How to Build Up a Stockpile

Having a stockpile of basics and favorites really helps you save money in the long run. You can prevent extra trips to the store; you can have plenty on hand to serve for dinner and avoid take out costs; you can get your food items at the lowest prices. The best way to build up a stockpile is usually slowly. This way, you never spend too much money at once, and you can have a plan in mind when it comes to storing your stockpile. concentrate on building up just a few items per week until you have a good … Continue reading →

Taking Inventory to Save Money

Even frugal people can go overboard without intention. Then you wind up spending extra money on things that you don’t need. I used to be guilty of this all of the time, and I still have to be careful about it. By thinking ahead and using a few minutes to take inventory, you can save yourself some money and some hassle. Last weekend, my family and I made a stop at one of the huge children’s outgrown sales in the area. This sale is always packed with tons of clothing, shoes, toys and equipment of all kinds. The sale can … Continue reading →

Common Pitfalls of Stockpiling

Buying things when they are on sale and stockpiling those items can be a great way to save money. Stockpiling can also be a problem if you don’t avoid the common pitfalls of this usually frugal practice. The other day, I was watching an episode of Wife Swap. I’ve been ordered by my doctor to lay on the couch and do nothing for a couple of days, so there is my excuse. My eldest son was keeping me company, but I have suspicions that it wasn’t altogether altruistic. After all, the television was “on,” a somewhat rare occasion in the … Continue reading →

Top 5 Stockpiling Tips

Stockpiling means getting your groceries at the very lowest prices, and then purchasing enough to last you until you can get to the next great sale. This way, you never pay full price for any groceries at all. Whether you are new to stockpiling or have been doing it for years, you might find the following stockpiling tips helpful. 1. Pay attention to sales. Grocery store sales are cyclical. This means that they usually occur every so many weeks, or they may be seasonal in nature. Start making a list of when things go on sale. For example, maybe roaster … Continue reading →

When Stockpiling Doesn’t Make Sense

Stockpiling is a good way to save money. Having things on hand that you bought on sale gives you the insurance that you won’t have to buy something at full price out of obligation because you’ve run out of the item. Stockpiling food in a pantry can also ensure that there is always something that you can cook at home, eliminating the need to run out and buy and expensive restaurant or take out meal. But, there are some times when stockpiling just doesn’t make sense. Here is a guide that you can compare against your own stockpiling habits to … Continue reading →

Shop at Home to Save: The Sources 2

If you were wondering where I get many of my products frugally, read on. This is a continuation of Shop at Home to Save: The Sources. Shower gel, body wash and soap Things to get people clean seem to be a main staple of holiday gifts. My main source of these products is from gifts (hmm, are people trying to tell me something)? Also, holiday gift baskets and packages abound at up to 90 percent off after Christmas. Free samples are also another source of these products. With the body wash, I was able to stock up on Dove and … Continue reading →

Shop at Home to Save: The Sources

So, now that we are done talking about shopping from home, you may be wondering how on earth I had enough toothpaste to last for years or where I got all of that laundry detergent. Whether you are interested out of curiosity or are looking to get some tips on having free or nearly free products, it should be an interesting read. Here are my sources for all of the shop at home products we have around the house. Toothpaste Toothpaste manufacturers have started to place expiration dates on the tubes, although this is a relatively recent practice. A very … Continue reading →

Managing Your Stockpile 2

Do you have a well-organized stockpile? It doesn’t take too much effort to maintain a stockpile if you know a few tips. Yesterday, I started talking about how to manage your stockpile and avoid waste. Now, let us continue with the tips, including some recipe secrets. When you have a stockpile, it is important to be flexible enough to adapt when there are dietary or taste changes. For example, my husband used to take lunch meat as his lunch to work almost every day. Now he prefers soup. So, I have a couple of jars of mayo and salad dressing … Continue reading →

Managing Your Stockpile

Having a stockpile of food and household goods that you purchase on sale makes good sense, especially now when the prices on things keep going up and up. For example, I purchased an extra bulk box of laundry detergent for $20. The price today is $30 for the same box. That is a 50% increase! The bulk organic flour I purchased cost me $25 for 25 pounds. Today the price is $50, a 100 percent increase! I purchased cans of pizza sauce on sale for 59 cents. The price today is 99 cents. You see what I mean. But one … Continue reading →

More Creative Ideas for Stockpile Cooking

There are three great reasons for cooking from your stockpile. You may want or have to skip your shopping due to budgetary concerns, you may be moving soon and want to use up the food you have, or you may need to clear out the food that is close to expiring, to avoid waste. I have been concentrating on this third reason for getting creative with the pantry food, but I’ll forgive you if you have one of the other reasons to do it. This post is part of the Ideas for Cooking from Your Stockpile Series. Hopefully you have … Continue reading →