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

Mags_cat

mardatha wrote: »

When do we get the passport offers everybody talks about ? Do they send leaflets to the house like Makro or do you jsut find out when you go up ?

Costco send their passport offers direct in the post - twice a year as I recall.

They also often give you another copy as you enter the store (if you go in during the time the offers are on).

Pitlanepiglet

We bulk buy meat and fish at Costco as well as loo roll, washing powder, freezer bags and some other stuff. Their meat and fish is so much better than the stuff you get in the supermarkets and in my view it's pretty cheap.

I also bulk buy from Asda/Tesco for non perishables and long life food, mainly because I HATE shopping! It means I don't have to just "pop" out for something and if there is a month where I'm really skint then I've got enough in to make do which can be helpful. We have two freezers so buy frozen veg which helps.

I'm not sure if it makes sense financially, I do save money as I do one supermarket internet shop every couple of months (only two of us) and as it's non meat/fish it's pretty cheap (mostly value products) but it makes life much easier as I don't ever run out of anything and I get to go shopping less.

I then go to Mr S on the way to work for fruit and fresh veg or Mr A at lunchtime when I need to but I don't have to lug lots of stuff home.

SuziQ

miss_corerupted wrote: »

Hi all,
I'm going to be off on maternity leave in dec. i'll be short on time, money and vanless then (works van )

So i'm thinking i'll start bulk buying loads of stuff now to reduce cost, time and travel i've started making a list, here it is so far

toothpaste,
mouthwash (like the dentyl ph 1/2 price in tesco atm),
laundrey detegent,
toilet cleaner,
general cleaner (all ecover),
soap,
shampoo and conditioner
washin liquid
pasta
mayo

CAn any 1 else think of anything that stores for a while i can bulk buy?? prob needs stuff for the baby as well but i have no idea what stopped looking at baby books as i was having panic attacks when i think about it to much lol so concentrating on other stuff instead.

thanks all

Good idea to buy some napisan (great for soaking clothes with accidents on!) a pack of muslin cloths is the best buy I ever got with my first child-18 years on a couple of them are still in my 6 year olds room as blankies. Great for bibs,on your shoulder when burping etc! I got 6 huge ones off ebay for £3.79 recently to cut up as Liz earle cloths,but they also sell them in mothercare toysrus etc.Also if you see any good offers on non bio washing powder and non perfumed conditioner you can't go wrong. Get yourself a flask for nightime feeds too!Also stockpile on sterilising stuff if you see any good offers

Chell

gazza975526570 wrote: »

surely you can bulk buy anything that wont go off

Wipes are always good value on bulk buys as are nappies

Why not use reusable wipes? You can buy them or just buy some fleece or something and make your own.

kirsty000

is there any shops that do bulk where you dont need to be a member to shop?

miss_corerupted

thanks suziq for the ideas. babys seem to need more equipment than the army!!! i'm going to try terry nappies (i think) and breastfeeding fingers crossed, so i'll start getting the stuff on the list u gave me.

So far i have bulk buyed
Dentyl Ph it was half price in mr t
Pregnacare and cranberry juice tablets cheaper on internet and free delivery!

Should be enough to see me through until and know i don't have to worry about running it, such relief from such simple things lol

avinabacca

How do everyone, this is my first post here (though have lurked quite a bit on and off) - pleased to meet you all!

Just wondering really - and would be helpful to hear from others with experience of it! - it's that Mrs Avinabacca and I are having a look at buying things (bread flour, rice, chickpeas, sugar, spuds - all fairly stable things) in bulk from Costco, the farmshop or the local Asian supermarket. Seems like it'd be lots cheaper on a £/lb comparison than buying from the supermarket, even on BOGOFF day.

Thing is, it's just the two of us - it may take some time to get through that 50lb sack of spuds.......

Does anyone know how long these kind of foods can realistically be expected to keep without sprouting fur/crumbling to dust/going slimy? It'd be disappointing to shell out on a big sack of rice, only to get halfway through it and find it wasn't any good any more.

Thanks in advance you guys - looking forward to getting to know you better!

Larumbelle

Spuds will last ages as long as you buy them 'dirty' and keep them somewhere cool, dry and dark - a shed or garage is ideal. The cost savings of buying them by the sack is pretty amazing!

Rice, pasta, flour etc will also keep indefinitely so long as you make sure to keep the bugs and beasties out, and again, make sure you keep them somewhere absolutely dry. The kitchen may not be the best place if it gets very humid. A lot of the big bags have a kind of zipper thingy to keep them sealed, which is handy. If you buy dried beans in bulk, bear in mind that as they get older they get tougher and so will need a longer cooking time.

avinabacca

Thanks for the tips! I can get hold of a load of old jars - they might be good for keeping pasta and the like in, away from the bugs n' grubs......

Good call on not keeping stuff in a hot, humid kitchen, too - hadn't thought of that, but makes perfect sense now you mention it. The shed, then!?

tramps

how about cooking and freezing some - cheese and potato pie, mash, tuna bake loads of meals can be frozen rice can be cooked and then frozen ideal for quick meals when you are in a hurry.