Buying in Bulk

jasonhyp · 20 August 2016 at 1:00PM

SailorSam wrote: »

I buy lots of tins or tomatoes when they're on offer, 'cos i can use them in so many things when cooking. When Weetabix is on offer i stock up. Buy a lot of 'bread flour' so i know it's always there.

Yes this was my strategy in the past. Which is why I am considering buying wholesale from costco or wholefoods where goods are sold in bulk for a discount. Have you considered this? Any tips for how I can make a strategy like this work for me?

Nick_C · 20 August 2016 at 1:10PM

Just bought 24 packets of Percol "Black & Beyond" espresso beans from Waitrose. They will probably last us until Xmas. £60 instead of £83.76. Free delivery. £5 cashback from Quidco, and £6 from my Halifax Credit Card on a 10% cashback offer. Total savings 41.5%

If I'm in Sainsbury's late at night and they have marked down Crumpets and Muffins, I will buy them and freeze them. They will keep for weeks, just microwave to defrost and then toast.

jasonhyp · 20 August 2016 at 1:14PM

Nick_C wrote: »

Just bought 24 packets of Percol "Black & Beyond" espresso beans from Waitrose. They will probably last us until Xmas. £60 instead of £83.76. Free delivery. £5 cashback from Quidco, and £6 from my Halifax Credit Card on a 10% cashback offer. Total savings 41.5%

If I'm in Sainsbury's late at night and they have marked down Crumpets and Muffins, I will buy them and freeze them. They will keep for weeks, just microwave to defrost and then toast.

Impressive Nick!
So you think the best strategy is to check normal supermarkets and fish for the best deals rather than buying directly from a wholesaler?
Yep, 7pm onwards is perfect for finding marked down crumpted and muffins.

wannabe_sybil · 20 August 2016 at 1:42PM

My experience is that it is only worth buying in bulk if it is non perishable or long use by dates, easy to store, is not likely to be hoovered up as there's loads in and you actually use it.

If you get a great score on toilet paper (I got 108 perfectly adequate rolls for @£13 inc p&p) and can store it, then great.

I am about to junk a load of pasta that never got used up in time, and which is well past the use by date.

wannabe_sybil · 20 August 2016 at 1:45PM

My experience of Costco and Makro is that a lot of the time you can get a better deal in a supermarket. The exception is the brands that are rarely on sale.

My favourite supermarket have a large pack of Ariel for £11. About twice a year it goes on offer for £5.50, cheaper than Makro. That's when I buy Ariel, but I get a lot. I can't waste it or over use it, it doesn't go off and the stash sits under the kitchen table.

Nick_C · 20 August 2016 at 1:54PM

jasonhyp wrote: »

So you think the best strategy is to check normal supermarkets and fish for the best deals rather than buying directly from a wholesaler?

I've not looked at buying direct from wholesalers. I also have the luxury of being retired and having the time to shop around. I shop in a mixture of Morrison's, Aldi, Lidl, Wilko, Sainsbury's and Waitrose/Ocado on line.

Most supermarkets have loss leaders. Buy the best deals from each place.

I have two credit cards that regularly offer me extra cashback at the supermarkets. I use my TSB debit cards for 5% back on contactless, using the self service tills to split my shopping into smaller transactions of < £30.

I buy toiletries in Wilko who are consistently cheaper than the supermarkets. (And you can get 4% cashback in Wilko if you order on line and collect in store)

Check Top Cashback and Quidco for supermarket deliveries, and if you have never had a home delivery before you will find some excellent sign up bonuses. For example, Waitrose are currently offering new customers £20 off each of their first five shops for orders over £100. Now I wouldn't say buy all your shopping in Waitrose, but they do have some good special offers.

PennyForThem_2 · 20 August 2016 at 2:41PM

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

I am about to junk a load of pasta that never got used up in time, and which is well past the use by date.

lol
Why junk pasta which is dried - it is not going to go 'off' unless fresh.

David_Aston · 21 August 2016 at 3:20PM

"I guess its the promise of cheap items that gets people through the door but the expensive Medjool dates that keeps them spending".

I've only just done a quick online trawl Jason, but if you can find the Medjools cheaper elsewhere for me, I'll be grateful for the heads up!!!

Gnocchi · 31 August 2016 at 8:18PM

I stock up on things that I know I will always use like tinned tomatoes if I see the brand I prefer on offer. Also anti-persistent deodorants, shampoos and shower gels, loo rolls, kitchen roll, disposable razors, anti-allergy tablets.

In some stores doing this seems frowned upon. End of the day whether one customer buys 10 tins for £1 each or 10 customers spend £1 each the store still gets £10

We get the Comfort Pure Professional 5litre containers from B&M as well.

hazeldreams · 12 October 2016 at 9:49PM

Hi! I'm desperately trying to bring down our grocery bills and want to know where it's best to bulk buy from... I've jotted down the following as a starter for things I could buy in bulk and store; pasta, toilet roll, beans, pulses, lentils, washing powder, tinned tomatoes, mayonnaise, ketchup, olive oil, cat food, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, rinse aid, shampoo, conditioner....I'm sure there's more I could add to the list...Just really want to hear from the experts how best and where best to start the bulk buying process! Thanks so much in advance!

Buying in Bulk

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