While I appreciate simar's thrifty behaviour and her ability to spot that there was a gross difference in actual prices and the prices they were charged for the groceries...
I wonder if this was the best way to reveal it -- it seemed a little too goody-two shoes to me - trying to show their carelessness or unawareness.
It is bound to create a rift with the three other bhabis -- which may have been simar's intention to show "see how great i am and see how idiotic the other three are"
But ... in the framework of the household -- i think a more prudent way to have done it would have been to bring it to mataji's notice ... and to let her handle it both with the shopkeeper as well as the three bhabhis.
This would have preserved mataji's smartness and the dignity of the three bahus ... and simar would still have got credit privately with mataji -- after all her only goal was to score -- why should she bother about the money being spent -- that should be mataji's lookout.
By doing this public display of her efficiency -- she has made mataji look like a fool in front of the shopkeeper because they now think mataji can be hoodwinked easily and it is the bahu who is the smart one -- and she has also antagnoized the three other bhabis -- not good in a highly volatile situation already.
Mataji would have taken them to ask in her own way and in her own time -- that is, if she wanted to do something about it. Mataji might very well have also decided that the price difference was not worth it to show down the bahus.
Or maybe mataji would have said "dont make a fuss about it this time ... i will handle it the next time we need to bring groceries for a puja"
Did simar have a right to bring it to mataji's attention ? Yes.
But I think the decision as to HOW to handle it should have been left to mataji.
Any views?