Ways to Save Money, Stockpile

When I started shopping with coupons, I found it was great to be able to get so many items for so little. It was so good,  I started to stock up on many non-perishable items, when I could get them for a great price.

You can really save money when you create a stockpile. A stockpile is items you store for later use. Ideally, you want to get the items for your stockpile on sale. By stocking up when prices are low you can keep from having to pay full price.

Most items you purchase will go on sale every 6-12 weeks. So when you stock up you only need to purchase what you can use until the next sale.

Sometimes if you find a really good deal and the use by date is a while out you can stock up beyond the 6-12 week supply if you have room to store the item.

How to Build Your Stockpile

The first step is to figure out how much you use of an item in 6-12 weeks time frame. Once you know how much you use in a regular sales cycle then you know how much to stock up on when you see a great sale.

I only add items I know we like to our stockpile. There’s no use in stocking up on something that is a good buy if it’s something we might not like.

Stock up on any items you use and that store well. I will also stock up on fresh items if they are a good buy. Like when I found organic sweet cherries on sale for just $.99 a pound. I bought a bunch, we ate some and the rest went into the freezer and so we could enjoy them in the winter.

So, If you have freezer room and find a great buy, be sure to stock your freezer too.

Stockpile More Than Groceries

I find that stockpiling items other than groceries has saved us the most money. I know if I watch the sales and clip coupons, I can get toothpaste for free or for just a few pennies. The same goes for floss and toothbrushes.

Shampoo and conditioner are other items we stock up on. Whenever I find a good buy on brands we like, I will stock up. It’s so nice to be able to just grab another bottle out of the cupboard, instead of having to run out to the store to purchase more.

If you use paper products, be sure to grab those when you see them on sale. I also have a few cleaning products I use, so when I see them on sale, I will pick them up too. Although recently, I started using  e-cloths to clean and I’m using less chemical cleaners than I used to.

Don’t Go Crazy

I know when I first started shopping with coupons, I really overstocked. While I didn’t end up going over my budget, I ended up storing way too much. Soon I had items falling out of the storage bins in my closet. I ended up blessing our neighbors with lots of items.

Now I’m much more reasonable and just keep about a years worth of items on hand. So while it’s enticing to really stock up, don’t overdo it or go over budget to buy more than you really need.

Do you have a stockpile? What items are in yours?

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