Bulk buying to, hopefully, beat inflation.

mumtoomany

Hello all, as the title says I'm hoping to beat inflation a bit. At the moment we are living on one state and five small private pensions. Total of around £1390 per month, plus any other bits we can make. Only the state pension and two of the private pensions are index linked, so in real terms our income is falling. 

I have always been very frugal, especially with food shopping, we grow some of our own, buy yellow sticker, never waste anything etc. We live in a big farmhouse, so lots of space. So later this month,  when the pensions are in, we're  thinking of buying a years supply of all the dried, tinned, jarred, goods that we eat. Then when the prices rise again, we'll  be eating at today's price.

I'm  making a list,
So far I have thought of:
Packets.   Cereals, oats, sugar, pasta, rice, dried peas, gravy granules, tea bags,

Tins.          Baked beans, tomatoes, kidney beans, pilchards, tuna, corn beef, fruit, evaporated milk, corn, 

Jars/bottles.  Coffee, sweet pickle, piccalilli, cooking oil,


Other stuff. Toilet rolls, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel, shower gel, soap, washing up liquid, washing liquid,

Anything else I'm  missing? All suggestions appreciated. We won't do the same for fresh and frozen obviously. 

I will make a note of the prices and compare them in April next year to see if it was worthwhile, thanks for your help, hugs to all, mumtoomany,xx

singhini

Looks like you covered most of the essentials. Perhaps:-

Plain Flour or Self Raising
Herbs & spices
Noodles
Foil
Cling Film

fatbelly

I decided to do this a couple of years ago.

I use olive oil and sunflower oil for different things so have a stock of both

I make my own gravy from cornflour and soy sauce, so they were stocked up.

But your list looks thorough

weenancyinAmerica

Light bulbs
do you use kitchen bags for trash or smaller bags for food
Parchment paper for baking
toilet bowl cleaner - or do you have a recommendation for making your own
metal scouring pads - also to stick in holes against any mice getting in
Vinegar for cleaning
Paper, pens, pencils
packing tape
Sanitary supplies
white spirits and other medical supplies
matches (my friend ran out and couldn't find any - I had to mail them to her)

Paspatur

Comparing your list to mine I would add:-

Packets - stock cubes, salt, pepper, spices,vinegar, lentils

Tins - sardines, chickpeas, butterbeans, borlotti beans, cannellini beans, tomato soup (grandchild requirement), coconut milk and lentils (for salads I use dried for other things)

Other - kitchen roll, mouthwash, bleach

sheilavw

what about razors?The venus ones i buy are about £9 i think for 4, but they do last a while

badmemory

I would recommend a spreadsheet listing all items with their locations & expiry dates.  It will give you a record of how much you have used as we don't always realise just how much or how little we use of a particular item.  As for the location, well that prevents the "well I know we should still have some but where did I put it?"  As they say been there done that got the Tshirt.

-taff

What an excellent idea bad memory...

I'd add dried beans, lots of different types, dried chickpeas, flour [ making your own pasta is dead easy] , maybe seeds to grow your own if you have space, some dried herbs/spices, noodles, salt, peppercorns, condiments [espcially ketchup which keeps going up if you use it that is] , vacuum packed coffee if you use ground.

mumtoomany

Thank you for all the ideas. @singhini, yes I need to add foil, nearly out of it. Flour I tend to buy from aldi when they have 30% reductions on split bags, have two spare of each in stock. Cling film, my sister gave me all hers when she emigrated to Oz. Down to my last three rolls, they left nearly twenty years ago! Are we a family of horders, I wonder? Spices I'll  have to check.

@fatbelly, nice to see you over here, not just on the debt free thread. Yes I'll add soy sauce and brown sauce too. Cornflour, I have a catering bag I'm using. Should see me through the year.

@weenancyinAmerica, hello from this side of the pond. Light bulbs, have a box full under the desk. Parchment paper, probably need some. Don't  use special cleaner for the toilets, we have a septic tank, so use washing up liquid and elbow grease. Don't need sanitary products any more, being old has a few good points. Pens, paper etc, we only have enough for around three life times, same with medical supplies. Did I mention that we might be horders? Will need matches, we use them for the wood burner and candles during power cuts.

@Paspatur, thanks, I'll need kitchen roll, probably get some tinned soups, for emergencies, when dadtoomany has to fend for himself. Also white beans for casseroles etc.

@sheilavw, hi, razors I don't use them, dadtoomany has lots in store, enough for at least a year I think. But a good idea for others.

@badmemory, good ideas. I think I'll try to only store them in two or three places, save losing things.

@-taff, hello from sunny Wales. Yes we do have room to grow stuff, 13 acres! Plenty of seeds already started and more to sow. Don't use ketchup really, but need some in for children and grandchildren. Thanks, will ad to the list.

Thank you all again, really helpful. I hope others find it useful too, hugs to all, mumtoomany.xx

Auntycaz

Not a bulk buy but I always make sure I have a well stocked first aid box with antiseptic cream plasters elasticated and ordinary bandages paracetamols ibruprofen etc.xx

MayDogsandCoffee

I used to live in a country where cleaning products were more expensive, I used to bulk buy: laundry, washing up liquid, bleach, etc.  Thinking back, travelling home I was probably a mobile explosion if in a serious crash.