Buying in bulk / stockpiling ....is it really worth it?

wendy+5

Pigpen, can I ask you...You say you only buy stuff when you run out, and that you stock up when it's on offer. What do you do if it's on offer before you run out?!

rosh12

Hi three- the wonderful Rhonda Jean at www.down---to---earth.blogspot.com has posted some really helpful stuff on this. If you go to her blog, on the right she has a list of topics discussed and one is stockpiling.

Personally I don't do this (yet...) We only have one cupboard in our kitchen for food + a normal size fridge freezer, however with prices being what they are, I may start soon...!

x

save-a-lot

I get BOGOF's when I can as essentially it makes what you are buying half price. I only buy what we shall eat though. https://www.fixtureferrets.co.uk is good for finding the deals before you go out to the shops

ceridwen

I follow weezl's point on this. So - I do think one should pay off any loans first and the mortgage.

This because of several factors:
- the interest charged on loans and mortgage
- if one gets thrown onto means-tested benefit (eg through unemployment) at some point - then you seriously want, if at all possible, to be as free as possible from debts and mortgage. (Reason - in this day and age you are lucky if all your mortgage interest gets covered for you). I suspect (only 95% certain on this) that if you use any redundancy money and/or savings to repay debt/mortgage it could be classed as "intentional deprivation of capital" - so its not wise to spend money on stocking-up that could be thrown at debts/mortgage instead now (whilst you are safely still in employment and havent been given notice otherwise).
- its extra "clutter" in the place

However - on the other hand - if you are already free from debt and mortgage - then, yes, do stock up with food (somewhere on the Mormon website it says keeping times for foods - so you dont waste any of it by keeping it too long).

Being stocked up with food means:
- you dont have to worry so much about food shopping if you are too ill to do so (you've got it in already)
- you dont have to worry if the item you are about to buy in the supermarket is out of stock (you have a spare in anyway)
- it is a form of "savings" that isnt subject to inflation or to capital limits (if you end up on those means-tested benefits).

EDIT; Found it:

http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/aa112202b.htm

Claire70_2

OH is self employed and sometimes the money can come in fits and starts if you know what I mean, so by bulk buying and stocking the freezer with things that meals can be made of when all these things are on special offers means for us that we eat well when we have no money in the bank.


I dont have a credit card and work solely with cash so sometimes we live day to day ...

Pitlanepiglet

I think it depends on your circumstances, there are only two of us in the house, we work full time but we do live close to a Costco and all main supermarkets.

I stock the freezer with meat and fish from Costco once every four or six weeks, this means we always have food for meals, we pack the chops, chicken etc. in portion sized packs so we only have to remember to take out what we need then whoever is home first lobs it in the oven or whatever, sticks on spuds/rice/frozen veg etc. and we have quick meal which stops the "let's order pizza/Chinese" danger.

I stockpile other foods to some extent, there is always a tray of tinned tomatoes, chilli beans, juice, pasta, rice etc. in the cupboard this means we always got food and saves me having to go to the supermarket (which I hate!) and then blowing £30 by accident!

Neither of us drink milk, only soya so that gets stockpiled in longlife cartons, so I do a monthly online shop for other shopping and I'll pick up bits in the Tesco Metro as necessary (but as little as possible). I've just replaced my old breadmaker to avoid having to go and buy bread each week as well.

However, we're planning a move out to a more rural area, we'll be ten miles from anything but an expensive Co-op, thirty miles from a "proper" sized supermarket (and ninety miles from my beloved Costco!), we'll also have my Dad with us. My plan then is to add a decent sized chest freezer to our set up and construct a decent larder, I don't want to be in a position where I run out of anything that requires a twenty mile round trip to get it so in that case I think stockpiling will be invaluable and will save us the cost of trips out.

We always eat out of the storecupboard and the freezer in January to avoid spending money and to make sure we clear down the cupboards.

Ben84

I expect the greatest hazard from bulk buying is waste from things going bad before you use them. Provided you're not wasting stuff, then I don't see any great concerns about bulk buying things.

I eat many fresh things that don't last a long time, but some items like dried things, cleaning stuff and toiletries I buy extra when they're on offer. I also bulk buy heavy things if possible, as I don't have a car and like to get maximum benefits from the times I get my shopping taken home in a car. I stock up on washing powder, flour, rice/pasta and long life fruit juices.

The savings can be quite large, so I doubt that the interest from regular investements on the same money would be greater. An average savings account makes about 6% a year, so every £1 invested for a year returns 6p. Buying something you like and use often worth £1 on BOGOF delivers the same £1 back, making 100% saving as soon as you use the extra item.

purpleivy

I think we have only had chippy tea once since I started this lark (obsessive meal planning!!) in January. For me this is a saving, because by having a good variety of stuff in and planning, it means that we don't use the chippy or frozen pizza for emergency food.(or even 'can't be bothered food').

YoungBean

Evening all

Hope that everyone is well?

Just a quick question.... what are the best foods to stock up on, in cupboards and freezer.

OH and me are trying to make it so we bulk up where we can, then only need to buy fresh items, and fruit and veg every week.

Any ideas??

Sooz xxx

mandy_moo_1

i suppose everyone's different but i always make sure i have plenty of pasta, rice, tuna, beans, corned beef, eggs and cheese in. then when its a tight week, you can always rustle up tuna pasta, beans on toast, omelette or something x