The "sale" tag in a grocery store is a psychological trick. Just because a box of cereal is marked down from $6.00 to $4.50 doesn't mean it’s a bargain. The real secret to saving money on food is understanding unit cost—how much you are paying per gram or per serving, regardless of the flashy packaging.
The Philosophy: Price Intelligence
Inflation has made grocery shopping a tactical challenge. This template turns your smartphone into a financial analytics tool. It moves you from "that feels expensive" to "this is 15% more expensive than the last time I bought it at the other store." By tracking historical prices, you develop a sense for the true value of the items in your cart.
The Blueprint: Unit Cost Analysis
The structure is built around automated calculations that strip away marketing noise.
- The Normalized Metric: The cost per 100 grams field is the ultimate equalizer. Whether a bag of rice is 1kg or 2.5kg, this calculation allows you to compare them directly. Memento’s oz2grams helper ensures that even when packaging is in ounces, you can normalize the data for a consistent view.
- The Serving Economy: For prepared or bulk foods, the serving cost calculation is vital. It helps in meal planning and budgeting by answering a simple question: "How much does it cost to put this on the plate?"
- The Market Map: Tracking the Store and Purchase Date creates a map of your local grocery landscape. You quickly learn that your local shop is great for produce, but you should buy your staples at the warehouse club.
Usage Scenarios: The Bulk Buy Decision
You're at a warehouse store and see a giant box of granola. It’s $18.99. Is it a good deal? You scan the Barcode, and Memento pulls up your previous entries for that item. You see that your last purchase at the regular grocery store was $0.85 per 100 grams. The warehouse box works out to $0.62 per 100 grams. You buy it, knowing exactly how much you’ve saved.
Power Feature: Calculation Scripts
Memento’s Calculation field does the heavy lifting here. By rounding the result to two decimal places—(round((#{price}/#{servings })*100))/100—the interface remains clean and readable. You enter the raw price and the amount, and the system instantly provides the financial insight you need to make a better buying decision.