a question about stockpiling

[bgheuchert]

I started stockpiling as well last summer and it does take time. We completly cut our tv last year and i can actually say it not only saved us a ton of money, but I truly truly didnt miss it at all (can't say the same for the rest of the family but they did get over it!). Also library has free internet so...these things are truly wants and not needs...if you have already done these, I would also consider getting my hands on a garden plot. Easy if you are in a rural area, and can done too in the city! I can not tell you how much money I have saved with gardening. Literally thousands. I learned how to blanche and freeze, can, pickle, and preserve. THOUSANDS of dollars saved and my family has never eaten so well! Canning jars are usually DIRT cheap at garage sales, and frankly most of mine I have come by for free, just talking to people and they offer me jars that they want to get rid of. All of this gave me some cash for things like tp, pt, cleaners, personel care items etc etc etc... and that is how I started. This next year watch for clearances on toys, games, etc as well and you can stock gifts for your DD and hubby for birthdays and christmas' etc.

[Jasminenicole]

im just beginning my stock pile. DH and I evaluated our budget and have decided to budget 20.00 a week for the stock pile. This is coming out of our grocery budget and our 'allowance' budget ($10 from each). We are big on healthy eating so we decided that we wanted to focus our stock pile less on boxes of snacks and other potentially unhealthy foods (we would be very tempted to buy them) and more on cleaning/heath/beauty and toiletries as well as laundry.

We can to this decision because we simply don't have the room to store alot of food but we do have a walk-in closet in our office that we only use for storage so there is much more room to store other necessities. For food, we are working on stocking the staples only and non-perishables like pasta and canned goods/sauces.

Stocking up on things like laundry detergent, shampoo, cleaning products is much easier to stock up on because there are a TON of coupons for these items, and most of it doesn't expire.

My suggestion to you would be to evaluate where you can cut costs, and take a few dollars each week from there to create your stock pile. Make a list of items that you know your family regularly uses (toilet paper being the most obvious...likely the most used as well) and start from there.

[seventhwave]

I think this is what sort of traps newbies into couponing... they see all these beautiful big stockpiles and no one ever mentions the cost invested in creating that stockpile.

Mine is worth over 10k in retail cost, I paid about $1200 for everything. Mostly tax yes, a few things I paid $1 for that we needed.

It's not reasonable to expect to be able to have a giant pretty stockpile just starting out without some investment so don't worry. Worry about getting what your family needs and the rest will fall into place!

[Jasminenicole]

I think this is what sort of traps newbies into couponing... they see all these beautiful big stockpiles and no one ever mentions the cost invested in creating that stockpile.

Mine is worth over 10k in retail cost, I paid about $1200 for everything. Mostly tax yes, a few things I paid $1 for that we needed.

It's not reasonable to expect to be able to have a giant pretty stockpile just starting out without some investment so don't worry. Worry about getting what your family needs and the rest will fall into place!

Agreed!

[princesskimmi]

I think this is what sort of traps newbies into couponing... they see all these beautiful big stockpiles and no one ever mentions the cost invested in creating that stockpile.

Mine is worth over 10k in retail cost, I paid about $1200 for everything. Mostly tax yes, a few things I paid $1 for that we needed.

It's not reasonable to expect to be able to have a giant pretty stockpile just starting out without some investment so don't worry. Worry about getting what your family needs and the rest will fall into place!

Agreed and some don't have room or the need for such a large stock - I have limited space so I keep mine fairly small. (but don't get me wrong there's lots there just hidden where I can find space)

Also keep it organized and know what you have - That was if something goes on sal eyou already know what you have and what you need to pick up!

[angelamary]

I never knew what a "stockpile" was until I came to this site. For years I would spend one month stocking our pantry and freezer up to last us 4 months each winter. I have always couponed, but now I do it far more efficiently thanks to the availability of multiples through this site for things I really want to buy.

My big trick was meal planning. Get the meals down to as cheap as possible each week, then coupon out the rest of the budget to build up the pantry... stockpile. We bought the necessities to get us through and then got everything else as cheap as possible or for free. Each week we do this on a $50 budget for food and toiletries, paper products, etc. (for three people... one a big eater - my 6-year-old boy - who eats more than some of his friends whole day of food in one meal - and yes, he is healthy - even a bit underweight - eating good healthy food)

For the first year, we are into February and my shelves are not bare, I am not worried about what I will put on the table and what I won't eat so my son can. Once you are willing to spend the rest of that weekly budget to stock up, it will show. Fortunately I hit a lot of great deals last August when I first became efficient (I won't need certain cleaning supplies for two years), but it can go as quickly or as slowly as you are comfortable with or can afford.

And, I found this year I needed to be far more organized to make sure nothing expires. Waste not, want not

Good luck, keep at it, it really does get easier.

[Not-a-mom-yet]

there are often chances to stockpile catelli pasta or other pasta. There are often coupons for those so hold onto those. I always have at least some, but if you have a little more space and find a great deal you can really stock up on this when you find a sale. Plus some of them have added fibre, whole grain and other good things.
I also usually stockpile cheese. No frills and other stores periodically put silani and other brands too on sale. I don't know that there is a silani coupon out now, but its still a good staple to stock up on...a block of mozza cheese usually lasts a while cause the expirey will be in like september....anyway, yes, these are 2 foods in my stockpile almost all the time!

Many other buy meat when its half price and freeze it. I'm just starting to do that.

[itsjill]

i would suggest whatever you can do to set yourself a budget each week ( I like to buy gift cards-to avoid over spending)
Whatever you save in coupons, you use to build your stockpile. So if you budget 50 bucks, but save 20 using PM and coupons, use the 20 extra to work on your stock pile. As you continue to do this, you will find that your stockpile is growing, and your weekly budget doesn't always need to be spent. And your bank account grows!! I have managed to get us from about 100 a week, down to 50! Which means we are building 200 a month to pay off debt, and to do big shops should a great deal come up, or a great coupon!
The buying meat half off is a super way to save money! Just make sure it gets to the freezer, or cooked right away. If I score a big savings on something (Ie Chicken Breast) I like to cook it all right away, and freeze it cooked. Its a huge time saver, we usually have cooked chicken for fajitias, wraps, salads! And it is inexpensive

[nicolthepickle]

Thanks for starting this thread, and for all the helpful comments.
I would like to start stockpiling, but I do know that it takes a bit of $'s to start doing that. Hard when you're on a tight grocery budget.
Maybe by next year this time I'll have something to brag about :p.

[KamGirl]

I know your frustration in trying to build a stockpile of food...girl products I have a small one..but food I have been unsuccesful. I shop for multiple homes and have got a couple of my seniors a small one going based on what they buy. But sometimes I just can't find what I prefer to buy on sale or have coupons to go with it to buy in mass (like oasis Healthy break I see for 3.99 plus here lately im not even buying one now if any lol)
Sigh Ive been thinking perhaps changing my brands permanently to ones that have coupons. I want a laundry soap stockpile like everyone else lol

[coupon girl]

I know your frustration in trying to build a stockpile of food...girl products I have a small one..but food I have been unsuccesful. I shop for multiple homes and have got a couple of my seniors a small one going based on what they buy. But sometimes I just can't find what I prefer to buy on sale or have coupons to go with it to buy in mass (like oasis Healthy break I see for 3.99 plus here lately im not even buying one now if any lol)
Sigh Ive been thinking perhaps changing my brands permanently to ones that have coupons. I want a laundry soap stockpile like everyone else lol

yes thats true -you may have to change brands to build a stockpile -i was down to 3 laundry soap cause i had 3 months off no pay last summer -now i am up to 7 bottles-bought tide when it was 4.99-1.00 cpn=3.99 -but that is still not that cheap -but then we cant stack -so it is better than paying 8 or 9 right?-next week the sunlight goes on sale at food basics for 2.88 and i traded for the 1.50 cpns-so i can get 4 bottles at 1.38 each -so try trading your cpns in the trading section for cpns you need -did i know the sunlight was going on so cheap -nope but i wanted the 1.50 cpns incase it went on sale -see little by little you will build your stockpile

[avoncallingu]

Yes, spending less is the goal, but you could also EARN a little on the way. I do online surveys for Pinecone and get paid $5.00 for each one.
I've been analyzing how people are always saying "I had a $10 GC" or so on but what I've found is that some people are willing to trade GCs for coupons they are looking for. Check out the "Coupons" section under discussions - collect coupons no matter what they are - and then trade people for them- that way you can get a few more $ to spend on really good sales.
Pick up pennies when you find them.
Sell things on Kijiji if you're not using it.

Thanks to everyone who has shared wonderful hints - that's why I love SC - I'm always learning good things.