[Jewelfaerie]

Hi all:

I just wondered if stockpiling various items is worth my time? Or should I just focus on what I will really use? Thanks!

[kategriffin18]

absolutely!!! i won't go and stockpile Baby stuff if I don't need it, but if I can get it free or cheap, I will buy it for others who might need it (family, friends, etc) Everything else in my stockpile is stuff that we will use (in the next year or so )

[Justlooking1208]

Just my opinion, I would focus on what you use first or what you know you will be using: toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, then add other things. Some food would expire before I ever had a chance to use them. I only stockpile things we use daily. HTH

[ypatton]

Yes, stockpiling is worth your time if you focus on three things:

1) Buy what you will use in a reasonable period of time;
2) Purchase those items with the best available expiration dates
3) Purchase those items at the lowest available price

Things like box cereals, canned soups, condiments, and pasta have a shelf life of a year or more if you shop carefully and its great to have these products on hand. You will make fewer store trips overall using this method, and you will save money buying quantity at the lowest available price.

[Henna]

If it's something I'm not going to use, I will still stockpile if it works for a baby gift, hostess gift, little kid gift, or donation. It's wonderful being able to go shopping in our spare bedroom for a baby gift rather than go drop $30 on full-price stuff at Target the day of a shower!

[arcosta81]

Stockpiling is definitely worth the time. I focus on the stuff that I know I will use but buy some gift things if it is a fabulous deal. I am so glad that I started stockpiling because now I don't really have to do any grocery shopping which is making it easier to pay off those crazy medical bils.

[LyndaSLP]

Stockpiling doesn't mean buying everything that is free/cheap.

Stockpiling means keeping enough fo the products you/your family uses on hand so you never have to pay full price again.

[gidget0949]

lyndaSlp explanation says it all.

[lurkin1]

What lyndaSLP said! Stockpiling means not having to pay full price for the things we need every day.

[wendis]

I agree, only buy what your family uses. I see the stockpiles and pictures of what everyone buys and think wow, but I stick to what we use and eat.

[LyndaSLP]

Also -- always keep in mind if the 'free/cheap' stuff can benefit you in another way.

Prime example:
The last time my grocery store had triple coupons, I could get 5 boxes of Kellogg's Mini Wheat cereal for 0.30 + tax. Great deal. Not so great a deal if you really don't eat that cereal, right? HOWEVER... for every 5 boxes I bought, TWO coupons would print out for free milk. Now... FREE MILK is something I can use! My family of 3 drinks TWO gallons a week!! So, I looked at the purchase like this: for 0.30 + tax I could get 5 boxes of cereal AND 2 gallons of milk. I can't afford NOT to buy lots of cereal. The cereal can go to the food bank and I get free milk.

Sometimes you have to also look at the whole picture. Does that make sense?

[Devins mom]

I think it is. I only buy what we can use, and some of it I give to my inlaws since they have helped us alot. If it is something that we wont use then I dont just get it to have it, but if something were to happen to one of us or we loose our job, we would be set on those everyday things that we would need.

[kategriffin18]

Originally Posted by wendis

I agree, only buy what your family uses. I see the stockpiles and pictures of what everyone buys and think wow, but I stick to what we use and eat.

I don't look for just anything free or cheap, however there's always those one or two sales that make the items I use free or cheap, and that's when I stock up the most. If I start to deplete the stockpile, I will then purchase the items when I can combine a sale price with a coupon.

[Jewelfaerie]

Hi and thanks everyone for the replies!

What about stockpiling things I don't need...for yard sales, etc? Again...worth my time? Thanks!

[LyndaSLP]

Originally Posted by Jewelfaerie

Hi and thanks everyone for the replies!

What about stockpiling things I don't need...for yard sales, etc? Again...worth my time? Thanks!

Answer these 2 questions:
a) do you have the room to store it?
b) do you like having yard sales? (some people don't... don't think it is worth any amt of time or money earned)

If you answer NO to either one, then not worth your time to stockpile items for a yardsale.

That said, some people stockpile beauty items for gift baskets -- if you know you always give 'token' gifts to the people at the office every Christmas, well, think about stockpiling lotions/bath stuff and making gift baskets to keep that expense low.

[applerama]

i like stockpiling the things we use all the time because then we never have to go to the store because we're out of xyz

[Jewelfaerie]

Excellent questions! I'm lukewarm about yardsales, but I do have storage space.

I think I'll wade into the stockpiling waters and see how I like it :-) Thanks!

Originally Posted by LyndaSLP

Answer these 2 questions:
a) do you have the room to store it?
b) do you like having yard sales? (some people don't... don't think it is worth any amt of time or money earned)

If you answer NO to either one, then not worth your time to stockpile items for a yardsale.

That said, some people stockpile beauty items for gift baskets -- if you know you always give 'token' gifts to the people at the office every Christmas, well, think about stockpiling lotions/bath stuff and making gift baskets to keep that expense low.

[LyndaSLP]

Originally Posted by Jewelfaerie

Excellent questions! I'm lukewarm about yardsales, but I do have storage space.

I think I'll wade into the stockpiling waters and see how I like it :-) Thanks!

Sometimes when I feel I have "TOO MUCH" of XYZ, I will email my friends/co-workers and say, "Hey.. got a great deal for you! I have too many full-size tubes of Colgate toothpaste. My overstock = your bargain. I am offering each tube for 0.75 each or 3 for $2.00. See the list below for specific types/flavors. Reply and place your order! You can't beat the price!"

Keep that idea in the back of your head in case you end up with 100 tubes of toothpaste and realize you don't have time for a yardsale but need to decrease that load.

[mluvp0604]

I do stockpile. I do stockpile on items that cost me less than $1.00 or are fee to me. I have 4 kids and my daughter and her friend and I actually go for "coupon day". This helps them to be better savers and makes for a fun day out when they get a bag full of useful items for little out of pocket.

[desandtreysmom]

It is worth it to stockpile!!! I second what everyone else has said too. I get what I use and I get some things that are free or close to it just to try it out because under normal circumstances I wouldn't buy it. I get to try things out, see if I like it and if I don't I can give it to someone else who may like it or use it. I have been able to help a lot of diabetics with the meters, I give to all of my family. They usually need toiletries and I have plenty to give. Different vitamins I stockpile on usually go to my MIL, mom or my husbands family. I usually say, if it's Free, its for me. I get it and bless someone else with it that can use it. Just spread the love around!!!

ETA:WARNING!!! Once you actually get started, it will become very addictive!!

[DonnaA]

Yes to stockpiling on the things YOU use. Especially if you really like the smell of a certain body soap, your favorite snack food for you or kids or dh or favorite recipe items you can make on a moments notice. That way you do not have to RUN to the store to get something for dinner or you are just short on time and go to your stash. And most importantly you SAVE money when you are buying cheep. No need to go buy expensive when you are out of something and need it now.

[MichiganMan]

Originally Posted by LyndaSLP

Stockpiling doesn't mean buying everything that is free/cheap.

Stockpiling means keeping enough fo the products you/your family uses on hand so you never have to pay full price again.

LyndaSLP has dropped some serious knowledge on us with this statement!!

[danielephant]

I only stockpile things that i use...or are totally FREE, my rule to live by is if it is more than a quarter and i already have some...FORGET IT!

[savalotmom]

Don't forget you can also donate your excess health and beauty items to food pantries or shelters. I volunteered at a food pantry that allowed people to put things on their "wishlist". They would request things like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner etc...This stuff really makes a big difference for them.

[BeckyScott]

I will get stuff that I don't normally use if it's free or very cheap.

My initial thought was also for donations or gifts.

However, there's another point too. Maybe there are certain items where you're a brand snob. For example, I only buy Kraft mac & cheese. I'm a cheese snob. But. If I could get a different brand for very very cheap, I'd do it. Because #1 in a pinch it would do, #2 if DH was suddenly unemployed it would do, #3 if my DH is left to do the cooking or shopping I'd better have food and it doesn't matter what it is so long as it's easy to cook, and #4 it keeps for quite a while.

There is always the potential to get in a situation where you couldn't afford to be a brand snob, and if that were the case, having a stockpile of stuff that might not be your favorite but would feed your family, well that's something at least. And I mean, I have plenty of things that I prefer certain brands, but in an emergency the idea of favorite brand would go right out the window. I don't particularly like shelf-stable milk or powdered milk, but I try to keep some on-hand because you just never know.

There is also something to be said for having a decent stockpile of OTC meds around. Because nobody wants to do a 2 a.m. Walgreens run. And if you end up sick and stay sick for more than a couple of days, you can run thru things pretty quickly. And you never know what will hit so it's good to have a variety on-hand, even of things you normally wouldn't think you'd need. But it can get expensive so best to get it when it's cheap. Most OTC is good for a couple of years.

I just think that with the economy the way it is right now, that stuff you don't normally use has the potential to turn into stuff you can use, and if you can get it really cheap, get it.