Stockpiling stuff

[Daylily]

How large stockpiles are we talking here? I can't imagine anyone living in a larger home just for the purpose of being able to stockpile on freebies. There are people that have so much 'stuff' that they end up having to rent storage units but that is more for things like furniture and clothes and holiday decorations. I bought my house based on a number of considerations: price, size, location. Since I plan to live here indefinitely (and pay off the mortgage in the next 10 years) I can't imagine downsizing for the sake of having less space to heat/cool/maintain.
I use closets, under the bed, and the basement to store my mini stockpiles.

[Aleta]

My Mom has one of those metal two door utility cabinets. That could work in any available closet. When I plan for emergencies, I try to envision what I would have at each meal. It could be tuna fish, any canned fish or meat. Instant rice (something with little cooking time involved). A very important food stuff to have around is the saltines in the metal containers. They last forever. I think that Keebler makes them. Bread might be hard to come by unless you bake it yourself. Biscotti's are good as well. You just have to sort of make a menu from a list and go for there. Some people think that 3 weeks is sufficient. It all depends on your particular situation. If either of you have irregular income or your job situation could change at any time, you should have more supplies. Always check expiration dates. This is important. I even have a few months of the various supplements that we take, just in case.

I too, don't like to keep too much frozen food around during hurricane time. I don't buy as much during that time.

[JanH]

Another thing we stockpile a bit during the summer hurricane months is extra dogfood. Don't want hungry pets since one of ours can't eat anything but one kind or she will end up ill.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

We're talking 1 year stockpiling, entire bedrooms, garages, whole basements. This is not a tiny amount of stuff. Extra new built in pantry I've been told people who coupons stockpile a lot.

Granted it's a lot more than a couple of DINKS like us would use in 1 year, but more like for a family so it's a lot of stuff.

[Aleta]

There are advantages to buying in bulk. For one, you won't run out. You'll rarely have to go shopping and buy regular prices. I found at one time that if it wasn't on sale; I didn't need to buy it.

[PrincessPerky]

I actually know of a family that said they thought about downsizing...but then they would lose the attic of 'stuff' not talking food stockpiles, but 'stuff' furniture, clothing....you name it 'someday might be used stuff' (that also means someday might not be used....)

That kind of stockpiling has to have a good balance, but I prefer to err on the side of letting someone else use it instead of having it collect dust for someday.....

[Scanner]

Aleta,

I agree with you to a large extent. Sometimes I go to BJ's (for diapers mostly) and think, "Why would anyone need to buy that amount of stuff in bulk?"

[Daylily]

Okay, if you are talking about a whole year's worth of stockpiling then yes, I agree that is excessive. If it is taking up a whole bedroom or a whole garage, then I definitely wouldn't want any part of that.

I might have a year's worth of toothpaste here at the house because of freebies, but I would never be able to handle it if I had a year's worth of every toiletry and all food for a year sitting in the extra bedroom.

[Aleta]

I think that sometimes you have to look at many factors. A small tube of toothpaste could cost alot if not on sale. How much space does it take up. You also have to consider the state tax on items as well. There is another savings. For a while there, I was figuring up how much in tax I was saving and I couldn't believe it. Probably enough for another item on my list.

When we go on vacation, we usually get a place with a full kitchen. If it's not too far from my house, I either pre-cook and freeze meals in seal in a seal-a-meal, and,or I will buy meat, shape it into patties (hamburger), divide it into separate meals. Meat can be expensive to buy when you're on vacation. When we're within 15 minutes of the vacation place, we stop at the store and buy milk, eggs, bread, bananas, Orange juice, etc. Usually those items are large and don't travel as well. So, you can have a couple of days of your vacation free of food shopping and you can enjoy yourself. Usually, the main things happening are on the weekend anyway, so shopping just interferes with that.

[zakity]

I know there is a religion that wants you to have a years worth of food on hand. I think it is LDS/Mormons. Could those "have a year on hand" people be Mormon?

[boefixepa]

I am. And I've always grown up that way and so it doesn't seem odd to me, or those around me as I live in Utah, aka 'happy valley' mormon central. I didn't grow up here, but when I talk about food storage every one knows what I mean. The religion is big on self-sufficienty and being able to take care of ones family in times of need...job loss, illness, etc... Emergency Prepardness is just good common sense, as those in hurricane or flood areas know.

They do suggest a year worth of 'basic' food stuffs. Different people do this in different ways and each person has to adapt it to their own individual circumstances and situations. In college there was no way it was even possible for me, but I kept a small basic 72 hour back pack... it was the best I could do at the time.

The church also assists the members in this by giving them access to bulk food stuffs to purchase that would be near impossible to find. They have storhouse where people can go (and you don't have to be a member of the church to use the facility, it is open to all) and purchase the basics is bulk. Flour, wheat, sugar, oatmeal, powdered milk, all kinds of pastas, dried poatates, carrots, apples, rices, beans of all types...etc.

You can also use the facility to package them in smaller sizes for extended storage. I've prices them out and they are great prices. It allows me to buy in bulk and cook from scratch and save alot on food overall. I go in spurts on wether or not I actually have a years worth, and since I'm getting married that of course doubles what I need and I know I don't have that.

I don't know if there will ever come a time when I need it, but I know having and rotating it now saves me money, teaches me a skill, and gives me a sense of security knowing that I would be alright if push came to shove and that I would have plenty to share in a time of need. I've been told by many a friend and neighbor that if there is ever a disater they are coming to my house....And I am just fine with that.

[Elgin526]

We're talking 1 year stockpiling, entire bedrooms, garages, whole basements. This is not a tiny amount of stuff. Extra new built in pantry I've been told people who coupons stockpile a lot.

Granted it's a lot more than a couple of DINKS like us would use in 1 year, but more like for a family so it's a lot of stuff.

Some religions require members to stockpile for a year as a part of their faith, I beleive. I think Mormons do that, and some other religions do to.

I have two closests I can use as pantries, plus a full basement and a garage. I only use one closet at the moment. If we were willing to eat meatless meals, we'd have enough food for a month. Not on purpose, it's just because I stock up on sales. We'd have this size house no matter what (and it's not that big, 1300 sqft so it's not like we have a McMansion!) so we may as well use the storage space we have to stock up when food is cheap!

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Nope not mormons and not 1300 sq ft homes. more like 3000+

[Ima saver]

I don't stockpile either. I do buy extra if it is a good sale.

[LuxLiving]

We have a lot of storage food. We are not Mormons. I just buy inexpensively when I can and stock pile it. I have a large pantry that I would have anyway, so why not fill it? I think of it as an investment. We are eating today at 2004 prices on some things. Canned goods, I mean. They are dated and rotated into usage.

Example at the scratch n' dent this week was chicken broth (the good kind) for 25 cents a can. I can't buy it anywhere in my town for less than 69 cents on a good day and 50 cents on sale. Coupons are rarely enough to get it to the 25 cent stage. Oohhhhhh, it has a torn label - BIG WHOOPY DEAL! It's something I use regularly, so I bought all they had.

We have used the Mormon/LDS storehouses to package some goods at very decent prices in the past. It can be a real 'deal'. Find them in your local area and see about getting a couple of people together for a day of packing, it can be a lot of fun. Work, but fun.

When The Hubster was laid off for 6 months, the fact that I could spend an average of $22-26 a week to buy fresh food stuffs to round out the storage food let us keep all of our payments current w/only the unemployment checks. At that time we did not have an emergency fund.

I would never be without food storage if I can possibly help it. Good in times of bad weather, good in times of hard times...good in the pocketbook just because I was able to buy a great deal at an inexpensive price and invest the rest elsewhere.

**and don't forget, some of the people who are able to live in 3000 square foot homes and have storage/stockpiles got to the financial place to be able to buy the big home BECAUSE they bought food/cosmetics/healthcare products inexpensively or free w/coupons in the first place! They may not need to financially any more be a bargain shopper, but by the time they got there the habits may be ingrained! I'm thinking here of Thomas J. Stanley's 'Millionaire Mindset'.

Amazon.com: The Millionaire Next Door: Books: Thomas J. Stanley,William D. Danko

We don't always know the next guy's financial state of affairs or HOW he/she got there.