Stockpile Question!!

**DmPatton** · 08-10-2008, 09:53 PM

I'm new to this I was couriouse why people stockpile items? And what they stockpile. Thanks

**MommyinTX** · 08-10-2008, 10:11 PM

Some people stockpile for financial reasons and others for emergency preparedness. For most, it's probably a combined benefit. The general idea is to buy more when items are on sale so you don't have to pay full price later. I have kept my grocery budget for a family of eight the same amount or less for five years by stockpiling.

Generally, I plan my weekly menus around what's already in the pantry/freezer then I shop the weekly sales to re-stock. Some people keep huge stockpiles and others just a few extra items. Mine is just whatever fits in the budget.

Becky in TX

**DJ1972** · 08-10-2008, 10:18 PM

My stockpile is very modest compared to some. I buy extra of things that are on sale, that way I don't have to pay full price.

**Ceashels** · 08-10-2008, 10:34 PM

I keep a well stocked pantry of things we like and do my best to get them at the best price. It has helped us save money by purchasing some items in bulk but it has saved us more money by helping us not eat out. I usually have enough in stock to pull a dinner together if I don't get a chance to menu plan. It is a little more limited now that we don't eat pasta or rices, but I can grab some veggies (frozen) or 'shrooms to make our meals without prior planning.

**forHISglory** · 08-10-2008, 11:08 PM

I stockpile for economic and convenience reasons. I buy when things are on sale and then plan around what I have. We live in the country, and it's an inconvenience to have to go to town for an item.

Today, hubby invited a family to come over for lunch. We had 8 extra people. I pulled out some pasta, some bottled pasta sauce, and a package of hamburger and had a main dish going. I had a cake mix, and the makings for a dessert sauce to go over it. I had frozen strawberries and some jello, and made a quick strawberry salad. Then I added some fresh greens for a tossed salad, and we had a very good lunch. The only items that were not in my stockpile were the greens.

All those stock piled items were bought when on sale, so that lunch was both economical and convenient.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-10-2008, 11:57 PM

I stockpile for a couple reasons:

Economic benefit - I end up spending less money down the road and just gradually add to my stockpile.

Seasonal benefit - I get my strawberries, raspberries and blueberries now while they're in season and on sale. I freeze them and use them later in the winter when I want something yummy like a pie, bread or some muffins.

Variety benefit - When I have my stockpile, I can usually make anything else and only have to buy one or two other ingredients to make the meal a go. For example, this week is mushroom swiss burgers night. All I needed to buy today was the hamburger buns because I was almost out.

I'll use some weeks to buy more and contribute to the stockpile if I don't have to buy that many groceries that week. Today I went and spend $262.06 total...$114 and change of that was directly into the stockpile. I never buy anything intentionally for the stockpile that isn't on sale; if I don't use something by the end of the two weeks, it goes right into my stockpile for later.

**frugalbabe** · 08-11-2008, 01:23 AM

Well, I was raised in a religion that has always taught us to have a years worth of food, fuel, medicine etc. We call it our food storage and there are people who make a science out of how to obtain your storage, how to store it, how to use it etc! We have a very large food storage that I am guessing would feed us on it's own for about 6 months (family of 6). This is actually tiny compared to many others of my faith but I'm working on it as we can. Your food storage is useful for:

-security. I have lived through a natural disaster that left my town of 50,000 without water, electricity and passable roads for weeks our food storage kept us alive. As a mom I find it comforting to know that the food and supplies I have stockpiled can buy my family time in a disaster.
-If dh loses his job or becomes unable to work the storage gives us a buffer of time while we figure things out. One thing we won't have to worry about is food!
-Saves money. I buy things when they are in season and on sale so they are purchased at their cheapest.
-We are working on an aggressive debt snowball so there are many weeks I stretch our food dollar by eating out of our stockpile. I would not be able to be as aggressive on my payments without my stockpile.
How I fill my food storage is I budget $100 a week for our groceries and generally I can buy everything for around $85 so the extra $15 goes to buy food specifically for the storage. I have shelves and shelves of things like wheat, flour, sugar, oils, canned fruits-veggies-meat, cereals etc. It is something I feel passionately about so I always strive to be putting something away each week.

**maryea** · 08-11-2008, 01:38 AM

I like to buy things when they are cheap and then not have to buy them when the price is high. This is stuff that will not perish of course or I can freeze it. I currently have a very nice stockpile and hardly have to buy anything other than fresh produce, meat and dairy these days unless I want to try out something new.

**emily_hope** · 08-11-2008, 07:13 AM

I buy on sale and use coupons to stockpile items so I don't have to buy things at full price. I also like having what I normally use on hand so I don't have to run out to the grocery store all the time. Here's a thread I posted that has a general list of what to stockpile:

[ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106972"]What to stockpile...[/ame]

**cheles2kids** · 08-11-2008, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by frugalbabe

-security. I have lived through a natural disaster that left my town of 50,000 without water, electricity and passable roads for weeks our food storage kept us alive. As a mom I find it comforting to know that the food and supplies I have stockpiled can buy my family time in a disaster.
-If dh loses his job or becomes unable to work the storage gives us a buffer of time while we figure things out. One thing we won't have to worry about is food!
-Saves money. I buy things when they are in season and on sale so they are purchased at their cheapest.
-We are working on an aggressive debt snowball so there are many weeks I stretch our food dollar by eating out of our stockpile. I would not be able to be as aggressive on my payments without my stockpile.

Very well written!! I agree with all of this.

Stockpiling, *I* believe is something that people do for a myriad of reasons, but bottom line for me, it helps me to save money.
Both while buying for my stockpile (I also watch for good prices on items), for that extra sense of security AND to be honest, I just don't like to shop that much. This way I don't have to ship as often, if I don't want to run to the store every single week.

Oh &

to both FV & Stockpiling!!!

**IntlMom** · 08-11-2008, 09:01 AM

My reason is purely economic, though I suppose it has some security benifits that I had not really considered.
Like others, I would rather buy 20 cans of, say, canned peaches when they are .69 on sale and put then in my stockpile to use whenever I feel like adding a can of peaches to the side of my meal, than paying $1.19 a can because I need a can and don;t have any.

**trying to be frugal** · 08-11-2008, 10:17 AM

I stockpile so I can get things when they are on sale and so I don't have to go to the store as often.

**alarosalpn** · 08-11-2008, 11:00 AM

For me, stockpiling is for both saving money and getting through difficult times..(you can see pics of my recent stockpile under 'albums')
Right now, we are living on our stockpile. If I see something at the store(online flyers) that I can't pass up(like Stopandshop has corn on the cob again for 12/$1.99) I'll go buy it and freeze it for later use!
Like the others have said. I'd rather buy something cheap when it's on sale (even better when I have coupons to pair with the sale) than to pay full price because I need it...
I have food in my kitchen pantry and spare room,H&B,household cleaners and toilet paper in my dining room walk in closet that I converted to a "pantry".
When I'm having a tough financial time,such as now,I don't have to worry about not eating or having items of neccesity...
My stockpile is part of my sanity. I don't have anxiety over having to go grocery shopping when my funds are limited.

**knotme** · 08-11-2008, 11:25 AM

When my DH lost his job, we lived off our stockpile for over 2 months. It was nice not having to worry about food while still trying to maintain the other things we had to focus on in that hard time. I have a bil and sil that lived off their stockpile for 1.5 years while he was out of work. Like I say reassuring to know that it is there.