[ShellieR]

I just started stockpiling a couple of months ago and I'm not sure how many of each item I need for a family of 5. Like, how many shampoos do I need and for how long? How many tubes of toothpaste? Bodywash? Is there a specific number I need to have?

[maree9304]

I don't think there's a specific number. I just buy however many I can of what is free or cheap. I have like 50+ shampoos for this family of 4. It's excessive but I know that it will be more than a year before I have to worry about buying shampoo again.

[knw2860]

I also have a family of 5. I do not go by specific numbers. I just get as much stuff as I can that is either free or cheap. It has been life saving when I don't have any money or shampoo just to know I need to go into the stock and get it. It has been the best thing ever. We have had up to 60 bottles of shampoo and conditioner and 20 toothpastes and even with that amount if I found something free I would get it. You can never have too much stuff that has a long expiration date.

[Smurfytigger]

I have a family of 2 and a 1/2 (my son is only 2 and a half so he really does not eat or consume much of anything except my time )

I have well over 50 bottles of: shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, floss, mouthwash, toothbrushes, razors. All that I got for FREE using Q's and store sales. I will NEVER pay for these things again, so the way I look at it is this:
If its free, and it will last (essentially) forever--why not get it if I have the Q's for it and the room to store it?

I am always giving things away to friends and family too, who say they can't use coupons because it takes too much time.....silly friends and family--don't they know......you get out of it what you put into it!! FREE is worth a little effort IMHO.

SO--I say--NO LIMITS if you can store it, and its free--go get it by the armfuls!!
HTH

[z'smom]

It is all personal. We vary depending on what it is. I like to know that if money got really bad we could make it with what we have in the house and only have to buy milk and produce and if need be, only milk (canned/frozen produce is not as good as fresh, but oh well) for at least a month.

[toseen]

This was extremely helpful for me and I hope it will be for you too. It's a 3 month plan but you can always multiply it or adapt it to your family's needs.

[elena_398]

I never think there is a set amount. Its just what your family size is and how fast you go through a certain item.

For example... I have a family of 4 and 3 dogs....

I have over 50 shampoos and conditioners stocked up
I have over 30 Palmolives
I have roughly 40 softsoaps
I have roughly 20 different body washes.
Over 25 deodorants, etc

My husband uses a body wash once a week at work and we use one bottle every 2 weeks or so at home.
My husband keeps a deodorant at work and at home.
My son keeps a deodorant at school for after football practice and one at home.
My daughter is now using deodorant too. So we go through a lot here.

I only buy if its free or pay next to nothing out of pocket.

My mom and sister always come over when they are out too as does a few of my neighbors. So I like to have a lot on hand when I can.

[joshmamabear]

Stockpiling just depends on how much your family uses certain items. It varies for different items. It also depends on ages of your kids, i.e., if you have 3 or 4 teens they can use a lot of shampoo/conditioners, deos and other HBAs really fast.

Regarding food, if your family can't eat without condiments like ketchup, mustard, dressing, etc then buy as much as you can of those when they are free/cheap with coupons. Its okay to have an oversupply if you got them free since you can give them away weeks before they expire so others can still use them. the important thing is you don't run out of these stuff when you need them and forced to pay full price.

just observe your family's usage and you will get an idea of what works for you until the next sale. sales go in cycle so you can plan how much to buy till the next sale comes.

[ShellieR]

So far I've only been getting bodywash from CVS when it's a cheap price. There is a limit at CVS of how many you can get and there has only been a couple of things I've gotten for free. I'm assuming that 2.00 and under is paying to much for bodywash if you guys are able to get it for free. I guess I need to read more of the forums on here and add a grocery store to my list to get bodywash. I've just now got comfortable with CVS.

[jbarber8]

I have a family of 4 and a small stockpile compared to most people I see on AFC. I think all the non-food items will last a year. I find that many food items quickly disappear!

I have 4 large adult shampoos/conditioners and 3 childrens shampoos (all of us have short hair, DH showers at the gym 5 days a week, and we wash our kids twice a week - in between, they swim). We have about 6 or 7 tubes of toothpaste. I buy more of these items when I can get them free or close to it.

I have a few of the following items: deodorant, mouthwash, hair color, laundry detergent, fabric softener, dishwasher soap, dishsoap, children's soap, cereal, ketchup, Miracle whip, mustard, salad dressing, poptarts, Kleenex, various snacks. We don't have a basement or room in our garage so all of it is tucked into closets or cabinets.

PS. I don't get everything free. I just buy a few of an item when I know it's a really good price, such as when Target offers a coupon and there is a mfr coupon to match. I trade regularly so I always have a few coupons for the things I buy, not just one of each from my paper.

[amyw05]

I have not been couponing for a long time so I dont have a massive stock pile built up however I do have like 50 packs of toilet paper and this is with giving away some using some for about 6 months I have atleast 15 toothpastes shampoo and conditionare to last awhile same with body wash deodarant and some other randoms I wont buy this stuff unless its free ! Thats with giving away a ton too ! I am just now getting low on diapers and my ds is 17 months old but I will soon have some coupons to buy some more diapers I dont get free just super cheap ! I love stockpiling and my family like inlaws and such love it too cause about every other week I am sending them home with stuff plus I donated alot to my MIL church for their gift baskets they put together so aslong as its free I say you never have too much !

[CouponGangsta!]

Stockpiling becomes addictive...BE VERY CAREFUL....I think AFC websight should come with warning lables!!! Buy as much as you can!!!!!!!!! when you have to much....give to family, friends, donate , and if times are tight or you just want extra money have a garage sale. I keep as much as my family will use by the exp. date then sell the rest. Have fun shopping!!!!

[schmidt00]

we are a family of 5. Our kids are 6,4,2 (two boys and one girl). They eat a LOT! I bought 50 cans of pringles the last time they were super on say (March I think) and paid $0.18 / can for them. We ran out of Pringles last month. I had anticipated that would keep us in chips for 6 mo... but now I know... next time... buy double!

As other people have told me.. I think its a learning process. I bought myself 4 shampoos and 4 conditioners when I first started couponing. I paid $1.12 for them... but I only use ONE kind. I have already been through half so I am already scoping for the next sale!

As far as food. I find it REALLY hard to stockpile for some reason. We just go through so much that every time I turn around I am like... omgosh I need to buy that AGAIN!?

I think that the Relief Society's list (in post #6) is a GREAT starting point!

[kacillewis]

I buy as much as I can, and if I have an overflowing amount I will donate to family/school/animal shelter. I have about 12 bottles of shampoo, 3 things of deo for dbf (he only uses one kinds and there are few coupons) and we are stocked on condiments and such.

[Susan J Gardner]

Our church recently started a community food pantry, so even if it's not a product I will personally use, if I can get it free/cheap I do. The beauty of a stockpile is the ability to always help others.

[lurkin1]

I strive to keep at least 6-12 months of our everyday essentials on hand all the time, but for every family that is a different set of items. I actually keep a chart on my fridge that tracks what we consume from the storage room. I don't track what goes in, just what we use. If I look at that I can tell you how many boxes of cereal, poptarts, or bottles of shampoo we have used since
October 1. That helps me know what to focus on when it comes on sale at a really good price. "Really good" to me means totally free or close to $1. If I watch the sales and use my coupons well, I can get most anything we use regularly at close to $1. BOGOs help me most, and BOGOS with a q are the best. We rarely have double or triple q opportunities where I live.

[wuthrich8]

I see sooo much on stockpiling, but nothing really on how... how does one pay 18 cents for pringles, and still buy 50 of them?do you get 50 newspapers? im sorry if this sounds kindof like a stupid question....i would like to do this too, so any help at all would be appreciated. i dont get the redplum, and the pg and e, and only sometimes does our paper have the smart source. I am at a loss watching everyone else be able to do this, although, i knew it would take some time to build up my own coupon base. My situation is a little different. I was living in Switzerland with my fiance, and got invited... yes a nice way to put it, to come back to the states by my mother. I am here to take care of my granmother. I am trying to use this opportunity to come back here, and bring my fiance back with me, the father of my 10 month old. I used to coupon, before you ladies took it to an art, and i saved alot, though not as much as you... hehe. So i have spent months preparing to come over here, informing myself, reading as many blogs, etc as i can, only to get here and find out that we dont get coupons here. ggggrrrrr!! My honey is coming in july to check things out, and i was hoping to have at least some examples of what one can do here, and how much different our lives would be, and so far, im just chasing.....I have been frustrated, even considered drivign out of state to get papers and shop......ggllgg....problem with that is, that im not even sure it would be better than here.......I live in Las Vegas. So any help would be sooooo appreciated!!!!!

[peacefulliving]

wuthrich8,

Hello...I live in NC and have been looking for a site to help m with coupons...in my search I found a site called deals to meals they help people in the Utah, Nevada and California areas to find great deals at local stores...the link is dealstomeals.com and there is a sister blog www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com...I hope this helps you

[ps126]

I'm relatively new to couponing, but as far as stockpiling goes, there really are no coupons for some of the things I like to have on hand like powdered milk, flour, sugar and so on. I just try to get as many as I can when I hit a hot deal or refill my stock pile from someplace that always has good prices on staples like Aldi or Walmart.

[mandcm]

All so very helpful!

[Minta]

I started stocking piling a few months go and that has given me a really good insight to what we use the most. So now I have a better idea of what I need to stock up on and how much.

[PrincessBoo]

I love the food list that was posted. Is there a list similar to that floating around that is for non-food items?