What is your stockpiling strategy?

[kristeven]

I am new to couponing, and have amassed a modest stockpile. Since my son recently moved out to go to university in another city, much of my stockpile went to him (especially food and household cleaning products). However, I am left with many personal care products that he doesn't use. Initially, I thought that I would continue this stockpile and provide it to a shelter in Toronto around Christmas. Now I'm thinking -- why wait? I'm sure the shelter can use the items now. So my questions to you are:

1. If charities, family, friends, etc benefit from your stockpile, do you amass large quantities or wait for Christmas (or another occasion), or do you share more regularly throughout the year?

2. When do you use your coupons, if you already have a healthy stockpile of this item? When a coupon allows you to get an item for free or overage, then I understand using it immediately. But if using the coupon still requires OOP, is it wise to spend this $ now, when you have this item stockpiled at home? Or, is the wiser choice to save your $ now and spend it much later when you might get a better deal or your stockpile for this item is nearing depletion?

I'm not trying to cause controversy with these questions -- just generate discussion and help me to formulate my personal stockpiling strategy.

Thanks for your input.

[grannyg]

I dont' amass a large amt really, My kids shop at home...so does the sisters, so I make sure when I buy it won't stay in the house long.... For myself and hubby, I only buy what we actully use... right now i'm stocking up for the hunting camp... soups/kd/cleaning supplies,weiners and beans and toiletpaper and the like...

[MillieH]

I use the coupons when the price seems amazing to me. Right now I'm buying things to give to my family for Christmas, I'm going to make family baskets so I am buying a variety of items I wouldnt normally buy. I really like getting things free or with overage.. I will hold on to coupons until they are near expiry to get the best deal possible if I don't get it free.

I stocked up on Tuna, beans and soup.. those are things I would use up within the next year.. I also bought frozen fruit and veggies but only enough for roughly a month.. Thankfully I don't have more freezer space or I would have tons of fruit.. I make a smoothie every day.. I go through sooo much



I don't use coupons to get items to donate because it feels wrong to me.. I used multiple coupons for aspirin and multibionta vitamins without any moral qualms but I can't use coupons to get things to give away.. I don't feel anything when others do it I think its their choice and I have no probs with it but it feels a bit Robin hoodish to me to donate it.. My theory is if I use the coupons and give it to my family and friends, it would be the same as if they bought it to try.. which in my mind is the intent of the manufacturer when they issued the coupon.. so in theory.. if they like it.. they will buy it.. However, if I use the coupon and donate it to someone who can't afford to buy it , they wont be able to buy it later and it defeats the intent of the coupons..

I think you are right though about when to donate.. people get a bit of santa in them at Christmas and seem to be more generous.. the charities probably need help more at other times

[ancarett]

I donate all year round. If I buy six of something and my stockpile's healthy, I might set aside two for a donation drop-off. This time of year is tough on university and college students moving in to residence or apartments, so I've got a small donation ready to drop off at the student services donation box next week.

If something's insanely cheap with a coupon (toothpaste for 12cents!), I will buy even if my stockpile's healthy. Then I can figure out if I'd rather slow my restocking for the next few months, donate a few more items in my next go-round or whatever, I'm figuring it's a good thing. Not that my stockpile's amazing, mind you, but it feels pretty good to shop in our house before we shop at the store!

[Midnightly]

i have a healthy-ish stockpile though i'm sadly down to my last bottle of moisturizer in my stockpile lol on things we use alot (AKA soup i have a healthy stockpile) i have a few months of food on hand at any one time.. i do donate.. when christmas comes around i use it as a time to go through what i have products i bought to try but ended up not being a fan of (perfectly good products ofcourse!) and things i have discovered i went a bit crazy and have excessive amounts of (although i love chicken noodle soup really don't need 15 boxes kinda thing) and do a donate around christmas time.. i do find christmas time is easier to donate since they are collecting everywhere at that time of year.. every activity you go to there is a "by donation to the foodbank" sign

[Midnightly]

i also try not to go overly crazy.. when i get to the point of having my stockpile take over my home lol i've stopped buying things to get "just for the tax" because i know my storage limitations

[Jody22002]

I use the coupons when the price seems amazing to me. Right now I'm buying things to give to my family for Christmas, I'm going to make family baskets so I am buying a variety of items I wouldnt normally buy. I really like getting things free or with overage.. I will hold on to coupons until they are near expiry to get the best deal possible if I don't get it free.

I stocked up on Tuna, beans and soup.. those are things I would use up within the next year.. I also bought frozen fruit and veggies but only enough for roughly a month.. Thankfully I don't have more freezer space or I would have tons of fruit.. I make a smoothie every day.. I go through sooo much



I don't use coupons to get items to donate because it feels wrong to me.. I used multiple coupons for aspirin and multibionta vitamins without any moral qualms but I can't use coupons to get things to give away.. I don't feel anything when others do it I think its their choice and I have no probs with it but it feels a bit Robin hoodish to me to donate it.. My theory is if I use the coupons and give it to my family and friends, it would be the same as if they bought it to try.. which in my mind is the intent of the manufacturer when they issued the coupon.. so in theory.. if they like it.. they will buy it.. However, if I use the coupon and donate it to someone who can't afford to buy it , they wont be able to buy it later and it defeats the intent of the coupons..

I think you are right though about when to donate.. people get a bit of santa in them at Christmas and seem to be more generous.. the charities probably need help more at other times

I don't quite see the logic in the not donating because people wouldn't be able to purchase the product. That's assuming that people who are down on their luck are always down on their luck. What about the people that are going through a hard time right now but land back on their feet, a month, 6 months from now?

[MillieH]

I don't quite see the logic in the not donating because people wouldn't be able to purchase the product. That's assuming that people who are down on their luck are always down on their luck. What about the people that are going through a hard time right now but land back on their feet, a month, 6 months from now?

I have no way of knowing which ones that might be..

[FrugalNotCheap75]

I focused for a while on cleaning Items and Health & Beauty, because that seemed the easiest to find the coupons for and the biggest expense items on my families grocery budget, but now that I have a stockpile for most of the items my family needs in that dept I'll sit on those coupons until I see a price that I know is the cheapest that I can get, getting it free isn't really a goal for me (although I won't turn it away if I find one ) I'm focusing more on food items now, but sticking with the items that I will need to prepare my family's Fall/Winter Menu. I only pick up a few things of ready made meals to have on hand when something I planned falls through - like when I discover minutes before I need it that the loaf of Rye bread that I need to make Reuben Sandwiches has been already devoured by my kids!!!
As for donations, I don't purchase things with the idea of donating it in my head, although I do plan to go through my stuff a few times a year to trim out any over-abundant items, or things we've used but decided no longer work for use ( still good things but don't meet my DH high standards ) but my charities of choice don't need donations of food.

[GeorgiaK]

I, like FrugalNotCheap75, have a healthy stockpile of the regularly used household cleaning, paper and health and beauty products. Right now, I don't necessary have a large stockpile of food since there is only 2 adults; but I do have a 10 month old DS and I always am on the look out for diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food.

[Newfiegirl]

I'm still trying to figure out how to make the most of coupons, without using too much time, or overflowing my house. And then with some good coupons I sometimes find that I can't find it on sale in the few weeks before they expire and I don't see the point in overpaying to use it up. I didn't use a lot this summer, too busy.

I don't get multiples of a lot of coupons so I always think about normal family quantities. So I don't get a case of soup to donate for example, but I do get a few extra items every so often to have on hand as there seems to be a lot of food collections at the kids school (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, end of year) and at other activities. I even had someone trick or treating here for the food bank last year and I was completely ill prepared.

[Chantel]

I don't donate yet, but one day I will. For now we're just dealing with our own family and gifts.

I will purchase more of something even if we have some if I know the deal is only semi-regular (like the Gillette shave cream on for $1.49, I will buy 3 each time it's on.) or Finish, which I've got almost a 3 year supply of now and have some on order at LD. They won't go bad, so I'm going to stock up while I can because stacking may die sooner rather than later and I'd like to be prepared for a while at least.

[Shwa Girl]

we have some freezing rain issues in Durham right now
police asked us not to travel unless necessary due to about 500 GTA accidents this weekend

our stockpile has helped with having enough nonperishable food, water, batteries ready in case of a power outage.

so some of our stock pile is for emergency situations

[GeorgiaK]

I, like FrugalNotCheap75, have a healthy stockpile of the regularly used household cleaning, paper and health and beauty products. Right now, I don't necessary have a large stockpile of food since there is only 2 adults; but I do have a 10 month old DS and I always am on the look out for diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food.

Wow, It has been almost 7 years since I wrote this! No more diapers, formula or baby food for me!! YAY!! Now I get to stockpile the regular stuff along with school snacks!

[TLatesummer]

I usually use my coupons when I reslly need something. Because I don't want to waste money or coupons.