Stockpiling: How To Guide

 Kmart doubles stockpile trip less than $70 for everything above :)

If you are interested in saving money I would say that stockpiling groceries and other every day items is a must. If you haven't been using coupons long then this may seem a little extreme, but the first time you find a deal on body wash that makes it free after coupons, you'll be asking yourself "Why am I not buying more of this?"

There is no time like the present to get started. Here is everything you should need to know to get started.

What is stockpiling: Avid bargain shoppers use this term to refer to the act of purchasing mass quantities of items. The key is to buy the items that are important to you when there is an amazing deal going. 

What Should I Stockpile?: This is different for everyone,  you have to know what you are spending money on. For example; my husband loves cereal bars. These usually retail for about $2.50 a box and we may go through 2 boxes every week or $260 worth every year. These are a definite stock pile item for me. I recommend you go through your cabinets and take a long hard look at the items you are using every day. Whatever you are spending money on regularly you should try and stockpile.

Make a list:  Now that you have figured out where your money is going you will need to make a list of all the things you could be saving money on. You will want to make a note of how many your family goes through in a certain time period. A good rule of thumb is 12 weeks because a lot of items usually go on sale in 12 week intervals.

Find a place for storage: If you are going to be attempting to store a 3 month supply of multiple items you will need to find a place to store it. If you are lucky enough to have a place where you can put shelving or cabinets then great! Otherwise, you may have to get creative, but it will be well worth it.

Keep track of what you have and when it will expire. I like to store items with the expiration date facing out. If necessary I will re-write the expiration date in black permanent marker to make it more prominent. It isn't a savings if you have to throw it away.
Also on your list of things you would like to stockpile you may consider writing down the number of items you have on hand each time you make a stockpile shopping trip. For example, if you buy 20 boxes of cereal bars, I would write '20' next to that item on the list along with the date they were purchased. This way the next time a sale comes up you have an idea of how many are left without having to do a physical inventory before you shop.

Don't Be Brand Loyal: Sometimes your favorite brand will not be on sale, but if a quality substitute is available you should grab it. If Chex Mix Bars or $.50 or better after coupons that's what we buy, better than paying full price for another brand of bars. After you've been stockpiling a while  you will realize which brands you really can't live without. For example, I always buy Hellman's mayonnaise, for me there is no other kind :) It is one of very few brand loyalties I have left after all this time.

Be Reasonable: You you will run out of stuff and you will have to pay full price for it from time to time. Unless you have unlimited amounts of time to devote to keeping inventory on your stock pile every so often you will unexpectedly be out of something. There will come a time when you miss a deal thinking you had some on hand when you didn't. Try not to stress, and remember how much money you were spending before you had this great system set up and you should feel better.

Remember there are deals without coupons: Yes I said it. I have seen people get so caught up in buying with coupons that they will pass up great deals just because they don't have a coupon. Try and think of things in percentages instead, if I see something we really need and it is 50% off regular retail or more I will buy. If I am shopping for something that is more of a treat I try not to stock pile for more than 75% off regular retail. So keep your eyes peeled for clearance buys and great sales on your every day items, sometimes a great deal will turn up, no coupon needed.

Hope this helps you greatly
Happy Savings
~Ashley