Advice on Buying Protein Powder in Bulk

ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 20:44
Last edited 29/03/2018 - 15:18 by 1 other user

Think I'm going insane here. For 2+ years my wife and I have bought bags of protein powder, replenishing when needed. Currently there is a 10%-off Easter discount from the manufacturer, stacked on top of a bulk discount. We disagree on whether buying in bulk is financially sound.

My argument is that we save more by buying a whole bulk at once, since this is a regular consumable we've used for years and know we will continue to use.

Her argument is that we'll actually be spending more money since the cost is all at once, and that we can't afford it because she has bills to pay for an upcoming holiday of hers.

We have ample savings and earn decently. Our interest is only something like 3%. You get a free shaker bottle when you spend over $150.

What am I missing?

Edit:
We normally buy 1KG at a time at $60
Bulk + discount works out to 1KG at $48

Editwo:
My wife came around and agreed that it makes sense to get the protein now in bulk. This was how I first jokingly brought up the topic, so understandably it may have sounded like a crazed "BUY BITCOIN": https://i.imgur.com/nYdO1FY.png

I'm getting 5 x bulk bags, because it's a once-a-year discount for a brand we've used for 2 years. After that, I'll take on board advice in this thread to try Bulk Nutrition and Optimum Nutrition. If that turns out well, I'll switch to one of those brands and save $$$ like a happy OzBargainer! Thanks again all.

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • Sage on 27/03/2018 - 21:05
    -3

    She's right in saying it's better to spend money gradually. It's worth more to have now than it is to have later.
    It would have to come down to how much of a discount it is.

    I noticed for Bulk Nutrients there's hardly a discount when buying in bulk so I just order a kilogram at a time.

    Will the 10% off offer happen again in the next few months?

    • th123 on 27/03/2018 - 21:35
      +4

      There's a 30% saving for buying in bulk at BN:

      1KG WPC = $27
      10KG WPC = $189 ($18.9 per KG)

    • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 21:44

      I guess that's what I'm struggling to understand— what exactly is "worth more"? $500 now is $500 later— we have plenty of savings and our savings interest would not offset the discounted price.

      It happens at True Protein once a year. Last year I got 2 bags and saved a decent wad of money. I've added details to the post.

  • toristo on 27/03/2018 - 21:14
    +2

    Try asking around at work, or anyone you're friendly with at the gym.

    I buy with 2 other guys at work, so we get "bulk" but end up with a bag each and free postage.

    • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 21:49

      Our gym actually stocks/sells the same protein. It's the same price as direct from manufacturer, but without bulk and obviously without the 10% discount.

  • Diji1 on 27/03/2018 - 21:32
    +2

    Her argument is that we'll actually be spending more money since the cost is all at once

    Her argument makes no sense. I guess you don't have much cash savings? If you do have cash savings it makes no sense to not use it.

    I suspect you wife is committing a common error in thinking about money: she is using seperate ledgers.

    • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 21:48

      Liberal savings. It grows gradually but surely. I see her point but our money doesn't earn much interest and we aren't living paycheck to paycheck.

  • ozhunter on 27/03/2018 - 21:48
    +1

    We normally buy 1KG at a time at $60

    That's expensive

    • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 21:50

      Agreed.

      • ozhunter on 27/03/2018 - 21:53
        +2

        Why not try these guys, https://www.bulknutrients.com.au/products/whey-protein-isola…

        • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 22:04

          TBH I don't have a good reason— I don't like the taste but for half the price, flavour really shouldn't be the priority. My wife and I have massive sweet teeth and have just always known True Protein. I think we're typical conned-sumers buying into the arguably nice design of their packaging…

        • 87percent on 27/03/2018 - 22:07
          +1

          @ronorboris:

          Flavour should be high on the list imo. If you don't like it, you won't drink it

          BN Vanilla Whey is really nice, first protein I've taken that is actually nice

        • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 22:17

          @supasaiyan:

          That was actually the sample I tried and didn't like. Perhaps I should give it another shot!

          I joke with my wife that we don't take protein shakes— we take milkshakes with some protein haha.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 28/03/2018 - 17:09

          @supasaiyan:

          Flavour should be high on the list imo. If you don't like it, you won't drink it

          If flavour is that important to you, you probably aren't stringent enough with your diet to need protein powder, IMO.

    • ronorboris on 27/03/2018 - 22:15
      +6

      You sound like you are on top of your nutrition and eating wholesome, healthy foods to meet your macro needs. Well done.

      I take supplements to supplement my food intake in order to meet my macro needs. I do a good job of getting most of my nutrition from 'real' food but most likely not as well as you. I would never say protein powder is needed but it can easily be part of your diet in a healthy, beneficial way. I should also add that benching more than you would not make my opinion any more or less valid.

      • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2018 - 22:42
        -4

        Of course it would. Supplements are a scam unless you’re really pumping some serious weight.

        • Tech5 on 27/03/2018 - 23:08
          +3

          Not true. Some people do not have the time to source their protein needs (Whatever that need is. I work by weight in KG x 2) all from real food. Neither are basic proven supplements like Creatine. Also depends on what body type you are

        • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2018 - 23:18
          -3

          @Tech5: So you’re saying that you don’t have time to eat? Rearrange your life bro. Creative is honestly such a scam. I’ve used it, it just makes you bloated.

        • Tech5 on 27/03/2018 - 23:33
          +2

          @Burnertoasty:

          I am sure what you are saying is true for you, but it is not necessarily true for everyone. And I don't think your advice about "rearrange your life bro" can apply for everyone either.

          There are so many studies out there showing the benefits of protein and creatine supplements on one hand, and you on the other hand saying nah bro, it makes me bloated

        • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2018 - 23:37

          @Tech5: There are benefits, if you’re benching 130kg.

        • Tech5 on 27/03/2018 - 23:46
          +3

          @Burnertoasty:

          Will take creatine for example.
          Reported increase in fat free mass, 1RM, sprint performance, sprint endurance by roughly 5-20% after a 20g/day dose for a week.
          https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12701815

          This literature review includes studies of not only highly trained soccer players (Improved sprint performance), resistance training males (29.9% increase in 1RM, as well as a 2kg increase in fat free mass), M/F of varied fitness (significant improvement in muscle endurance), but also sedentary females (significant increase in endurance). Increased time till total muscle fatigue, means more work/reps done. Which is of general benefit in improving mass, reducing fat ratio and improving general fitness.
          https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3963244/

          Of course, the lit review also indicates only 70% of studies conducted have proven any significant effect, but the general consensus is that it is a "generally effective nutritional ergogenic aid for a variety of exercise tasks in a number of athletic and clinical populations"

          Anecdontaly, I hit a plateau at 70kg bench, 80kg squat, 30kg curls and 40kg military press. I noticed an improvement after a few weeks of creatine supplement, with no other difference in diet or workout routine. I'm now on 100kg, 120kg, 40kg and 55kg.

          I'm not saying you are wrong and that it doesn't make you bloated, or works for people who bench 130kg. I'm saying it is effective in a remarkable wide variety of situations

        • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 03:00
          +3

          @Tech5: The neanderthal will continue to quote whatever his loudest mate at the gym has preached in between backslapping each other, quarter repping, and disintegrating their tendons and ligaments through ego lifting.

          Anyway out of curiosity are the weights you stated 1rm's? What body fat % are you and have you noticed any physical changes to your body since taking creatine? I believe it could improve performance but I don't want to take something that (1) I'll lose said performance gains if I stop taking it, and (2) will make me appear softer/retain more water. Not sure if (2) is a myth or not.

        • Tech5 on 28/03/2018 - 14:52

          @spiff:

          I dont actually have a spotter so have not tested 1RM in a while. Those are weights where I can push five reps four sets. I am at roughly 12-13% Bf. I have noticed a bigger pump but not much in terms of appearance change when not at gym

        • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 14:57
          +1

          @Tech5: Try this to predict 1rm if you're interested. Doesn't take into account RPE though.

          https://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax

        • Member 0230 on 29/03/2018 - 19:20

          @Tech5: hey thanks for sharing that, but like spiff said above

          I believe it could improve performance but I don't want to take something that (1) I'll lose said performance gains if I stop taking it, and (2) will make me appear softer/retain more water. Not sure if (2) is a myth or not.

          I'd love to know your thoughts around this as someone who uses/used creatine, esp if the gains are only while you're taking them, and more or less lost once you stop.

        • Member 0230 on 31/03/2018 - 13:38

          @spiff: hey spiff, I just did a quick lookup, looks like your worries about using creatine are spot-on: stop it, and your gains are lost, and possibly worse for a short time — from livestrong

    • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 02:50
      +8

      So many things wrong with your post that I'm convinced you're a troll. But it's late and I've got nowhere to be so I'll indulge with a response.

      The weights you're pushing in the gym have zero bearing on whether you should take supplements or not. Let me spell it out for you. Your goal in the gym can be achieved through nutrition and exercise. Your blanket statement is referring to exercise, but whatever weight you think is relevant to you is irrelevant to the next person if you don't know anything about them. Exercise factors to meet your goal should be broken down into the FITT principle - Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type, not just arbitrary weights spouted by an internet gymbro who most likely suffers from kyphosis. Protein powder supplements form part of nutrition. As OP has correctly pointed out already, protein powder is used to supplement a goal macro breakdown (based on a combination of goal weight, body composition, BMI, BMR etc) that you know you don't consume through regular food. There is nothing wrong with taking protein powder as a source of protein as it can also work out cheaper than buying protein through foods. Protein supplements contain the 9 types of amino acids that are required for building/repairing muscle, and they often contain some BCAA content which prevents your body from breaking down your muscles for energy. You have no idea what OP's goals or current body stats are, so save yourself the embarrassment and spare us your ignorance.

      OP, $60/kg is very expensive. Have you tried Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard? Easily the best tasting protein powder I've had. I've tried 3 of their flavours and anything chocolate is good. Usually I get a 10lb/4.5kg bag from Amino Z when it's on sale for around $125 which works out to be less than $30/kg. Strongly recommend you give this brand a go. You're also correct in stating that the discount you get up front outweighs the cost of lost interest. If it's a known consumable and you're not struggling for cash.

      If you buy 1kg @ $60, or say 4kg (to get you over the $150) @ $48 = $192.
      Assume 1kg lasts both of you 1 month.
      To get into comparable time period of 4 months, you'll be spending $240 if you buy 1kg at a time, or $192 upfront. This is a $48 discount over 4 months.
      If your partner wanted to make the first option economically viable, they would have to take the initial difference in spending ($192 - $60) of $132, and with very simplified calcs, make a return of at least 36% over 4 months, to make up the $48. Haven't factored in the savings interest rate but you get the drift.

      • ronorboris on 28/03/2018 - 11:44

        I've been very happy with True Protein but I came for advice so I will take it when sound.

        I will give ON a try as you've suggested, and BN another try as ozhunter and supersaiyan recommended. Thanks guys.

  • mick123 on 27/03/2018 - 22:25
    +3

    If you are buying 1kg at a time and say taking 1 scoop a day each (30g each), you will finish your 1kg pack in just 16 days.

    You could buy 5 kg for about $100-$120 - at a scoop a day each, it lasts 12 weeks and you are paying only $20-$24/kg instead of $60/kg

    Save money and time (only need to buy about 5 times a year instead of 20+)
    This question seems rather basic to be honest..

  • p1 ama on 27/03/2018 - 23:06
    +4

    For what it's worth, I bought 880 dishwasher tablets on sale the other day which will last me over 4 years. Buying in bulk when it's cheap is a great idea, especially if you know that it's close to the lowest price it can ever go.

    • D6C1 on 27/03/2018 - 23:12
      +2

      I hope that they are individually packed. Humidity and environmental parameters would make them brittle and fall apart.

      • p1 ama on 28/03/2018 - 00:00

        They are indeed!

      • Tasmaniac on 28/03/2018 - 01:35

        'Environmental parameters'.

    • ronorboris on 28/03/2018 - 11:50
      +1

      Are you starting a new variation of the Tide pod challenge? :P

  • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2018 - 10:05
    +1

    Manufacturers of protein powder and associated "fitness' products make an absolute fortune out of people who have absolutely no need for them.
    If you have a decent diet and are not in one of the groups that it is proven would benefit, (Teenage athletes, vegans, recovering from injury) you do not need protein powder, (or BCAA's, thermogenic fat burners, nitro), or any of the other BS.

    • ronorboris on 28/03/2018 - 12:06

      Manufacturers can be blamed for their marketing but consumers are still responsible for what they consume. If you do your research (not bodybuilding forum posts), you can buy products that do what you need them to and not just what their packaging says they will.

      • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2018 - 14:30

        So what is the consumer's source of information that tells them what they actually need?

    • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 12:10

      Again, depends on what OP's goals are. The solution should be tailored to the individual. What is a decentdiet? This is a very subjective, generalist term that shows lack of understanding. What if OP has a goal in mind and has worked out the macronutritional and total caloric requirements to achieve this? If OP was meeting their daily protein intake goal then sure, supplements aren't necessary. If not, protein powder could assist in achieving this goal. By discounting the need to manage calories/macros to achieve a certain goal, and reducing this to just having a "decent diet" then you're also disputing the basic theory behind BMR.

      Protein is just protein, it would benefit anybody who is trying to improve their body composition, not just the groups you mentioned (with zero references to this "proof").

      Not saying that companies don't make a fortune out of these supplements, but this conspiracy theory driven witch hunt should at least be supported by specific, researched and targeted advice.

      • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2018 - 13:10

        Maybe this would be considered an independent view not supported by those who have money to gain by presenting distorted "information".
        https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/features/prot…

        • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 13:42
          +1

          lol WebMD. Enough said? Regardless you literally just proved my point that protein powder is a convenient supplement to a meal plan involving real food. It can be one of the cheapest forms of protein intake depending on where you get it from.

          Overall, it's clear that since you just copied and pasted an article from WebMD you don't have much understanding of what you're talking about.

        • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2018 - 14:29
          -1

          @spiff: You sound like one of those guys at WasteofLife Gym that mouth off about how much they know about macros but don't know much about anything else. Thanks for providing some mild amusement.

        • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 14:57
          -1

          @4sure: lol ok sure. At least I don't copy and paste my information straight from WebMD.

        • spiff on 28/03/2018 - 16:52

          @4sure: Again with the deflection but now with a sprinkle of self victimisation, excellent. Let me quantify the value you've added here.

          Zero.

  • mhasan on 28/03/2018 - 13:23
    +3

    My wife once said, choose between gym or me… I miss her sometimes..
    Do the same… live your life. its pity to see you have to ask OB to give you courage to stand up against your wife.. tell her… I CAN and I WILL… WATCH ME!
    I'm just kidding.. do as she says until she pays off her holidays and then you do what you like..

    • ronorboris on 28/03/2018 - 14:31
      +5

      The reason I posted is because even though I think I'm right, I need to respect the possibility that I could be wrong or misunderstanding something. Many a time I've seen OzBargain excel at highlighting how short-sighted the OP is— I came to see if I was one of those OPs.

      You end up being right more of the time if you assume you could be wrong than if you assume you're always right.

      • Illian on 28/03/2018 - 18:06
        +2

        Well, in this case you're right. If you really want to get pedantic, taking depreciation into account, it will always cost more later than now. I bought a big beautiful 10KG bag once and never worrying about it for a year or more certainly helped my peace of mind.

        • ronorboris on 29/03/2018 - 15:02

          Thanks for that, there is a lot of level headed advice in this thread. It was helpful to see yourself and others both confirming my maths/logic as well as suggesting I change my choice of brand. I've updated the OP with conclusion details.

  • hasher22 on 02/04/2018 - 11:38
    +1

    I'm prob late to the party, but at the end of the day buying bulk with a discount code will save you money if you drink it every time you workout or everyday.

    Also depending what you do at the gym. Fun little fact (going off topic): The general thumb is that you need 0.8g (or people just round it up to 1g) of protein for every LB weight you have. Though, I can't be bothered converting that to KG :P. There are multiple studies show that having excess of protein doesn't benefit you but some atheletes benefit from 1.2g per LB etc etc.

    I myself need 150g per day and for me, that may seem easy for people to reach but its hard for me since I don't each much and I am forcing myself, so these liquid protein helps me achieve my daily protein intake, plus I go to the gym 5 to 6 times per week. 3 with a PT so I am constantly lifting and doing cardio.

    But I myself have researched on buying bulk and because you're buying 1kb at a time, no brainer that buying bulk or larger bags will save you money. I myself can't pay $60 for 1kg, that seems like a waste of money to me. 1kg of powder is nothing.

  • lainey13 on 18/04/2018 - 18:42
    -1

    tl;dr you understand unit pricing now yeah?

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