So last Tuesday I went outside to toss some chlorine balls in the pool like I do every week. Grabbed the bucket and… it was almost empty. Again! Felt like I just bought the dang thing. My wallet was crying already.
Okay, Time for Some Digging
I figured, forget just grabbing more without looking. This time I’m gonna figure out where my money disappears fastest. Pool store first stop. Walked in, asked about their 3-inch chlorine tablets.
- Sales guy: “Our premium 50lb bucket is $220.”
- Me internally: Holy smokes! That’s insane!
Pretended to think about it while backing slowly towards the door. Nope. Not paying that. Left feeling kinda ripped off.
Big Box Store Swing-By
Headed over to Walmart and Canadian Tire next. Hoping for better luck.
- Walmart: Had a 40lb bucket of the stuff. Tag said $165.
- Canadian Tire: Smaller 25lb bucket for $110. Still not cheap.
Better than the pool store robbery, but still… felt like too much for what you get. Plus, those smaller buckets mean buying more often. Annoying.
Alright, Let’s Hit the Web
Figured maybe online deals were hiding somewhere. Pulled out the laptop that night, coffee in hand. Searched “chlorine tablets bulk cheap” (gotta be direct, right?). Found a bunch on Amazon.
- Brand A: 50lb bucket for $150.
- Brand B: Bigger 100lb bucket… $280.
Hey, now we’re talking! That 50lb deal beat Walmart and that pricey pool store. But was it any good? Scrolled through pages of reviews. Some folks said Brand A dissolved faster, needed more tablets. Others loved it. Brand B seemed solid too.
Crunching Those Numbers
Sat down with pen and paper. Needed to see which one actually saved me cash per tablet.
- Pool Store: $220 / 50lbs = $4.40 per lb. Ouch.
- Walmart: $165 / 40lbs = $4.13 per lb. Still nah.
- Brand A Online: $150 / 50lbs = $3.00 per lb.
- Brand B Online: $280 / 100lbs = $2.80 per lb. Winner!
Buying bigger really did = cheaper per tablet. Even with shipping.
Pulling the Trigger
Decided to gamble on that big ol’ Brand B 100lb bucket. Clicked buy. Felt kinda weird ordering so much pool stuff online, but the math looked good.
Waiting… and Box Arrives!
Took a few days. The FedEx guy practically rolled it to the door. Box was HUGE. Tore it open right there in the driveway. Tablets looked identical to the fancy pool store ones. Smelled like chlorine, good sign.
Testing the Waters (Literally)
Dropped a couple into the floater same day. Checked the pool next morning.
- Water clear? Yep.
- Chlorine levels good? Yep.
Threw one in the skimmer too later that week. Didn’t dissolve crazy fast or anything. Seems just as good as the pricey ones.
So… Was It Worth It?
Absolutely. Skipping the “premium” store markup saved me a bundle. That 100lb bucket? Going to last me way longer than chasing smaller buckets. Cost per swim just got a whole lot lower. Even my neighbor saw the giant bucket yesterday and asked where I scored the deal!
Moral of the story? Don’t sleep on the online bulk buys. Do the math, read the reviews, buy bigger if you can. Your pool – and your wallet – will thank you.