Buying in bulk when the offers are there

spiggy

I have only recently taken over weekly shopping duties for the family but I have learnt by going to the same supermarket week in week out, how they cycle and repeat offers. So what I have been doing is buying in bulk everytime a non date affected item is on sale at really good price. I am lucky enough not to have to stick to tight budget every week as clearly this technique does mean an increase in cash flow at the start, however over time huge savings can be made. Just today as an example I bought over 20 packs of Aquafresh toothpaste at just 50p each (normally £1), 6 1kg packs of Uncle Ben's rice at £1.98 each (half price again). Other items at substantial savings i.e. 30-50% over the past months have included Napolina peeled plum tomatoes, Green Giant sweetcorn, Radox showergels, Coca Cola, Orange juice, PG Tips, Napolina Penne pasta, Ariel gel washing up powder, Comfort, L'Oriel shampoo and conditioner, Head & Shoulders. Basically, if it is on offer at a substantial discount; non-perishable and something we will definately consume/use then I just buy it! Anyone else doing this?

pruney

Yes I've done it for a long time but I suppose now I don't think of it as money saving even though really it is. For example, my husband will only drink nescafe original coffee so for years and years I've bulk bought when it's on 2 jars for £6 (it used to be 2 jars for £5 but it's not been that low for a long time) so we never run out. It's on offer at this price at Tesco and Sainsburys every couple of months and each time I'll buy at least 6 jars so we never run out. However, when Tesco had the offer on just recently the jars were also 50% free so I was effectively getting an extra jar of coffee each time I bought two. Now that got the old bargain buzz back because I can't remember the last time I paid the real full price for a jar of that coffee, to me it always costs £3 a jar.
I also bulk buy laundry liquitabs (started buying own brand at approx £3.80 for 20 tabs but have switched back to Bold as it smells nicer and when on offer is only £4 for 20 tabs so just 1p per tab difference), dishwasher tablets (got 2 years supply in January when Morrisons had a 28 pack half price at £6 but also with 100% free - I cleared the shelf!), vimto (from home bargains, only 95p a bottle but they don't always have it in), light salad cream (my husband practically drinks this so when it's on 2 for £3, I buy a lot but never quite enough to keep up with his salad cream thirst), pasta, tinned tomatoes, olive oil. I don't bulk buy as much as I used to as I use home bargains for quite a bit now.
I'm usually a sainsburys shopper but my Dad got 8 x £10 off £30 spend vouchers for tesco through the post so I've been using them and have bought quite a lot of whatever they've had on offer (salad cream, coffee, liquitabs).

VoucherMan

I've been doing this for years.
It's great if you've got room to store the stuff. My collection includes
about 50 assorted tins of Heinz soup
100 tins of tuna
6 tins of corned beef - used to have 60.
100 tins of baked beans:eek:
6 boxes of 80x Persil washing tablets. I was in Tesco. Just about to buy some of the 48 tablet boxes - reduced from £5 something to £4 - when I noticed these boxes of 80 left over from a recent promotion selling for £3. I've got about a 10 year supply!
6 boxes of corn flakes.
4 boxes of Cheerios - in the past I've had over 20.
10 chewing gum multi-packs.

and plenty more besides.

It's fine until circumstances change or you go off something. My niece & nephew used to visit regularly and usually asked for soup for lunch. Now they only come over occasionally so I'm having to use it all myself.

chalkysoil

my collection includes coffee, loo rolls, marmite,cat food

parsonswife8

I also do this, loads of loo rolls, paper towels, tissues, shampoo and conditoner, washing powder, washing up liquid, tins of baked beans, tomatoes, fruit in juice, rice, water, corned beef, tinned mackeral, tuna and sardines, teabags, filter coffee, sugar flour, breadmixes, olive oil, cereal, porrdge oats....etc...etc...

All bought at cheaper then normal prices:j

My DH made a spreadsheet so we can keep track of how much of what is where.:rotfl:

money21

This is definitely a ploy to make consumers buy more.Yes i am too guilty of bulk buying,i buy washing up liquid ,soap powder,cereals(they finish in our house like i am feeding 100s).This rest like toothpaste or soap,my husband is a wholesaler so gets it from cash and carry.

VoucherMan

chalkysoil wrote: »

marmite

Where do you manage to find that on offer? I'm always on the lookout for it but rarely see it with more than a few pence off

cornishlady

i've done ths for years but on a bit smaller scale than alot of you . i remember mentioning to someone i worked with that i had about 24 tins of tuna once & they thought i was mad.(bought half price +used a till spit). the present Sainsburys offer on for certain cleaning products half price + till spit for more money off is a prime example of when its a good time to stock up on items you use.

vicki+1

this works for me on things like toilet paper, washing up liquid, beans, tinned tomatoes etc. But no good for biscuits, chocolate, icecream or anything with a high fat, sugar or salt content as they have a habit of falling into my mouth at a faster rate the more there is in the house !!!!

Cheeselady

I used to do this, but now we're on a much tighter budget, I can't do it anymore, as I only have enough each week for a weekly shop. I find it quite frustrating, lol, but guess I will get out of the habit and get used to not being able to do it.

katholicos

I'm on quite a low income but have always tended to do this....if there is an offer on, say half price mature cheddar or BOGOF, then i would buy 4 and get 4 free and and freeze some, for example. You do have to be quite savvy if you are on a tight budget, because obviously there isn't the money to spare and what you use to buy the extra bulk produce has to come from your weekly grocery budget maybe...but it can be done. I also use clearance food websites as i am not fussy about best before dates unless they are on meat or fish.