What is stockpiling?

[Rowanberry]

I am trying to figure out what you mean by stockpiling?

How do you know what you need?

What do you buy most of?

When is the best time to buy these things?

How do you use your stockpile?

How do you fit it in a grocery challenge budget?

many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

[homesteadmamma]

I'm glad you started this thread. Nice and easy wasn't it.

I am trying to figure out what you mean by stockpiling? For me, stockpiling is meaning that I have a well stocked pantry and well stocked shelves in my basement as well. It means if I run out of a pantry item I can "shop" downstairs. It means if there is a disaster (ice storm, no power) that I don't have to panic because I have enough to feed my family and others if the need arises.

How do you know what you need? First I did some searches on the web, then kept a running log of what I bought for a couple months. I then multiplied it by 12 for 12 months. A few years ago I had a 12 month supply of most items. This past Dec. I had a 2 month supply of most stuff. My stockpile has gotten really low and I'm starting to build it up again a few items at a time.

What do you buy most of? Canned tomatoes, salmon, beans, fruits. I also purchase rice in 50 lb. bags, wheat in 50 lb. bags, sugar in 20 lb. bags. I also do lots of my own preserving such as jams/jellies, applesauce and tomatoes when we have them.

When is the best time to buy these things? When they are a loss leader. Loss leaders are sales that are on the back and front of your flyers you get either in the newspaper or in your mail box. They are items the store draws you in to purchase at a good sale price so you'll purchase other items too. Of course, when you have your own garden, once the produce is ripe do as much preserving as you can. Saves huge amounts of $$.

How do you use your stockpile? When items in my pantry run out, I begin to use my stockpile. You need to also make sure you rotate your items so that they don't become outdated.

How do you fit it in a grocery challenge budget? I set aside a specific amount of $$ each month. Sometimes its as little as $10, other times it can be as high as $50. I use that amount for stockpiling ONLY. At times it can get tough when your on a fixed budget (like right now for us), but I try not to miss a month of buying something for our stockpile.

many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.


Another question:
Where do you find the space to keep your stockpile There are many places to put your stockpile. Homemade items such as tomatoes, etc. need to be stored in a cool dry place. But toilet paper can be stored anywheres - under a bed, behind a couch, in a clothes closet. Canned goods can be stored pretty much anywhere. A good freezer helps in that you can store your meats, but also rice and flour as well. Look around your home and find spaces. We don't have a full sized basement only partial but its not heated and we keep our potatoes, onions, canned goods and our preserves all down there.


Great questions.

[frugalmommie]

rowanberry, Here is what it means to me.
Stockpiling for me is buying something so cheap I can stockpile it and not have to buy it for awhile. Like shampoo, I have NEVER paid more than 25 cents for a bottle of shampoo. Recently, Suave had a coupon for $1.00 off, my grocery store had B1G1F, so the $1.00 covered the one bottle, and the other bottle was included..so I got 12 bottles ( 6 coupons) of free sauve. So Now I have those 12 bottles stockpiled in my bathroom cabinet.

I do this with just about any bathroom item. I also do it for frozen foods ( have a big freezer), canned and bottled foods, and basically anything that isn't parishable. My pantry right now has TONS of ketchup, syrup, brownie mix, canned veggies, canned fruit, papertowels, plastic bags ( I wash these so I don't go through them often), Dish washer detergent, cleaners, etc. . I even have 12 boxes of those dishwipes, got them 9 cents a box...I will use those for camping.

It's not so much knowing what you need NOW..but what you will use in the future. When I saw the syrup, free after coupon. I knew the kids would use it. It's sealed so I went ahead and got 14 bottles, they were all free. That was MONTHS ago!! Then the same grocery store put the frozen waffles on sale for 99 cents a box, 50 coupon that doubles made them free, I got 18 boxes of those...now my kids have lots of free breakfasts.

Also, One friend works for a packing plant. They package instant oatmeal, stuffing mixes, hot chocolate mixes, and stuff like that. Whenever she has free stuff, she gives it to me..so I stockpile all that. Sure it's a huge amount at once...but I store it in airtight containers and the kids love it.


Does that help answer some of your questions??

[Rowanberry]

Yep, that's great......will start making a list of what we use regular such as coffee, tea, toilet paper, shampoo, sugar, pasta, rice, canned tomatoes and see whether I can use some money out of the budget towards those.
Many thanks

[i.m.cheap]

Remember to stockpile those items at their ROCK BOTTOM PRICES. Clipping coupons helps alot, too. If you have a store that will double coupons, even better. I even purchase extra coupons for things we use alot of from a coupon clipping service.
Some things that I like to stockpile:

Shampoo
deodorant
toothpaste
toilet paper
paper towels, napkins
peanut butter
jelly
ketchup
mayo
canned tomatoes
canned beans
canned fruit
tuna
jello
pasta
pasta sauce
cereal
salad dressing
crackers
coffee
coffee creamer
sugar

Anything (non-perishable) that is frequently on your grocery list is something that you should be stockpiling when you run across a really good sale. I try to only buy an amount that I feel certain we will use before the expiration dates. I know that we use one 13 oz. can of coffee about every week, so when Dillon's puts the Kroger brand coffee on sale 10 cans for $10, I don't hesitate to buy at least 10 cans (a two and a half month supply) by the time we are using up the last of our "cheap" coffee, it usually goes on sale again.

Some things will go on sale every year at the same time, like during Lent (now) you will find sales on frozen fish, tuna, cheese and pasta. When back to school time rolls around, peanut butter and jelly will be loss leaders. Memorial day and Fourth of July bring sales on hot dogs, chips, ground beef, soda pop, etc.

[Shell]

I remember my old neighbour who was from England had seen a show on tv about "stocking." He didn't understand that these people were bragging on tv that people "stock." He asked me to explain as he thought it was illegal. After asking him a few questions, it turns out the show was about stock piling food---now stalking people!!!!!

Of course, he thought it was pretty funny that people wear, "fanny packs!"