people into thinking they are getting a bargain, which is why we all need to note the price per unit, not the overall price, before deciding.
1 person likes this
@solidcodes (1690)
• Philippines
2 Oct 22
Oh that's good math to save money.
2 people like this
• United States
3 Oct 22
You almost have to have a degree in math to figure out what is the best price for anything these days. Bigger isn't always cheaper and sometimes brand names wind up the better buy than generic. That was so nice of you to help that woman figure out which was the best deal for her.
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Oct 22
I was thinking about the same thing yesterday when I helped a lady at the grocery store with pickles. There's like 42 different kinds of pickles, she was confused on which one to get. I think we have too many choices these days, it's ridiculous. We need to keep things simple.
@Ronrybs (17765)
• London, England
2 Oct 22
At the supermarkets here, next to the price there is usually the price per sheet or sheets
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
Yes, there is here, too. But she was not familiar with this concept and doesn't really read any English...she had only been in the US a few weeks.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34202)
2 Oct 22
I will often look at the unit rates when comparing similar products, I buy. Also using the unit pricing labels listed on grocery items can be a big help in getting the best deal.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34202)
4 Oct 22
@MarieCoyle So true! When will it stop?
@MarieCoyle (27202)
2 Oct 22
I know a lot of people never even look at them, but I do. Also, prices have been so crazy, many times the price posted isn't correct at some stores. It's going up faster than they can change those stickers.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
2 Oct 22
It is like everything else. All about the money. Same with paper towels, cereal, everything it seems. They try to keep you confused.