The "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" Lie: When Deals Aren't Really Deals

"Buy 2, Get 1 Free!" It sounds like a great deal. But most of the time, it's not.

67%

Of multi-buy deals are NOT cheaper

Source: Consumer Reports, 2025

📊 How the Trap Works

Stores know you love the word "FREE". So they mark up the regular price, then offer a "deal" that saves you very little — or nothing at all. You also end up buying more than you need, which leads to waste.

            💡 Key Insight: A "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" deal is only a 33% discount if the regular price hasn't been inflated. Often, the actual discount is closer to 10-15%.
        

💰 Real Example

Soda: Regular price $2.50 per bottle.
"Deal": Buy 2 Get 1 Free → $5.00 for 3 bottles = $1.67 each.
But the store raised the regular price to $2.99 before the deal.
You saved only $0.32 per bottle, not $0.83.

🛡️ How to Fight Back

1. Calculate the per-unit price

Divide the total cost by the total number of items. Compare to the regular price.

2. Only buy what you will use

If you won't use the extra items before they expire, the "deal" costs you money.

3. Use our calculator

Enter the "deal" as one option and the regular price as another. See which is truly cheaper.