[philsla]

I have been reading many different websites. Someone wrote today that a certain item was at a good price, but not quite a stock up price.

So, how do you determine if something is at a stock up price or not? As newbies, to us, many things are at a great price compared to just the everyday shelf price.

4 boxes of cereal at X dollars may be a great price to me, but I am sure others who are more experienced will say no, I will wait for it to be X dollars or free. I guess part of being newbies is that we don't know how often certain deals on certain items come around. If you miss it this time, will it be 6 months, a year till you see an item at a certain GREAT price again.

I loaded up on Pepsi 12 packs the last 2 weeks from CVS. I thought a final price of $1.67 a 12 pack was about as low as you may see it...................Maybe I was wrong????????????

Anyone who could offer some insight would be appreciated.

[Weatie]

This is going to be differant on many things.
I wont pay more than $1 for the BEST cereal.
I wont pay for shampoo, Toothpaste or toothbrushes, deoderant.
Pasta is free
No more than .50 for jarred spegetti sause.
Mustard is free. Salad dressing is .25 to .50.
Coffee less than $1.

I go by what is the lowest I EVER paid for an item. But that cant always be the case because sometimes a super deal comes along and we dont see that same price again.

This can be a fun thread to see what everone will or wont pay for certain things.

[sayalee76]

When you are "stocking up" on an item at a great price, how much of it do you buy? 6 months worth, a years worth? I too am new at this, but as I can see from your profile pic Wheatie that you are a horse person, I too am a horse person and the more I save on groceries ect the more I can spend on my riding lessons ect..
So I am looking for ways to cut in the budget so I can have more fun money.

[philsla]

Thanks for your list. That is a great starter. I wish there were a place where others "stock up prices" were listed. I guess the whole point is to not leave money on the table as the saying goes.

So far, I have been very pleased with some purchases. I got 20 bags of speghetti free yesterday so I was very excited. But then I think, should I get 10 more because we may not see that deal again for a year. I know most of this will be answered in time.

[philsla]

another horse person here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Weatie]

Originally Posted by sayalee76

When you are "stocking up" on an item at a great price, how much of it do you buy? 6 months worth, a years worth? I too am new at this, but as I can see from your profile pic Wheatie that you are a horse person, I too am a horse person and the more I save on groceries ect the more I can spend on my riding lessons ect..
So I am looking for ways to cut in the budget so I can have more fun money.

For stocking up I get what any amount I can financially and have room to store it and by how long the product will last (expiration dates) Some things expire rather quickly (salad dressing and I just threw out 2 unopened and 1 half full jars of mayo. I still have 4 jars of Hellmans now. Next time I wont get so many. I dont like to keep more than about 12 boxes of pasta. Im scared of bugs getting into them. Same goes for bisquik and flour.

I have enough Swiss Miss Hot cocoa to last, Oh gosh maybe a year. We drink alot of it.

I also, have probably too much Face moisturizers, eye creams, body lotions, and TONS of make up. A drawer full of just mascara and eye liner.

No limit on the amount of cleaning supplies, shampoo, conditioner or body washes I will get. They dont go bad.

[pigninnie]

i like this thread!!!

[wonsunhee]

I am also a newbie and I am having a hard time figuring out how to get the many coupons for that certain item to stockpile. Like this week....crest toothpaste is free at CVS, but I only have 1 coupon. How do I get 10 or 50? Where do I get them except in the newspaper? Do I order them online?.....what site?....how long will it take? SOOOOOO many questions. Please help.....

[slow going]

I tend to think it what you would pay for it. I'm not a horse person. I just like having money..
I put my pasta, flour,sugar, in the freezer to keep the bugs out of it.

[LACECOUPONS]

I use a price check on what I pay me like this week I will not stockpile the surf at bilo because I only have a 1.00 q but if I had a 2.00 q was out I WOULD STOCKPILE.
Yes I still have a lot from the last sale.

[Jakejake]

Toothpaste is free all the time, you don't need to get 50 of them even at the free price. You'll find another free deal on that by the time you get your next newspaper.

[AJ98]

I'm still new to this but I find that the number changes as you move along. For example, I used to pay full price every time for TP, as it was the type of thing I'd only buy when I was about to run out. Once beginning the learning process here, I set my goal at no more than .50/double roll of quality TP, and I would stock up at that price with as many coupons as I had from buying 2-3 papers each week.

Now, after having to pay too much a few times, I finally feel like I'm ahead of the game, so my goal is more like .30/double roll... same deal with laundry detergent and others, as I grow a mini-stockpile my "stock up" price is going down.

[Weatie]

Originally Posted by wonsunhee

I am also a newbie and I am having a hard time figuring out how to get the many coupons for that certain item to stockpile. Like this week....crest toothpaste is free at CVS, but I only have 1 coupon. How do I get 10 or 50? Where do I get them except in the newspaper? Do I order them online?.....what site?....how long will it take? SOOOOOO many questions. Please help.....

Yes you can order inserts online. You can google coupon insert services.
Here on AFC there is a link directly to service here
Also go to the Blue Bar at the top and click on COUPONS

You can trade on AFC for coupons you want. You can make a wishlist and an ISO list.
Trading is easy. YOu can also join a train.

Check inside ALL your packaging too when you open it.

I have a local Deli that gives me any papers that dont sell and any extra inserts they get. All I have to do is rip off the front page. They need that to get credit as unsold paper.

Now The local Paper started sending 12 free sunday papers to the selter for us. Now I have all those coupons too. Which is a HUGE help. All I had to do was call and explain how I shop for them and it would be a great big financial help if they donated them to us and that most of the women in there are not yet leaving the shelter even for shopping so this way they would be able to read the paper.

I dont suggest you run out buying 10 or 12 papers or even inserts unless you have the hang of how it all works yet though.

[kimberlym322]

I dont pay much for anything. In the last few months my sister and I let our "stock pile" go way down, so we are working on pileing it up again. For me FREE is the best price, but that dont always happen. When we are in major coupon mode we dont pay more then 1.00 for cleaning things, 0.00 for tooth paste(not picky on kind to use), pasta, honey mustard...no more then .50 for any thing else.

I dont know if mine is tipical or not, but in the last 2 weeks I have been shopping at Harris Teeter (super double one week, triples last week and this week) and in the two weeks I paid only about 300.00 and saved over 2,000.00!!

And for us we put the 2,000.00 away for a trip so all I have to say is Disney in 10 months.....here I come. In just two weeks we have almost paid for the trip...only have to come up with 300.00 more and we are set.

[minahsmom]

I really think this is an individual's preference and also depends where you live especially when it comes to groceries. As you keep shopping, you'll be able to recognize when you hit the absolute lowest prices on items.

For HBA items, I generally agree with the other posters. I won't pay more than .25 for toothpaste or toothbrushes. No more than $1 for mouthwash (including 1 liter bottles), or body wash. I never pay more than .50 for deodorant.

Food is different. I rarely can get my food bill down to the level as a lot of other posters on this board, mainly b/c my area doesn't double coupons. I can usually get pasta for .50-free. This week I bought 12 boxes of Kool aid jammers for .67/box and 12 boxes of Capri Sun for .87/box.

[scamelo]

This is a great question! What you have to remember is we all have different stores with different coupon policies, different prices and even different coupon inserts so someones stock up price might be impossible for another to get. I get jealous when I see some of the great buys in other parts of the country that we never get here in my part of NJ even with double coupons.

If you are not picky you can get many things for free. However if you have kids that won't eat or hate taste of certain things, it does no good to pay even .25 a box of cereal, cause no one will eat it.

I am in an area where we NEVER get the Finish 2.25 coupon. So I have to decide to buy it or try to fit it in with another deal. I find that buying that coupon sometimes is more expensive than finagling a deal with our lousy .50 or 1.00 off we get and a good sale and a good CAT.

So one persons good deal, might be high for another, and unobtainable for another.

[Weatie]

Originally Posted by scamelo

This is a great question! What you have to remember is we all have different stores with different coupon policies, different prices and even different coupon inserts so someones stock up price might be impossible for another to get. I get jealous when I see some of the great buys in other parts of the country that we never get here in my part of NJ even with double coupons.

If you are not picky you can get many things for free. However if you have kids that won't eat or hate taste of certain things, it does no good to pay even .25 a box of cereal, cause no one will eat it.

I am in an area where we NEVER get the Finish 2.25 coupon. So I have to decide to buy it or try to fit it in with another deal. I find that buying that coupon sometimes is more expensive than finagling a deal with our lousy .50 or 1.00 off we get and a good sale and a good CAT.

So one persons good deal, might be high for another, and unobtainable for another.

Where in NJ are you? Im also in NJ we get pretty good coupons here. I did get the 2.25 Finish. WHat is get differant from so many is they will post .75/1 and I will get the $1/1. I would rather have the .75/1 Qs because Of doubles at Shoprite.

I am about smack dab in the middle of NJ. The west side of Ocean COunty.

[phoenixjean1]

Hmmm...

toothpaste-free
feminine products -free up to .99 a package for my favorite brands
food-well, right now there are a lot of free/MM items at Rite Aid. Obviously, I get what I can on the free stuff. With the MM, I use the extra to buy other foods, so technically still free.
bodywash-free to .99 on favorite brands
shampoo-free
makeup-free up to .50
lotion-free

Sometimes I will spend oop (whether it's cash or Ups) if the product has a rebate, technically making it free.

[philsla]

Thank you all for your stock up prices. I am getting a better feel of what to buy at what prices.

I don't know of any supermarkets in my area that offer double coupons. I wish I had some that did.

[Weatie]

Originally Posted by philsla

Thank you all for your stock up prices. I am getting a better feel of what to buy at what prices.

I don't know of any supermarkets in my area that offer double coupons. I wish I had some that did.

You can call or email them.

[auracounts]

Originally Posted by Weatie

I go by what is the lowest I EVER paid for an item. But that cant always be the case because sometimes a super deal comes along and we dont see that same price again.

This can be a fun thread to see what everone will or wont pay for certain things.

Great post, but I thought I would also add that regional differences will also come into play. Aside from regional coupons, some places have grocery store coupons. Others don't. Some stores have better coupon policies and doubling, but others don't.

I'm still learning this myself, especially with food items, but so far I can agree that things like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and sometimes even feminine products are all freebies (which is, of course, when you stock up).

[meganPRICE]

I think that is a GREAT price for pop!
I usually try to pay under $2.50! YIKES!
It's a rare thing for me to buy, unless I'm realllllllllllllly craving the fizz & taste, .

[scamelo]

Originally Posted by Weatie

Where in NJ are you? Im also in NJ we get pretty good coupons here. I did get the 2.25 Finish. WHat is get differant from so many is they will post .75/1 and I will get the $1/1. I would rather have the .75/1 Qs because Of doubles at Shoprite.

I am about smack dab in the middle of NJ. The west side of Ocean COunty.

I am in Warren County NJ, West near Easton PA. I get the Express Times paper. Not only do we never get the Finish, I did not get the McCormick grinder coupon or the 5/1 Maalox. I can buy the Morning Call out of Allentown, but its more expensive and no better. I could also get the Star ledger, but don't know what coupons it has.

I have friends in Toms River that we visit every summer.

[subteacher]

Love this thread. I read an article in All You about slashing your grocery bill, oh, I think it was a couple months back. It said the general rule about a stock up price is 75% off or more. I have found that idea helpful in deciding to buy more that 1-2 of an item that we use often and will keep well.

Good Luck!

[philsla]

Originally Posted by subteacher

Love this thread. I read an article in All You about slashing your grocery bill, oh, I think it was a couple months back. It said the general rule about a stock up price is 75% off or more. I have found that idea helpful in deciding to buy more that 1-2 of an item that we use often and will keep well.

Good Luck!

I have been using the 75% rule as starters. You may have some deals much better than that but 75% off is a good start.