The price of convenience: DIY lunchbox snacks could save Aussie parents over $700 each year
Convenience comes at a steep cost with Aussie parents paying hugely marked-up prices for pre-packed lunchbox snacks, Mozo’s recent research has shown.
Aussies are paying up to $716 more per child for convenient, pre-packed snacks then they would if they were to purchase larger packs of the same product and portion out snacks at home. Based on the unit price of each item over a 196 day school year, multipack lunchbox fillers were unfailingly over double the price of larger quantity products.
Mozo Director Kirsty Lamont said Aussie parents could avoid this price premium by “putting a small amount of effort into portioning out lunchbox snacks, rather than reaching for the multipacks.”
“Some of the most surprising mark-ups offered very little advantage in terms of convenience – for example, parents prepared to slip a few sultanas into a snap lock bag will avoid the 227% increase for Sunbeam’s Mini Snack Packs, which contain the exact same product,” she said. That’s a saving of $53 per year.
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The biggest difference - an incredible 589% mark-up - was between DIY sliced cheese and crackers and Munchables cheese and crackers multipacks. Parents stand to save $312 over the school year by swearing off this pre-packaged convenience.
Other products with remarkable mark-ups included:
Coles Squeezie Vanilla Yoghurt Pouch (217% or $108 more expensive than a 1kg container of the same product)
SPC Aussie Diced Peaches in Mango Nectar Snack Pack (149% or $149 more expensive than an 825g tin)
Just Juice 100% Apple Juice Box (140% or $94 more expensive than 3L of the same product)
“We know that parents feel the pinch at the start of the school year, forking out for uniforms and books, but the good news is a little lunchbox effort can save a lot of money,” Lamont said.
Switching to DIY snacks and looking for somewhere to park all those incredible savings? Check out Mozo’s list of high interest savings accounts to get more bang for your buck.
Savings account comparisons on Mozo - last updated February 20, 2021
Bonus Saver Account
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
1.20% p.a. (for $0 to $250,000)0.10% p.a.(for $0 and over)Yes up to $250,000Bonus rate when at least $20 is deposited each month and five Visa Debit transactions are made each month using linked Everyday or Glide transaction accounts.
Winner of a Mozo Experts Choice Award 2021 in the Regular Saver category.^ No monthly account fees and no minimum balance requirements.
CompareCompareBonus Saver Account
Winner of a Mozo Experts Choice Award 2021 in the Regular Saver category.^ No monthly account fees and no minimum balance requirements.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Bonus rate when at least $20 is deposited each month and five Visa Debit transactions are made each month using linked Everyday or Glide transaction accounts.
- Access
- BPay, Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- Must link to a transaction account
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Bonus Saver Account
Hero Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
0.80% p.a. (for $0 to $250,001)0.01% p.a.(for $0 to $5,000,000)Yes up to $250,000Minimum deposit of $200 and no withdrawals in the month.
Interest is calculated daily and paid monthly. Automatic payment feature. No minimum opening balance needed.
CompareCompareHero Saver
Interest is calculated daily and paid monthly. Automatic payment feature. No minimum opening balance needed.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Minimum deposit of $200 and no withdrawals in the month.
- Access
- Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Hero Saver
Serious Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
0.80% p.a. (for $0 to $1,000,000)0.05% p.a.(for $0 and over)Yes up to $250,000No withdrawals in the month. Bonus rate for first 4 months, reverting to 0.05% rate after*
$0 monthly account fee. Link to any Australian bank account.
CompareCompareSerious Saver
$0 monthly account fee. Link to any Australian bank account.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- No withdrawals in the month. Bonus rate for first 4 months, reverting to 0.05% rate after*
- Access
- Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Serious Saver
Online Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
1.10% p.a. (for $0 to $500,000)0.35% p.a.(for $0 and over)Yes up to $250,000Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
No account keeping fees. No minimum balance required. Unlimited phone and internet transactions.
CompareCompareOnline Saver
No account keeping fees. No minimum balance required. Unlimited phone and internet transactions.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
- Access
- Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- Must link to a transaction account.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Online Saver
Flexi Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
0.75% p.a. (for $0 to $5,000,000)0.05% p.a.(for $0 to $5,000,000)Yes up to $250,000Increase balance by at least $300 in the month
No upfront or ongoing fees. Unlimited free transactions. Great for regular contributions.
CompareCompareFlexi Saver
No upfront or ongoing fees. Unlimited free transactions. Great for regular contributions.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Increase balance by at least $300 in the month (excluding interest)
- Access
- BPay, Branch access, Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Flexi Saver
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Savings Accounts Awards
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