Arrange the following steps to determine the optimal purchase combination for maximizing utility: 1) Calculate the marginal utility per dollar for each good, 2) Determine the consumer's budget constraint, 3) Compare the marginal utility per dollar across goods, 4) Choose the combination of goods that maximizes total utility within the budget.

First, the consumer must figure out how much money they have and what that limits in terms of buying goods, which is the budget constraint. Next, they calculate the marginal utility per dollar spent on each good, showing how much extra satisfaction each dollar brings. Then, they compare those marginal utility‑per‑dollar numbers for all goods to see which gives the most benefit per dollar. Finally, they pick the mix of goods that gives the highest total utility while staying within the budget. For example, if apples give 10 MU for $1 and oranges give 8 MU for $1, the consumer would buy more apples until the marginal utility per dollar equalizes or the budget is exhausted.