"Saving Money Tip"

[isaac]

Logged onto Savingadvice.com and I see this on my screen - > "When shopping, buy the amount you need. Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you need to purchase a large quantity of it. Buy only what you know you will use and no more."

I can't help but feel this is bad advice. Unless said 'something' has a short expiration date?

How do ya'll feel about 'stockpiling' on Sale items you normally buy?

[Blessed]

I'm a stockpiler. It saves us lots of $. I only buy when it is a really good sale. I just bought 50 pounds of .99 lb chicken breast. That insures I will not be paying $2.99 for chicken breast for a while. Since we eat chicken every week I see that as a big savings.

[josetann]

Logged onto Savingadvice.com and I see this on my screen - > "When shopping, buy the amount you need. Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you need to purchase a large quantity of it. Buy only what you know you will use and no more."

I can't help but feel this is bad advice. Unless said 'something' has a short expiration date?

How do ya'll feel about 'stockpiling' on Sale items you normally buy?

You need room for all that stuff.

Sale on toothpaste...great, get two, maybe three. But not twelve. Sale on chicken...we don't have room for a deep freeze, so can't go too crazy. Sale on peanut butter...ok we do have quite a bit of pantry space, go for it.

But it's easy to go overboard stocking up on something just because it's on sale. Our pantry is full of granola bars and various sauces that were a great deal...yeah, until they're many months out of date and I start throwing them out one by one.

Anyways...for us, if it's a staple that'll last a while (like pancake mix or peanut butter), I'll get a couple month's worth if it's a really good deal. But I don't want to have a year's worth, even if we'll definitely eat it (partly because...who knows if we'll even still be here in a year).

[Blessed]

Another thing is if you want to stockpile you do need to be very organized so things don't go to waste. I do some OMAC cooking. I have a master list on both freezers. The freezer that has all the OMAC and dairy has a list that contains the date and what is in there. Once something is taken out or put in it goes on the master list.

The second freezer is meat. veggies etc. Everything in there is also dated and put on the master list. The list for me is the only way to make sure I am using what needs to be used.

I have the same type of list for the pantry. I also make sure all new purchases go to the back of the pantry so the stuff that needs to be used first is up front. It takes a few extra minutes but if you always put the new stuff in the front eventually you will find an ancient food product in the back.

[Ramose]

I think what the tip means is that just because you might get a discount for buying in bulk doesn't mean that you should. I rarely use soy sauce in my cooking and when I do, it is only a small amount. I remember once there was a buy one soy sauce and get a second for only half price, so foolishly I bought it. As you'd expect they expired before I had even opened the second bottle! That's what I think the tip is trying to say.

[crazyliblady]

Reply to "Saving Money Tip"

I agree most of the time with not buying more than you need of something. For example, if I want to make a recipe that requires an unusual (for me) spice that I don't normally use, I will either 1) make a substitution with something else that has a similar flavor or 2) buy it in a small size so I don't waste it. I can always buy more later. In addition, I grow some of my own herbs in my garden because they taste so much better than the dried ones.

However, that being said, with things that I use a lot of, I do stock up when the things I use a lot are on sale or I happen to be in Big Lots and I see something I use a lot with a price of 25% of what I would pay for it elsewhere. For example, I tend to make a lot of soups, chili, stews, etc. where I normally use at least one can of Hunt's tomatoes. At my grocery store, the normal price on these is $1.17, but sometimes they are on sale. A few months ago, I noticed a bunch of cans at Big Lots for $.60 a can. Every time I see them, I buy one can and put it in my cupboard. I keep the stock up amount per shopping trip to an amount I am comfortable with so I am not unable to buy other needed things. Last Saturday, I bought a package of northern beans on sale so I can make some bean soup later. I make sure to use the stuff up before it goes bad. I make a lot of these kinds of soups and then freeze them in serving size containers for lunches or dinners later.

Two weeks ago, I saw papers towels at my grocery store for $1.00 per package. I actually did not need paper towels at the time, but knew that I would need them 2 weeks later. The normal price is around $1.75, so I saved myself some money and the need to worry about buying more later.

I agree with you that the advice of not buying more than you need is bad advice. It needs to be revised. I suppose it might work for those who are having trouble making ends meet at all, but I would think that even those folks could benefit from stocking up. My point of view is that stocking up like this can accomplish multiple goals: 1) save money in the long run by paying less for something I use a lot, 2) help to get myself over a possible budget hump in the event of a small budget crisis, 3) enable me to have food on hand in the event of bad weather.

[snafu]

It's very helpful to write out a meal plan so that you use the products in your pantry & freezer before they expire. It doesn't have to be 'written in stone' but a good idea to have two weeks of menus you and family like to eat and disciplined enough to use the ingredients you've already purchased. Secondarily, if you know what's for dinner it's less stressful and you're less likely to do take-out or go out for dinner. Make it easy on yourself and cook enough extra for Sunday dinner for example, to use as a basis for a 'plan-over' on Tuesday.

We keep leftovers in the fridge 'meat keeper' to form the basis for lunch the next day, an evening snack or a plan-over which is really simple like over a baked potato, over rice or rolled in a tortilla with a suitable spice and a bit of sauce like jazzed up ketchup.

[susie michelle]

I guess the wisdom of the advice all depends on your situation. I don't have a whole lot of extra room for stockpiling, so, too often, I get just what I need. I find that, too often my frugality comes out in a tendency to underbuy, and that costs me in the long run. For example, I won't want to spend a lot of money on contact lens solution, so I don't buy more than one bottle. Then when I run out, I have to make a special trip to the store to get more, then I have to purchase it at full price.

There's certainly wisdom in stockpiling as long as you have the space to keep it and you aren't buying something you don't want or can't really use just because it's such a great deal.

[thesimplemoneyblog]

It's very helpful to write out a meal plan so that you use the products in your pantry & freezer before they expire. It doesn't have to be 'written in stone' but a good idea to have two weeks of menus you and family like to eat and disciplined enough to use the ingredients you've already purchased. Secondarily, if you know what's for dinner it's less stressful and you're less likely to do take-out or go out for dinner. Make it easy on yourself and cook enough extra for Sunday dinner for example, to use as a basis for a 'plan-over' on Tuesday.

We have a meal plan that we create 4-6 weeks out. Of course, we have some built in flexibility to go out to eat after a long day or if plans change, but it really helps us focus on what we need to purchase that we realistically plan to use. There are some items that make sense to buy in bulk, but other items (no matter how good a 'deal'), just don't make sense. Fruits, veggies, and anything that expires in a short period of time seldom make sense to buy in bulk. Just because it's a great deal and cheap, doesn't mean it actually saves you money! You may be buying way more than you usually buy (or you may not even have room for some of it), but just try to find what works for you and your lifestyle.

[Ramose]

Do not be tempted to buy stockpiles especially if you don't need it. You don't want to waste your money just because there's a huge bargain sale.

Exactly

[Ramose]

Well there is no ham in stocking up pile as somehow it gets used one or the other time. Randomly using in case of small emergencies which surely happen, can be easily solved by extra saved stock.

There are two issues with this:

1. Products have expiry dates. Even if it lasts a long time you still may never need it.
2. You might eat/use more just because it is there. For example, if you feel like eating a chocolate bar and buy a second because it is half price you will often eat the second bar within a few days simply because it is there to be eaten.