I use to think that with my frugal ways it just didn’t make sense to keep my pantry stocked. Instead, I would try only to purchase the items that I really needed for the next week or two of meals. However (and as many others have discovered), I was mistaken. As you stock your pantry, it may take a little bit more money to begin with, but you will save money in the end. For instance, you will learn to stock up on items when they are on sale, instead of being forced to pay bigger prices for things when you need them.
Being prepared does not only have to mean that you are ready for a major disaster. It can also mean that you are living comfortably by looking ahead, not just towards the next year, but also towards the next week. Imagine the feeling of comfort at grocery-shopping time when your pantry is still quite full, and you are replenishing used items rather than filling empty shelves.
The first step to preparing your pantry is to come up with a list of staple items that you would like to always have on hand. This list will vary for everyone, depending on your family’s preferences and eating habits. Do not include too many items on this list–remember that these are only staples, items that your family regularly uses. When you do your weekly grocery shopping, you will only need to stock up by purchasing the items that you have used, and also buy additional items that are specific to the foods that you are making for the next week or two.
The folks in the couponing community here at families.com have the stockpiling thing down to an art form. Check out some of their photos here and read the forums to get started couponing in order to save some serious money on preparing your pantry.
Check back soon for my own list of staple items in order to help you get started on a list of your own.
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