Is This Trip Worth It?
A great price far away isn't always a great deal. The Trip Optimizer calculates total cost including fuel and time, so you know if the trip is truly worth it.
Reality Check
That J$500 savings at a store 20km away? After J$400 in fuel and 45 minutes of your time, you're barely breaking even. Let me help you do the math!
🤔 The Hidden Cost Problem
When you see a better price at a distant store, your brain focuses on the savings. But getting there has costs:
Fuel Cost
Petrol isn't free
Your Time
Time has value
Wear & Tear
Vehicle maintenance
🧮 How the Optimizer Works
Our Formula:
Total Cost = Cart Price + Fuel Cost + (Time × Hourly Value)
Cart Price: Total of items at that store
Fuel Cost: Distance × your car's fuel efficiency × current gas price
Time Value: Travel time × your hourly rate (you set this)
📊 Real Example
Let's say you're in Half-Way-Tree and want to buy 10 items. You can shop at:
APriceSmart Portmore
Cart total:J$8,500
Distance:22 km round-trip
Fuel cost:+J$550
Travel time:50 mins
Time value:+J$200
TOTAL:J$9,250
BMegaMart Half-Way-TreeBEST
Cart total:J$8,950
Distance:3 km round-trip
Fuel cost:+J$75
Travel time:12 mins
Time value:+J$50
TOTAL:J$9,075
"Even though PriceSmart has lower shelf prices, the closer MegaMart saves you J$175 overall! Plus you get 38 minutes of your life back!"
📱 How to Use the Trip Optimizer
Create a Shopping List
Add all items you need to buy. The optimizer works best with complete lists.
Tap 'Optimize Trip'
Found at the bottom of your shopping list. This calculates all options.
Set Your Preferences
Customize the calculation to match your situation:
Review Recommendations
You'll see three recommendations:
WORTH IT
Clear savings, go for it!
MAYBE
Marginal, depends on you
STAY LOCAL
Trip costs exceed savings
🗺️ Multi-Store Trip Planning
Sometimes the best strategy is splitting your list across stores that are near each other. The optimizer can:
Pro Tip
Multi-store trips work best when stores are clustered together (like in a plaza) or along your commute route!
⚙️ Customizing Your Settings
⛽ Fuel Price
We use current Jamaica fuel prices (updated weekly). You can also enter your own if you know your specific cost.
Default: ~J$195/litre (petrol 87)
🚗 Fuel Efficiency
Select your vehicle type or enter your car's km/litre rating for accurate calculations.
Defaults: Sedan ~12km/L, SUV ~9km/L, Truck ~7km/L
⏱️ Time Value
What's an hour of your free time worth? This affects the calculation significantly.
Tip: Start with J$250/hour and adjust based on what feels right
🎉 Smart Shopper!
Related features to explore:
Still Need Help? 🤔
Our team is here to help you get the most out of BuyersMarket. Reach out anytime!