[firefly615]

Hi all,

I'm new here and I am wondering about this stockpiling thing. With the utmost respect, I would like to ask what the motivation is behind stockpiling so much stuff. I am a less is more kind of person and while I will buy a couple extra of something on sale, I have trouble understanding why it is necessary to have a year's worth of dryer sheets (or whatever, I don't even use dryer sheets!).

It seems I spend so much time trying to get rid of stuff, the idea of trying to store more stuff (even if bought cheaply) gives me the shivers :yikes:

I would love to hear your thoughts. Who knows, maybe I can be converted!

 

[ruderring]

I stockpile for the simple reason I get stuff for free or really cheap. It is also something I do for emergencies. With people losing jobs left and right not that I anticipate that I will anytime soon or my husband either you just never know what may come up. I feel I am prepared in case if someone should be hospitalized or for whatever else may happen. I also like knowing that I can help out friends and family with my stockpile which I usually do regularly as some of our family members are going through a rough time right now. It is also nice to know I have it if I need it. Don't get me wrong I do not have a huge stockpile yet but I am working on it. Yes I too am trying to minimize but do feel better knowing I have some things on hand. Hope this helps. :cowwave:

 

[frugalfranny]

I don't stockpile a lot, but I do it as a way of saving. Buy multiples of things when they are on sale, then I am not having to buy them at the normal price because I am out of them.

Plus having some 'emergency things' in case some sort of disaster should happen....and it doesn't have to be something major. Last winter, with our snowfall, it was over a week before I could get out of the house. And the stuff I stockpile ...excluding some of the emergency things....won't 'go bad'..(exception is canned goods).....for the most part. IMO...Once you get a 'system going' it also saves shopping time.........and I hate shopping!!

 

[phoeny_moonstar]

I think the reason behind myself stockpiling is because I like to be able to provide for my family at a reasonable price. Why would I go to the store and spend 3.19$ on a can of jarred spaghetti sauce when I can wait three weeks or so get the same brand of spaghetti sauce for .99c per can? They never know the difference but my pocketbook does.

Also, I think there is a difference between stockpiling "stuff" and food. You don't need stuff, you do however need food.

 

[thefrug]

I just want to put out there, that your government wants you to have at least 2 weeks worth of food and water stocked at your house. They changed it from 3 months down to 2 weeks ( why I have no idea. guess to stop any questions or panic).


http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/index.html


do you really want to live with your head in the sand because you don't want "clutter" of some kind?


I stockpile because:

1) It saves me money on food that can go to other bills
2) If I can not leave my house because of snow or ice storm or even power lines down, I can feed us with no worries
3) I truly believe that if something of a disastrous nature did happen ( katrina, remember her?), that I will not have to worry and wonder if the government will be along in time to give us a hand out. We'll take care of ourselves thank you. and more than likely better than the government could ( because we all know what happens when the government tries to do something, it gets royally screwed up!).
4) it just makes economic sense. If you can buy something that you use for half the price why would you not do so? and if you do so, why would you not buy enough to last you until you can buy it at half price again?

 

[Neeley]

The only reason I buy multiples of items is to save a little money. If there is a really good sale on something then I will get four or five of that item at the reduced price.

 

[nodmicks]

The only reason I buy multiples of items is to save a little money. If there is a really good sale on something then I will get four or five of that item at the reduced price.

Same here but I'll buy more than 4-5 if it is something we use lots of

 

[NewLeaf]

I try to wait for the absolutely best sale and then buy enough to last until the next sale. Also, I shop at a salvage grocery store. I do this to save money on groceries and provide better for my family. I'm not stockpileing to horde food, I just keep a 3 month supply of basics. I found by doing this I am "running" to the store less , there fore saving time and money. Also, by saving on some groceries I can buy upgrade on others. For example, I can now buy steak sometimes for a treat.(I also wait for a sale lol.) We have been snowed in at times and I have been able to provide food and necessites for my family.

 

[lmbaker520]

I also stockpile for many of the same reasons that you all do. If I find an item at the lowest that I can get it for, I buy enough to last me to when I believe that the next sale will be. Sometimes I don't even care about when the next sale will be. I recently found Ragu spaghetti sauce where I got it for free with triple coupons. It doesn't expire until 2011 so I bought as much as I had coupons for. We won't have any trouble using it up and I can basically feed my family for the cost of the pasta, whatever meat I put in it and some bread.

The second big reason that I stockpile is because of unforseen circumstances that can happen in your life. Many jobs are uncertain and any number of other things could happen that you would be happy to have that stockpile for. It is comforting to me to know that if something did happen that I would have the food at my home to feed myself and my family if needed.

I know that storage space is a big factor for a lot of people. So you have to only buy what you can fit into your space. I am fortunate and have an unfinished basement with plenty of space.

 

[Ceashels]

I don't have a stock pile but I consider my pantry to be fully loaded. I buy bulk or by the case when reasonable (the best price, won't spoil, etc) so there are items that I have on hand for my cooking style.

Example: I'll buy a case of 36 cans of mushrooms at Aldi's and it will last me 2-3 months. So instead of picking up a 1-2 cans a week at a grocery store, I save money and time by keeping it in my pantry. I do this with some of the other products at Aldi's so I only need to go once a month which saves on gas and my time.

I wouldn't mind boosting some of my pantry up to 2-3 months on some items but that will come in time.

 

[AmyBoz]

I stockpile when things are on major sale and I can get them for really cheap or free. It just makes sense to me to buy a whole bunch of toilet paper and store it when I can get it for almost free, than to just buy one and then to have to buy the rest when it is full price.

 

[baxjul]

I live in Florida, so there is the threat of hurricanes in the summer. I stockpile for that, and also to save time and money on grocery shopping.

 

[Michelle]

I stockpile when things are on major sale and I can get them for really cheap or free. It just makes sense to me to buy a whole bunch of toilet paper and store it when I can get it for almost free, than to just buy one and then to have to buy the rest when it is full price.

:yes: :yeah:

Exactly...

 

[firefly615]

I appreciate everyone's input here!

Apologies to thefrug for ticking you off. I really don't have my head in the sand . . . just very limited space.

I live in California so being snowbound or hurricanes are not a consideration. We do have the threat of earthquakes, however. This thread has reminded me to update my emergency kit. I need to find a good container to keep outside of the house to store everything in.

Also, I may be catching the bug (just a little). I bought a bunch of 4 pack light bulbs (the energy-saving kind) for .99 yesterday.

 

[Grainlady]

"There are no emergencies for those who are prepared."

Stockpiling is part of being a responsible citizen to assure you are somewhat self-sufficient in an emergency. FEMA can't be everywhere, and Katrina proved how unprepared and incompetent people can be when it comes to taking care of themselves.

As all of you put so well with your examples, everyone will experience their own emergencies.... Loss of income or unexpected expenses and those food dollars could be spent for something else if you have a stockpile to rely on. Natural or man-made disasters - including power outages (anytime of the year).

During the height of high gas prices truckers threatened a strike, which would have led to interrupted food supplies for those of us out here in the middle of nowhere. Grocery stores only have about 3-days worth of food in storage.

If the Senate passes Cap & Trade, those trucker strikes may be a reality once again. Even our amount of food available to us may suffer if utilities and gas are doubled, as they are expected to be. I see a complete shift in what we eat coming. Farmers and ranchers will probably cut production so less food available and the prices will certainly skyrocket.

We're headed for inflation with the government printing and borrowing so much money, so everything I have in storage is worth more than the paltry amount of interest it would earn in the bank. I've experienced wheat prices more than doubling from '07 to '08 and paid the same in '09. But I still store enough wheat and other grains/seeds/beans to last for several years.

I started stockpiling by always having one or two ahead of essentials. Eventually I had several months ahead. That way if money got tight, we would have our basic foods and personal items covered.

You don't have to make unexpected trips to the store because you're out of something. I have several years worth of dried milk products in storage. I've never run out milk in 28-years by keeping it in storage. When you do a good job of stockpiling, you NEVER seem to be OUT of anything.

Eventually I got VERY serious about stockpiling and now I follow a system that is similar to the one taught by the Mormons.

I quit storing prepared and highly-processed foods and now stockpile whole foods, ingredients, and foods with much longer shelf-life. I can make my own "convenience" foods from all the ingredients I have in storage.

The payback is that these items are generally less expensive and better for you.

 

[jas]

I am fully on board with grainlady. I don't have near the reserves that she does but, I am on my way.

 

[Palooka]

I don't really stockpile but my pantry is always full. I only stockpile a few items when it's a really good deal and I know that I will use it.

I seem to stockpile good deals on HBA stuff more than food though. lol

 

[Palooka]

3) I truly believe that if something of a disastrous nature did happen ( katrina, remember her?), that I will not have to worry and wonder if the government will be along in time to give us a hand out. We'll take care of ourselves thank you. and more than likely better than the government could ( because we all know what happens when the government tries to do something, it gets royally screwed up!).

Okay, I may be stupid here....I am sure. How in the heck can a stockpile save you in a hurricane, such like Katrina? When the water rises in your house? Either you have the funds to get away(and take your stock with you?) before the waters rise so high, or you either find a fast way to get out of the path of a huge hurricane...Are ya going to carry your stock with you when the boat can't sail? Weird.

 

[thefrug]

IMO ( read that again), the government royally screwed up with Katrina. That is just an EXAMPLE. geesh. I KNOW that where I live I wouldn't be hit by the waters. I live in the mountains. And there were areas just outside of the devastation that were without water and power because of that hurricane.They relied on the grid that was IN the devastated area.
I don't think that was too hard to figure out now was it?
Just because where you are is not "ground zero" for a disaster, doesn't mean that YOU won't be impacted by it.
Think out of the box K?

 

[laura-n-sasha]

I stockpiled before for when we moved to this area (Cape Hatteras National Seashore - seasonal job) because I KNEW it was going to be an expensive area to buy food. Some of the stored goods are gone, others are still around, and I have saved money.

Once we get out of the area, I will go to some places that have the cheap food again (Costco, Aldi's and others) and buy for the next season.

I think that it is good to be prepared, and not have to rely on anyone else. Almost all of the places we plan to go are REMOTE as possible, and jumping into the truck to go into town requires ample planning. Most people I know, when they go shopping, go for at least a month's worth of food.

If I already have that months' worth, I just have to get the things that round it out, usually things like fresh fruit.

I bought wheat berries in 2007, we use them for our cereal in the morning. They are still going strong, with no problems. They were bought with 2007 dollars. Just like the forever stamps of 2007, I still have plenty of those as well. It is a savings plan that works.