A Costly Bargain

I take pride in being thrifty. I cruise yard sales for clothes, buy furniture secondhand and refinish it at home—anything to save a buck. But last year I learned by sad experience that being thrifty doesn’t always pay off in the long run.

On February 15th, I passed by the candy display at our local grocery store. Pink, white, and red M&Ms were being liquidated: 88¢ for a bag that normally went for $2.49. “You’re joking,” I said out loud, scooping up eight bags. “These’ll come in handy for nursery snacks, play dates for the kids, special occasions, food storage. I’ll just freeze them and . . . wait a minute,” I stopped myself, sizing up my stash. With a quick U-turn, I headed back for the candy aisle. “What am I thinking? This is silly.” I grabbed three more bags.

At home, ten bags went to the freezer and one was immediately torn open. Downing a handful—the peanut kind, my favorite—I congratulated myself for scoring such a deal on one of the greatest treats around. And then I ate some more. Four hours later, the bag was empty.

Not that I consumed them all alone. My husband and children had a few. But I confess the next bag was all mine. And the next. And the next.

Now, I happen to have a speedy metabolism, so gulping down M&Ms at the rate of four pounds a week didn’t change my weight or waist-line. But it did make me sick—sick of M&Ms. And, five weeks later, when the freezer was empty, I vowed it would be refilled with broccoli and sorbet popsicles. Healthy stuff.

Honestly, that resolution would have come to fruition. But then Easter came along, and the day after Easter, M&Ms were 88 cents a pack again.

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February is designated Wise Health Consumer Month by the American Institute of Consumer medicine. In commemoration of this month, the following are a few preventive medicine tips and facts: :