By Brittany Cotton
Budgets are tight and costs continue to rise. If you have the storage space, buying some products in bulk can be helpful. Before you start your bulk-buying journey, consider the tips below.
Guide to Buying in Bulk
Food
Only buy what you and your family will eat. Track your regular grocery purchases over time and note what items you nearly always pick up when you’re at the store. These are the items that you need to add to your first round of bulk buying. If you need peanut butter once a week, keep an eye out for sales and get more than one jar when the price drops.
Do look for ways to stretch your current favorite meals with lower cost foods. When potatoes are on sale, set up a baked potato bar with broccoli and cheese or a pot of chili. If your household will eat pasta, you can stretch your protein by making a baked pasta dish instead of hamburgers.
Other Items
Bulking up on personal care items when the price is right can lower your expenses over time. Make sure you have an area to store these items; a bin under your bed can be an ideal spot for lotions, soaps and shampoos. An unused upper cupboard in your kitchen can be perfect for disinfecting wipes.
How Can Buying in Bulk Overall Save You Money?
If you know how much of a product you use on a monthly basis, buying enough for a month during a sale week will reduce your monthly budget. Don’t just buy recommended bulk items! If your family doesn’t eat oatmeal, it’s a waste of money. If you cook with butter freeze a few pounds when it’s on sale.
The ultimate goal of bulk shopping is to only buy frequently used items when the price is low. If you have a favorite store for prices, only shop there when you get a good coupon. Having a healthy stock of frequently eaten or needed items can save your budget after a shock.
Best Things to Buy in Bulk
The best things to buy in bulk are
- items that you know you will use
- things that you have space for
- products that have a regular sale cycle
For example, many spices and baking products go on sale in the fall. Check the “best by” dates on the container and grab some extra oil, shortening or flour at that time and store them in a cool, dark place.
If you don’t have the room to keep bulk items away from bugs or other pests, you may need to also invest in sealed storage tubs. While these are an added expense, they’re a one time purchase that will pay for themselves many times over.
Make Room for Bulk Purchases in Your Current Budget
Coupons and sales are the best places to find extra dollars to start your bulk buys. Check your grocery list or your receipts for frequently purchased items. If you buy two cans of tuna each week, find a coupon or a sale and buy four next time.
The following week, you’ll have a little budget flexibility because you don’t need to buy tuna. Again, check the sales. If your favorite body wash or laundry soap is on sale, buy two or a larger unit with a lower cost per unit.
You can bootstrap your way to bulk buying, picking up just a few frequently used items each week. As you gain more breathing room in your budget, try to split your monthly budget into five weekly allotments instead of four. That extra twenty percent can be saved for bulk buying.
—
Brittany Cotton is a writer who focuses on health, wellness, and a variety of other topics. In her free time, you can find her reading, trying new recipes, or playing with her dog.