i have been rebuilding my food storage

**ladykemma2** · 10-31-2010, 08:15 AM

moving to non food items
needs years worth of

sugar (holiday sales soon)
laundry detergent
dish soap
sos pads
bleach
shampoo and conditioner
ivory soap
toilet paper

and top off my canned fruit.

whew this is going to be expensive. i am keeping my eyes open for sales.

working 12 hour days, couponing and doing the cvs thing doesn't work for me. i just go to the dollar store or the regular store and get what i need.

**jas** · 10-31-2010, 08:51 AM

I would love to have a years supply of everything. It is easier for me to stockpile HBA stuff than food. I will keep at it though.

Keep us posted on your progress!

**justann** · 11-11-2010, 04:58 PM

How is the best way to determine how much to stock for a year? Items like dish detergent, laundry, tp etc.? I wouldn't begin to know how much to try to stock. I feel so overwhelmed. Dh's income is varies drastically and hours are cut. Need to stock for lean times. We are a household of 4 adults, one teenage dd and one adult daughter who is physically disabled.

**ladytoysdream** · 11-11-2010, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by justann

How is the best way to determine how much to stock for a year? Items like dish detergent, laundry, tp etc.? I wouldn't begin to know how much to try to stock. I feel so overwhelmed. Dh's income is varies drastically and hours are cut. Need to stock for lean times. We are a household of 4 adults, one teenage dd and one adult daughter who is physically disabled.

I finally have some items stocked for a year here.
What I am doing is to figure how long each product lasts that we use normally in this household. Then look for sales and coupons to use with them.

So if your household used one bar of soap each week, then 52 bars for the year. If you use 2 big cans of soup, once a week, then 104 cans of soup to go the year.

You don't have to be a year ahead, even 3 months or 6 months would be a good thing. Start with one or two products at a time, and then just keep adding.

I started with TP here and am about a year ahead. Then canned dog food, and over a year ahead on that. Bar soap not sure how long it will last, but again maybe a year. My most recent bargain is laundry soap for $ 1 each, the 64 oz size, at the dollar store. I now have 6 cases with 8 bottles per case on the shelves. Shampoo and conditioner over a year also.

I am now trying to get stocked up on other things, a few at a time.
Today was deorderant and Q tips. All minor things but shelf stable

The biggest shock and then a grin was yesterday when I saw bacon for $ 3.98 a pound at our Super Walmart and I know I have quite a few pounds in the freezer I picked up this summer at another dollar store. I bought over 40 pounds of it and even I questioned my sanity.

**frugalfranny** · 11-13-2010, 03:00 AM

Keep at it ladyk.....you will get there.

I am in pretty good shape for most things but STILL buy tp when I find a good buy...........the price keeps going up.......and the number of squares on the roll go down!! UGH

**Jeanna** · 11-13-2010, 09:15 PM

The suggestion I got sometime ago is if you do not know how much to stockpile the way to figure is to write on the bottle of dish soap, ketchup etc the date you open it and then figure it out that way. Say you open your dish soap on 1/1 and finish it on 2/13 then you figure you need a bottle every 6 weeks so you take 52/6 comes out to 8.66 so 9 bottles should get you through a year. As far as canned food you would just keep track of how many you use over a certain period of time, say a month, and figure from there. Hope this helps a little.

**Debbie-cat** · 11-13-2010, 09:23 PM

I like that idea Jeanna! Thanks!

**shoiji** · 11-15-2010, 07:50 PM

Don't forget the best time for shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deoderant is in January. So start saving up those coupons. This is when I stock up on these types of items since I can get them free or nearly free. I currently have so much stocked up I will be going through them and taking whatever I can't use up by the expiration date to the local food pantry.

The best time for canned fruit and veggies seems to be now or after the holidays. So much goes on sale. I really like using the canned veggies in pureed soups and canned veggies especially canned peaches on top of pancakes.

I love the stockpile I have built up. Realize I need to replenish some items but it has really come in handy at times when I needed to readjust my budget for some unexpected expense.

There really is a sense of security when you know you do have food in you stockpile you can eat. May be a little bit of an odd meal but there is food there.

I found a huge can of dried powder milk that I forgot I had.

**island_fever** · 11-16-2010, 11:49 PM

I am suddenly quite fascinated with the notion of stockpiling. I think it makes perfect sense. I can see where it requires some creative thinking if you live in a small space and of course, it requires a flexible plan as far as purchases go. I know there's no good answer to this question, but do you think it's possible to stockpile a year in 6 months? What is a reasonable time frame with a plan? Thanks!

**ladykemma2** · 12-21-2010, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by ladykemma2

sugar (holiday sales soon) so expensive! not done

laundry detergent
dish soap done
sos pads done
bleach done
shampoo and conditioner today
ivory soap done
toilet paper

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

**frugal me** · 12-21-2010, 09:03 AM

Right now we have a few years worth of:

` Ivory Soap (3-bar pack) paid .07 after coupons
`All laundry detergent paid .50 after coupons
` Fabric softner sheets paid .50 a box on clearance at Albertsons'
`toothbrushes- free after coupons
`deodorant- .25 after coupons
`tp- .50 a pack after coupons
`dishwasher tabs- .50 after coupons
`razors - dirt cheap after coupons

I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting.

**rskmom** · 12-21-2010, 10:51 AM

We just got some stainless steel shelving units for our basement workshop set up, and I am going to use them for stockpiling. I have some items already, but really needed more space to fully take advantage of good deals.

**cheles2kids** · 01-19-2011, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by justann

How is the best way to determine how much to stock for a year? Items like dish detergent, laundry, tp etc.? I wouldn't begin to know how much to try to stock. I feel so overwhelmed. Dh's income is varies drastically and hours are cut. Need to stock for lean times. We are a household of 4 adults, one teenage dd and one adult daughter who is physically disabled.

Sorry about reviving an old thread. But what I've found to be the easiest system for me, when I open a new container of whatever, take a black sharpie and date it.
Then once the item is finished, just jot it down in a notebook.

That way you can just glance at your list and you'll have a good idea of how many you would need to buy in order to be supplied for an entire year.

If it's let's say a can of tomato sauce, write it down in another area of your notebook and then each time you use tomato sauce during the month, just place a marke beside it.
At the end of the month, just count the marks and it will give you a general idea of how many you need to get you through each month and then just multiply it by 12.

**Pemberleyan** · 01-20-2011, 08:35 AM

This thread reminds me that I have let our stockpile get low. I have never really calculated how much of each item is needed for a year and I am always amazed at the people who have a year's worth of toilet paper because I envision a room full of it :-). So, I need to get back to work!

**cheles2kids** · 01-20-2011, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Pemberleyan

This thread reminds me that I have let our stockpile get low. I have never really calculated how much of each item is needed for a year and I am always amazed at the people who have a year's worth of toilet paper because I envision a room full of it :-). So, I need to get back to work!

Yes! Me too...we've used up almost our entire stockpile, I actually just bought 10 lbs. of pinto beans at Sam's this past Saturday to get things rolling again.