How do you calculate how quickly you'll use things?

**Valerie in WA** · 08-03-2005, 04:06 PM

I'm gearing myself up for my first large bulk order of organic dry goods. I'll be getting things like rolled oats, flour, sugar, powdered milk, peanut butter, etc.

I have some guesses on how quickly we'll go thru some things, but on others, I'm just puzzled.

How do you do it? It there some nifty link that figures it all out for you?

Do you keep records for months before your first order?

TIA!

**QuilterMom** · 08-03-2005, 04:18 PM

I tried to find an old thread that I thought was in the Preparedness and Survival forum that pertained to this and can't locate it. Basically, it said the following .....

Keep track of what you eat for a one week period. Don't track just the main ingredients, track every single ingredient (all the way down to water, spices, etc.). To calculate a 3 month supply, multiply by 12. To calculate a 6 month supply, multiply by 26. To calculate a one year supply, multiply by 52.

I tracked ours for a while, but did it over the course of a few weeks because we don't tend to necessarily eat the same meals every week. You can adjust the multiplication accordingly.

**waterlover** · 08-03-2005, 07:34 PM

I kept track by putting the date on a product when I started using is it. I did this with toothpaste, cereal, dishwashing detergent, laundry soap, toliet paper etc.

I kept track for a full year, or use QuilterMoms suggestion of multiplying the months. Now I'm able to determine how long something is going to last. This way I don't over buy too many of one item.

I don't know if there is one universal chart , I would think everyone is different.

I keep my list of on my PDA which I have with me all the time.

**Lucky Star** · 08-03-2005, 10:29 PM

This is a good thread, and great ideas! I've been thinking myself that I should figure this out, because I have no idea how quickly we use things Now I have some good ideas for how to do that

**canadian gardener** · 08-03-2005, 10:46 PM

buy smaller to start, see how long it takes to use it up. People change. I bought a lot of dried beans in BIG bulk orders, then got allergic and had to give them away.

Tastes change, allergies happen, favourite recipes get boring and are replaced by new ones, kids leave for summer camp, seasonal changes.

I'm staring at a dozen big cans of diced tomatoes which used to be a staple we shot thru very quickly. I made a lot of soup to fill up the kids. It's dh and me only now, and that case is going to last a veeeerrrrryyyyy looooong time.

I like to stick to products I am pretty sure of like soap, toilet paper, laundry detergent, rice (although there again, dh and I don't do a lot of carbs or pasta so fortunately I don't have a new big bag on hand) oatmeal (again, I'm a porridge eater so we use it up)

Meats are good to buy on sales and package at home as needed for the freezer. Ditto big bags of frozen veggies as long as it's something you really do use a lot of.

Track your grocery bills for the next little while or dig up the last few grocery tapes if you still have them. They will tell you a lot about what you routinely buy.

A bargain isn't a bargain if

a- you have to throw it out because the family is tired of it or allergic to it or like oils it goes rancid.

b-the family feels free to really rip into and eat up the quantity size of whatever they like because they like it and you got it so cheap they might as well pig out.

Either way the potential savings are gone in a hurry