5 cents and Milk

I loved your responses to my accidental post last week. Indeed, it is all about the conversation!

In my beginner's tentative steps to be frugal, I was computing the cost of liquid milk (the stuff that comes in the cartons) to the cost of powdered milk (the stuff that, here, comes in bags.) I was greatly confused. I measure the powdered stuff by volume, you see, and it is sold by weight.

So, these calculations only work if 1/3c (or 75 ml) equals 25 g.

Here we go:*

A 2.5 Kg. bag of powdered milk costs $24.49.
If 100 g makes up 1 litre
then, 1 litre = $1.02

A two litre carton of 1% milk costs $2.82
so, 1 litre costs $1.41

That's a significant savings! So, last week, I mixed a 4L jug with 2L of powdered milk and 2L of milk from the carton. My son never noticed and my daughter (who saw me do it) refused to drink milk all week.

Last night, however, I was in the grocery store--and lo and behold if I didn't notice that buying 4L of 1% milk costs $4.51. (Whole milk, marketed here as 3.25% is ten cents more) Holy cow, Batman, that's only $1.13 per litre! (Making last week's 4L mixed milk at $1.22/L way more expensive.)

However, I have learned my lesson. Indeed I have. In my fridge, I now have a 4L jug of mixed milk. Cost: $1.08/L (and I have 1/2 of a 4L jug of unmixed milk, too.)

Do nickles really add up?

*PS: A quart is slightly less than a litre.