Brita filter hit $18.89 on Amazon, but buying 2 and setting a reminder saves nearly $8

A routine replacement purchase turned into a small budgeting lesson for one Brita customer when they noticed the price of a single Brita filter had gone up, but not if they bought a two-pack instead.

Here's what to know

The issue came up in a Reddit thread, where the original poster said a Brita replacement filter on Brita's Amazon store had climbed 26% in six months, landing at $18.89, which was "in line with other retailers."

However, a two-pack of filters cost $29.97, which was the same per-filter cost as the old price. This left the OP wondering whether it made more sense to buy the two-pack, saving one for later. 

What commenters said

Many commenters related to the skyrocketing costs of home essentials, which had led many to consider similar budgeting questions. 

"Yeah my KitchenAid water filter for my fridge doubled over a period of 6 months," one user shared. 

Another commenter pointed to grocery pricing that followed a similar pattern: "Month 1 Price: $5/ea / Month 6 Price: $7/ea, or 2 for $10! / Month 12 Price: $7/ea." The example suggested that the multi-buy deal often felt like a brief break while the higher regular price stayed in place.

What can be done?

The clearest workaround discussed in the thread was to order the cheaper two-pack, keep the extra filter on hand, and set a reminder to change the filter on time. For nearly $8 in savings, most Redditors considered the bulk purchase to be worth it. 

Backing that idea, one commenter wrote, "It is absolutely worth setting alarms/calendar reminders to save money." When a product has a set replacement cycle, that kind of planning can make a bulk purchase feel practical instead of excessive.

With prices likely to keep rising, some commenters recommended looking even further ahead. For example, one suggested investing in "8-10 boxes" before another price hike hits. 

While stockpiling essentials can save money over the long run, it also requires having the money to pay for more supplies up front and the space to store them. 

In the end, the OP summed the situation up this way: "Is it worth $8 to set a reminder on my phone to change this and store the extra somewhere? Yes, but it is mildly infuriating."

Where can I learn more?

As costs have continued to soar, the OP has hardly been alone in looking for ways to save on essentials like water. The following stories look at ways to save on home water-heating costs. 

• Cala said its intelligent heat pump water heater could trim energy use with smarter timing.

• Swapping in a heat pump system could cut water-heating bills by hundreds, Cala claimed

• One homeowner said a warranty water heater swap still left them paying $1,400 out of pocket.

• Homeowners tapped water heater incentives worth up to $1,600 before those programs dry up.

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