Functional SkillsMathematics

Entry Level 3Common measures

Task 8 Do special offers really save you money?

Supermarkets run special offers and offer discounts on a range of items. A common offer is ‘Buy one get one free’, but do you really need the free item? What happens if you don’t use it before the sell-by date, if it has one?

This task encourages you to consider how much you are actually saving with supermarket offers – and the ways you might actually be wasting your money.

Scenario

You live by yourself and you do your own shopping. You don’t think the special offers are helpful as you’re never able to eat all the extra food you end up getting. However, it would really help your budget if you could buy items for half price.

A friend has suggested that you shop together and then divide the bill so that you can both take advantage of the offers. You decide to give it a go for a few weeks and see what happens.

The activities in this task will require you to use some of your functional skills in mathematics, including:

●adding and subtracting amounts of money

●comparing quantities and different units of measure

●working out ways to save you money.

The activities in this task have been broken down into stages:
/ Weigh up the task
In this section you will work out what you need to do.
/ Prepare your strategy
In this section you will plan how you are going to do the task.
/ Tackle the task
In this section you will use your skills to complete the task.
/ Check and evaluate
In this section you will review what you have done.
Key terms
Sell-by date – final date on which an item should be sold.
Bargain – something that is good value for money.
Budget – a set amount of money needed or available.
Name: / Date:

Activity 1 – Bargain offers

There are different types of special offers. It’s important to know the difference between them and what exactly you are getting from the offer.

Instructions

1.Look at the special offers in the table below. Explain to a friend or partner what each of the offers mean.

2.Tick the offers you think will save you money.

Special offer / Tick if you think they will save you money

£2.70 each or 2 for £4

Buy 1 get 1 free

Buy 1 get 2nd for half price

2 for the price of 1

Buy 3 and the cheapest is free

Buy 2 get 1 free
Name: / Date:

Activity 2 – Which items do we both buy?

You need to work out if shopping with a friend will help save you money. Does your friend like eating the same food as you? Do you spend the same amount of money on items?

Instructions

1.Using the spider diagram below, list the issues that could arise when shopping with
your friend.

Name: / Date:

Activity 3 – How much would I save?

How much money would you save shopping with a friend?

Instructions

Use the shopping list and the supermarket offers list below to answer questions 1, 2 and 3.

Shopping list / Supermarket offers
Loaf of bread
Milk
Eggs
Strawberries
Minced beef
Chicken drumsticks
Tinned tomatoes (tins)
Cheese
Shampoo
Bottled fizzy drink / £0.80 each – 2nd one half price
£0.50 – buy 1 get 1 free
£1.80
£2.80 per pack – 2 for the price of 1
£3 per pack – buy 1 get 1 free
£3.50 per pack or 2 packs for £5
£0.75 each or 4 for £2
£4 per pack or 2 for £5
£2.50 – 2 for the price of 1
£1.20 for 1 or 2 for £2

Use the table on page 5 to help you set out your answers.

1.How much would you pay if you bought all the items on your shopping list by yourself?

2.How much would you pay if you bought all the items on your shopping list with your friend and paid only your portion?

Item / Cost to buy on my own / Total cost to buy with a friend / Cost per person when buying with a friend / Saving made for same goods
TOTAL
Name: / Date:

Activity 4 – Did I make a saving?

Think about the activities you have just completed.

1.Does shopping with a friend save me money? Would I go shopping with a friend?

activity 5 – How confident am I in my decision?

Think about the activities you have just completed.

1.Did you work things out using suitable methods? Can you rely on the answer you got?

2.Self-assess your understanding by ticking where you think you are in terms of your understanding of each part of the process.

1
Low / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
High
Weigh up the task
Prepare your strategy
Tackle the task

1

complete simple calculations involving money and measures

Functional Skills Mathematics Entry Level 3© Pearson Education Ltd 2011. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.