Stockpiling

What is stockpiling?
- Buying products at the lowest price you can find (with coupons or without- coupons usually make the sale better!) and stocking up on them.

Scenario with coupon:
Mustard is on sale for 1.20. I have a coupon for .50 (will double at Kroger), the mustard will cost me .20! So if I have multiple coupons, I get as many as I need or have coupons for.

Scenario without coupon:
Listerine is on clearance at Target, a big bottle for 1.49. That is a great price, it may never be that low again (or it will be a long while till it is) so get as many bottles as you want or your family will use.


Is stockpiling a budget breaker?

- One thing I had to learn is just because it is a good deal doesn't mean you need it. Saving can be addicting. I stockpile on items that I know we will use, are at the best price I have seen, if they are free, or if I can get a gift card back for the purchase- which makes it a good deal.

- I know we will not use 20 things of mustard. (hypothetical- I've never bought that many of one thing at once) So even though it is at a good price I will not get any or I'll get one.

- I have bought things for the stockpile(some like to try to get everything for cents or free), like my favorite lotion- Nivea Smooth Sensation (?). At Target it is 3.49 a bottle!! That is crazy! So one day I had coupons and I ran across a good sale. I got 3 lotions under 1.50 each. So I bought 3. I got three almost for the price of one!

- If things are free, I grab them. How do I get them free? Coupons. No it's not a "Free ____" coupon (sometimes you find those) but I shop the clearance and see if I have a coupon for the items I would like to get.
Ex: Had a 2- $2 coupon for BIC women razor. I found two in the clearance at Walgreens for $1.xx. I used my coupon and got both free! :)
- This type of stockpiling is the funnest, however if even though the item is free, think about if you or your family will use it or can it be donated. Getting every little free thing (although it doesn't happen a lot to me) can take up space. Think about if you have space to store it. In the end it may not be worth it to get every free item. It may cause you or your family stress.

- Getting back gift cards. This happens, for me, at Target. Not every gift card deal is a good deal. Buying 3 full price Listerine for just $5 back is not a good deal. Unless you have a very large family and will need that many Listerines anyways.
- What makes this a good deal, again, is coupons. A while back, there were coupons for the Fusion men's razor and the Venus women's razor. Then Target had buy 2 of either Venus or Fusion razors and get $5 gc. I was reading on the blog that ladies were using their coupons and paying just .98 after the gift card ($5.98- then getting the $5 gc).
- That is when the gift card (gc) is worth it. In my opinion and if you shop at Target regularly. If you don't then that might be a type of stockpiling strategy you want to skip.

Is stockpiling hoarding?

- I'm going to be honest and say that I have struggled with this question. The thought- what if this is a thing that I am seeing these things as my treasures instead of storing my treasures in heaven.

After reading this post:
http://aproverbswife.com/2010/03/how-a-stockpile-can-triple-your-grocery-budget-surplus.html

I felt better.

- I believe if you stockpile, just in the sake of keeping stuff or buying a lot of stuff, then that's hoarding.

- Stockpiling has allowed us to be able to donate items. I have a small box of toiletries about to go to the women's shelter. I'm not saying that to make us look good, but an as an example of what stockpiling can help with. If I would have bought everything full price, then I would be much less likely to donate because we spent so much money on it. If I would have gone out to buy all the things at full price, it would have been a burden on our budget. So instead, stocking up on items- some free, some super cheap- has allowed our family to give more freely to others in need.

Here is another great post about stockpiling:
http://lifeasmom.com/2010/06/grocery-geek-presents-learn-to-build-a-stockpile.html

Coming soon: a video of our stockpile.

Have a lovely day!