[staciedawn84]

I am still fairly new to this stockpiling thing, though I've been couponing for over a year. I find it hard to stockpile items that aren't going to be gone in a short while. I got tons of the Suddenly Salad's back a couple of months ago for free, I bought probably 20, thinking it would keep us in business for a while, really, it didn't. We had some friends (a family of 4) visiting with us for about a week, plus our family of 4 and it's been gone for 2 weeks. If I stock up on one type of Shampoo, I won't find another great deal until that's about gone! Right now, I have 2 or 3 bottles of shampoo, and one or two conditioners, lots of J&J buddies soaps (probably 50), lots of floss (about 30), only 3 or 4 toothpastes, 15 Huggies wipes tubs, 6 boxes of tissues, lots of ink pens and highliters and a couple of other small school supplies, but I cannot seem to stockpile food, toilet paper, body washes, shampoo and conditioners, etc like so many of you. I get probably on the average about 20 newspapers per week, sometimes more, 45 was the max number and sometimes less, one or two, I buy some coupons, trade them etc. So many times, when I go to stock up something when I get a great deal, I have the coupons, but either there are just a couple left on the shelf or none at all! I have two toddler boys who are on a fairly strict schedule (this is one that they have had since birth and they are just comfortable staying on schedule, wake up, snuggle time, breakfast at 8:30, lunch at 12, nap at 12:30, wake up, snack at 3:30, supper at 6, bath at 8, story and prayer time at 9, lights out at 9:30). So, I always have to make time for my trips between those times. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong! I don't know, I get so frustrated when I look at what beautiful work you all do, I work so hard to try to do the same with my list, coupons (I even have a coupon binder with all of the very organized and neat) and most of the time, I come home devastated, completely disappointed and tired. I will admit that I've given some stuff away, some body wash, toothpaste, tissues, soap, etc, but I'm not giving it away in bulk, only one or two things a couple of times. I do save money each time I go, which I am grateful for, but I don't see a stockpile like any of yours in the near future.

Do any of you amazing stockpilers have any tips and pointers for me?

[nattsgirl]

First off, you're not doing anything wrong! Thats a huge family you were feeding, so I understand how fast it can go!

Secondly, most stockpiles are built from a good time. I started stockpiling middle of last year, so that is how far mine is from.

That is a lot of papers you get! I only get about 2, but trade for the things, I need more on. Try to see if you have stores that double where you can get things cheaper.

I have about 30+ toothpaste, and whenever its free, I will get more. I know that may seem ridiculous to some people, but if its FREE, I will eventually use it and I got 5 sisters that have big families too so it never goes wasted. I find that if I use something out of my stockpile, I will just buy more of it, (if its really cheap or free) and then its there again.

Keep your chin up, its gets easier, just remember its all within time.

(I dont have a HUGE stockpile either )

[brook6]

if you are stockpiling, you may have to go to more stores to get the quantities you want...especially if the item is on sale and shelves are near empty

if you are near a metro area, this will be easier, but take more time
if you are in smaller town, may mean multiple trips per week or asking the manager to order extra inventory for you

and go easy on yourself...even after you get a 'big' stockpile, you will be using it, so it will go up/down...relax!

[cantstopshopping]

You are not doing anything wrong! It does take time, and is even harder with little ones (mine are all grown now).

If you are in a location that allows you to make quick, small short trips, that is what I would suggest. For me, just getting to the stores is a 30 minute drive, so I make the most of it and am at the stores for hours when I go....but I don't have little ones with me either.

Keep it up, you will get there!!

[kategriffin18]

rainchecks!!! I feel like I need a whole other binder for them :P

[staciedawn84]

Thanks so much to everyone for your encouragement and advice! I do live in a small town, Food Lion (we have two, but usually their sales aren't as good as at the other places), Kroger, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens, the next town over doesn't have a Walgreens, so they come over and take a lot of the stuff I'm wanting. Last week though, I did get an amazing deal on Huggies Wipes and plan on going back this week! I walked out of Walgreens with 15 tubs of wipes for $6!!!! So heads up, Walgreens had them on sale for $2.79 (well, I thought it was sale price, but it's an everyday price), they have a $2 off store coupon, stacked it with my .50 and .75 cent mfr coupons and made a great deal! With two toddling boys, these won't last long, we usually go through atleast a tub per week and we have them in every room of the house plus a couple in my car and in my husband's as well!! The Walgreens coupon doesn't expire until 8/29 and we just got more Huggies coupons in this weeks paper! So, I'm off for another round of wipes when the truck runs! If everyone didn't already move on this deal, you may want to do so quickly! Just call your Walgreens and check the price on them first, I know the prices sometimes vary in different regions.

The Kroger Mega 10 Event is this week, so I'll be heading out for a few things there today. I'm a stay at home mommy and my husband is the only income in the house, so sometimes, even with super cheap prices, it's still hard to stock up when there are other things that we have to get (this week I have to get TP, dog food and cat food for example and I'm only working on a $75.00 grocery budget since the other bills have been paid), if I can find it free, I alway grab it, I love to stock up on stuff when I can get it for less than .50 cent, but sometimes it's just not in the budget! There are times when I can 20 or 30, but other times when I can only get one or two.

[lholley]

Keep plucking away at it. It seems to me that you are doing a great job stocking up on things your family actually will use. Then, well, you use it!! The main thing is to keep working on this. It's a learning process, and I learn something new almost every week!!

[staciedawn84]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I was able to stock up a little more on a couple of other items at Kroger yesterday! I went with a budget of $75, total before coupons: $166.52 (I will admit, I was a little nervous!), Total after coupons: $69.26, Total saved: $96.26! I got lots of gummies for the kids, lots of granola bars and other snack items as well as lots of meal stuff and quick lunches for the boys and husband. Got plenty to last me this week. I've been getting some fairly good deals at Kroger lately!

[lholley]

I am LOVING Kroger right now myself!!!

[noellebrow]

I think you are doing fine and just want to add that the point of the stockpile is to use it until the next sale and also to be open to a variety of items/brands. Your suddenly salad may have run out and you may not find a fab deal on that again for awhile, but you might find a great deal on pasta and a great deal on some italian dressing and a great deal on some olives. There you have your suddenly salad.

I often run out of something right before it goes on sale again and so make do without (99 % of the time).

I'd rather know that I am using what I am stocking versus throwing it away because it passes expiration.

Keep up the good work and remember that your toddler boys will always be more important than your stockpile, so your heart is in the right place to begin with!

[jfoody76]

I almost laughed when I read this- Right now, I'm a SAHM and I can't figure out how to stockpile toliet paper. Yesterday, my husband used up the last roll without even telling me I can't seem to get it for much less than $.50 a double roll and I'm always looking. I'm thinking of just focusing on that one thing til I get it and then move on from there.

I haven't started "buying" coupons- but I think I might give it a whirl. I think it might be easier than dealing with 20+ papers- especially when I go back to work in 2 weeks.

[southerngirlpls]

I can totally relate. I have tons of soap, shampoo, deoderant and toothbrushes...but food...that's another story...part of my problem I have found is that if it is in sight, it might get prepared or eaten unnessesarily (not good for the budget or the waistline!) I have started putting my stockpile items in a seperate place (ie: spaghetti sauces, boxed goods). I have had to work at creating a meal plan for the week and sticking with it. I have a list with all my stockpiled items and tick mark how many I have and mark them off when I use an item. That way, when an item is low, I can add it to my grocery list. It will get easier...just remember...Rome wasn't built in a day and your stock pile won't be either! Keep up the great work!

[clethridge]

For those of you that buy multiple newspapers to get the coupons, do you factor in the cost of the newspaper in the savings???

[staciedawn84]

Originally Posted by clethridge

For those of you that buy multiple newspapers to get the coupons, do you factor in the cost of the newspaper in the savings???

I actually only buy one or two papers per week and get the rest for free from the corner store, they save the extra papers at the end of the night, instead of throwing them in the trash, they just save them for me!

[staciedawn84]

Thanks to everyone again! I truly appreciate all of the help and encouragement!

I had a great day at CVS by the way............

Spent: $2.52 OOP and $13.99 ECB, saved: $47.07, came home with: $21.14 ECB, made: $4.63 profit! Got 4 Carefree pantiliners, 2 poise liners, 2 composition notebooks and 2 Glade sense and sprays!! I am planning on using almost all of it for my Christmas baskets plus lots of other stuff that I'm planning on getting free or cheap, hopefully.

Blessings to everyone and happy shopping!

[staciedawn84]

Did another great stockpile trip today! I have tons of the $3/2 Huggies Pull Ups flushable wipes coupons, well, I found out that Walmart has the 42 count, soft travel packs for $1.64, so it made them .14 cent each, I got what they had on the shelf, 12 for $1.68! Now when they restock the shelves, I'll be back for more! I figured it up and I could get 38 (I had 19 coupons)for $5.32!!!!! How exciting is that? The funny thing about it all is that the fancy, reusable, plastic tubs also come with 42 wipes and they were almost $1 more than the single use packs.

[Nemraca]

I can so relate to you. I have a family of six and two dogs. I have managed to lower my grocery bill to $400 from $700 we used to spend and that took a year alone. I can stockpile on HBA but food is a totaly different story. My kids go threw everything speacially during the summer. I am slowly but surely getting there. But in my eyes as long as I dont pay full price and always have food in the pantry i am good. My trips are hard to plan with the little ones with me but I do my best and since my grocery store only double the first like coupon I have to make mulitple transactions or trips. I get one paper per person (been trying to get more but no luck) I am happy as long as I am saving over 60%.

[staciedawn84]

Alright, I made it back to Walgreens today for the Huggies wipes deal before the store coupon expired. I left with 15 more tubs of wipes and an accucheck blood glucose meter (I will donate that), and oh yeah, two carmels that the boys snuck in. Saved: $55.99, spent $8.74. I only had 12 of the .50 cent coupons for Huggies wipes, so 3 tubs were .79 cent, still a great deal but the other 12 were .29 cent, then I used the $10 accucheck coupon. I'm happy, that brought my total Huggies wipes up to 29 and then I have the 12 Pull Ups wipes, hopefully I'll more of those soon, Walmart was out today and they said that the wearhouse is empty as well, so they don't know when/if they will get more of them. But I should be set on wipes for a while now. I already had 3 Huggies wipes stocked and then ended up with 32, but I'm already down to 29, 4 in two weeks! I need to take pictures of my small stockpile, it's mostly kid stuff, buddies soaps, bandaids, wipes and more wipes. I need to see about maybe stockpiling some diapers, any advice on that one? My sister is due in December and my husband and I are thinking of trying again sometime next year, it would be fabulous if we could somehow get some dipes stocked up.

[lholley]

I can't wait to see your stockpile, then watch it grow and grow. I don't have little ones, but I sure do use a lot of wipes myself. And, I just enjoy buying them so cheaply!!

[Onceuponamiracle]

I have actually purchased coupons on eBay and it worked out great for me.

[Kiri]

I am new to stockpiling also and I feel bad some days taking 10 of something off the shelves. It doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong - it just takes time. I have also had good luck with getting specific coupons from places like the coupon masters. If the grocery ad coes out on Wednesday and I order them that day, I will have them before the sale ends and I can stockpile. I am also learning the art of rainchecks.

Good luck!