[MommySusan1]

My problem with stockpiling is that is give you a false sense of security. I am not a serious stockpiler, so I don't buy fifty toothpastes because they are free. I buy three or four. There have been a few deals that I have gone a little crazy on, because they were so cheap, had a long expiration time and that I had storage space. For example, I have about 20 two packs of Lysol wipes ($1 each), 10 packs of Chinet plates (free), 15 Cleanteam wipes (left from a free deal well over a year ago). So the problem with buying only a few is that you are so used to having something, you kind of assume it will always be there.

Example- Farm Fresh has double coupons and with the $.50 Daisy sour cream Q, it was free. Sour cream has a definite expiration period (I am fanatic about expiration dates), so I only got five. We have been using about a container a week. Last weekend my parents were here for the weekend and I was making chicken tacos for dinner. I was in the middle of cooking, so I pulled out all the trimmings from the refrigerator and realized we had used up all the sour cream! Luckily I talked my Mom into running to the store and getting a new container. You can't have tacos without sour cream (I think there is a law about that somewhere).

For my DD birthday, I decided to make brownies for her to bring to school. So I get the kids in bed, clean up the kitchen and go into the pantry to pull out the brownie mix I had stocked up on when we had a FLIP at Food Lion. Gone! Luckily my Food Lion is open to 10. I ran over there and grabbed a couple of packs of pre-made cupcakes.

You may wonder what the point of my post is. Am I going to stop stockpiling? Heck no! Am I going to start stockpiling more things? No. I think each person needs to decide what their limits are and I still don't want fifty tubes of tootpaste. I just need to pay a little more attention to when we are using things up.

[push4time]

You are so right!!! I understand completely...that has happened to me...

[brook6]

yes, I am going back to my practice of regular grocery list...what are we low on, not just what is on sale...almost ran out of eggs this week!

[Alexdur85]

My problem is when I get things for free or cheap.. I expect everything to be that way! So even if it's something we use often but can go with out I won't get any because it's $1 more than I would like to pay.. That's the only problem I have.. .. Thank goodness for my SO who likes to spend. Otherwise we may not have anything in the house but toothpaste!

[crackedwillow]

The sense of security doesn't have to be false...there are various lifestyles within couponing....some people resell....

[couponclippin'momma]

We almost ran out of toilet paper this week in my house. I had become so used to getting it free!

[schmidt00]

my problem is that our stockpile is downstairs and lots of times I will send my kids to get something and so I have not physically SEEN the room in a while. That is when I start to forget what I have.

The other thing is... man it seemed like when I paid $5 for a tube of toothpaste I only used one every few months. Now it seems like I go through one or two a month. Maybe its because I have three more people brushing teeth now but still!

[jessl]

To me if you are running out you arn't stockpiling enough. Yes the sour cream has an expiration so there is only so much you can do there, but for things like brownies with a long shelf life, as long as you have the space why not stock more? Its not just the inconvienience of having to go buy one but you probably had to pay full price as well.

[ultrabextr]

I am so used to having my stockpile, that no one informed mom that there wasn't a single roll of TP in the house! FOUR BATHROOMS!?!?!??! Am I the only one that wipes???????? So yeah, at 10:30pm I was at Walmart paying full price for TP!

My other problem is my kids... they'll take the last granola bar and put the empty box back on the shelf. Or the last bag of Doritos, or storage baggies, or teabags, ...anything! Mind you.... I buy items by the dozen! Chewy granola bars--bought 14 boxes in one trip; Doritos-8 bags; BC brownie mix-12 boxes; BC frosting-11 tubs; Daisy sour cream-10 tubs; Pillsbury crescent rolls-22 rolls... I usually shop once a week for groceries and end up with 2 carts full. Have YET to pay over $200! Hubby put more shelves up in laundry room (for all my free air fresheners & electrasol tabs!! LOL) and more in the garage (28 boxes of cereal take up a lot of space!!!)

[Alexdur85]

Originally Posted by jessl

To me if you are running out you arn't stockpiling enough. Yes the sour cream has an expiration so there is only so much you can do there, but for things like brownies with a long shelf life, as long as you have the space why not stock more? Its not just the inconvienience of having to go buy one but you probably had to pay full price as well.

It's a high to pay low price.. but I think my favorite part is to not have to go out and buy something!!

I love looking in the cubbards and seeing how many meals I can actually make!! Rather than "well, I guess this and this could go together..if only I had this!"..

[elena_398]

My situation was peanut butter. Skippy to be exact. Last year (end of) I had stockpiled over 50 of these. Paid next to nothing. After giving tons away to family and friends I had roughly 20 or so left. Just the other day I went to my pantry and GASP, I took the last one! I couldn't believe it was time to buy more peanut butter. I was so used to just going to the pantry and grabbing one (my husband is a peanut butter junky. He has 2 sandwiches everyday at work... On his days off he gets hungry at night and makes 2-3 sandwiches. So I can see how I used them up so fast.... Just so you know, my husband is the kind of guy who has a HUGE appetite and never gains a pound. Damn him.

[Alexdur85]

Originally Posted by elena_398

My situation was peanut butter. Skippy to be exact. Last year (end of) I had stockpiled over 50 of these. Paid next to nothing. After giving tons away to family and friends I had roughly 20 or so left. Just the other day I went to my pantry and GASP, I took the last one! I couldn't believe it was time to buy more peanut butter. I was so used to just going to the pantry and grabbing one (my husband is a peanut butter junky. He has 2 sandwiches everyday at work... On his days off he gets hungry at night and makes 2-3 sandwiches. So I can see how I used them up so fast.... Just so you know, my husband is the kind of guy who has a HUGE appetite and never gains a pound. Damn him.

My boyfriend loves sandwiches too. He'd eat them all day if I'd let him.

[sadiesky]

I KNWYM! You just get used to having a certain item so long that your just sure you have more! Really makes me mad when I'm trying to make a recipe & I don't have all the items that I THOUGHT I did. I too feel I need to keep closer track to what I'm using up.

[lholley]

I know what you mean also!! I get nervous if we get "low" on certain items (toilet paper or laundry detergent), but other things just don't phase me!! Then I realize we are down to the last one, and I am SHOCKED!

[Couponclipper003]

I can't stop stockpiling! It is so addictive and such a rush to get things free/cheap. I am the oldest of three siblings and have always been 'mother-hen' so I enjoy sharing....

[ebates1982]

I'm an expiration date nut too. I was wondering what people do when they have a lot of something that's about to expire? Give it away? Use it anyways? I haven't started stockpiling, but I don't know if I would do food.

[nattsgirl]

I agree! Everyone has a different idea of what stockpiling is! Good post.

[Wednesday]

I worry about exp dates too, I also don't have the space so things are hidden around, my hubby keeps opening cabnets to see things stashed among the appliances :blush:

[joshmamabear]

Originally Posted by ebates1982

I'm an expiration date nut too. I was wondering what people do when they have a lot of something that's about to expire? Give it away? Use it anyways? I haven't started stockpiling, but I don't know if I would do food.

I'm not too concerned with exp dates especially with coffee. I've bought a lot of Folgers brewed coffee since DH is brand specific on coffee. He's still drinking the ones with exp dates 2005 and doesn't notice the difference Price of coffee has doubled from the last time I bought them. Folgers coupons are becoming rare, or if they ever come out, we'd be lucky to get .25/1. The best I've gotten was .50/1 which I used in the store that doubled to get the big canister for 3.99. I dread to buy them at over $10 full price, if DH ever runs out of coffee (knock on wood!)

I don't S/P a lot of bbq sauce, steak sauce and other condiments because in my observation, they always come cheap/free same time each year. If I have 10 in the pantry room, that is more than enough and I'd readily give them away if someone came in wanting some.

I have a huge S/P of TP, paper products like plates, cups, table napkins, paper towels, trash bags, freezer bags, etc yet I still buy them whenever they're close to free. They don't go bad and we'll always have use for them.

[kobbermannfarms]

I am a stock pile junkie! I have set up shelves in my laundry room (its rather large) and my attached garage for all my extra deals! I stock them like store shelves, always checking dates (i won't eat anything expired) I always put the latest date in the back and rotate items regularily. It has become such a habit I don't even know I do it. I don't buy an item from the store with out checking dates of expiration and buy the one that has the longest shelf life.

If I have a surplus of something that is expiring soon I usually try to donate it as soon as i notice it to our local food shelf.

As long as your stockpiling food items that your family ACTUALLY EATS you shouldn't have a problem. I have only had issues with things we don't eat on a regular basis like cans of saurkraut, etc.

Good luck! Stock piling has saved my family a lot of money! I used to spend upwards of $500 plus each month for my family of 6 just on food. Now I spend less than $100 a month total on everything includeing health, beauty, and cleaning.

Use your coupons wisely and watch those sales! When you find a deal maximize its potential. Also learn sale trends. Know when things go on sale regularily (June is dairy month, you can guess lots of milk and ice cream on sale) May is beef month (stock up on cheap roasts, hamburger etc. in your freezer.) There are lists out there that you can find that list sale trends. Over time i have kind of made my own lists from my observations.

[mmaypole]

I just ran out of Ritz and wanted to cry! Do any of you feel like you use more bc you have such a surplus? Maybe it's a psychological thing!

[MommySusan1]

I have to yell at my husband that just because we have ten boxes of cereal, doesn't mean he can open seven different varieties!

[shopalgood]

I have just small stockpiles 10 boxes of cereal, 10 boxes of granola bars, 6 pk of yogurt. I worry I don't buy enough when there are great deals sometimes but so far I still haven't paid full price for anything since I started serious couponing about 9 months ago.

I try to go by the rule that big sales happen about every 6-8 weeks so I should stockpile (assuming expirations are okay) about 6-8 weeks worth of stuff.

I do have some issues with knowing how fast we go through some things though...laundry deterent I always seem to run out of. I think this is one of those examples where you want to pay less than it is.

[ebates1982]

I really want to start a stockpile. I have a few things of shampoo and shaving cream that sort of stuff and dh whines about it. He doesn't understand a good bargain!

[kallagreen]

I totally agree you just assume you have it and then its gone... I hate when that happens!