Do you get annoyed when you run out of toilet paper or shampoo? Feel like you are always running to the store to get those 1 or 2 necessity items you do not have? Avoid these hassles, and read on for the best items to stockpile and save money doing so.
How to Stockpile
Before we go over the best items to stockpile, let me share some stockpiling details that I have learned through my past experiences. This way you can skip the trial and error that I went through, and start saving money and time right away. Here are some tips and tricks before you begin to stockpile.
Check the Date
There are many items that you can buy in bulk when they are on a good sale that will last for months or even years. When pulling items off a shelf that have expiration dates you typically want to pull from the back, but check for the best expiration date on the shelf.
The items in the back of the shelf aren’t always the ones with the best expiration date. Whoever restocked the shelf might have put the new items in the front. If you order online or do in-store pick up unfortunately you won’t be able to pick your own items. This is why for food I like to shop at a store myself and pick out items.
Know Your Storage Space
Stockpiling is great and all, but you still need to have the space to store your items. I would love to buy 100 boxes of kleenex when they are on a great sale because kleenex doesn’t expire. However, unfortunately I do not have space to store that many boxes of kleenex because I need space for other items.
The same goes for food items. For instance, if frozen pizzas were on a great sale. I know my family would use 50 frozen pizzas before they would expire but I do not have space for 50 frozen pizzas in my freezer.
Learn What You and Your Family Use
In order to become good at stockpiling and saving money you have to know what your family goes through, otherwise you will waste money. For example, if you see a great deal on Suave shampoo, but no one in your family will use that brand, then that is not an item you should buy, much less stockpile.
Moreover, if your family likes to have brownies for dessert only once a year, buying 10 boxes of brownie mix when they are on a great sale will only mean that you end up tossing 7-8 boxes due to expiration. Just because something is on a phenomenal sale, doesn’t mean you have to buy it as it is better to spend no money than spend a little money on something you won’t use. This was something I have struggled with in the past and still do sometimes:)
Knowing your best items to stockpile gets easier over time. You learn what you go through fast and what you hardly use. Also, you learn how often items go on sale and what is a great deal vs. what is a minor deal. Stockpiling will dictate at times what you eat, drink, and use but you will save loads of money in the process. Now onto the best items to stockpile and save money.
Best Household Items to Stockpile
Household Items are great to stockpile because you know you will use them, you can often get them discounted with coupons, and they last for a long time before they expire (or they never expire).
Toiletries
There are many toiletry items we use everyday that you can stockpile. Many of them never expire. My bathroom closet is stocked with these items. Even though most toiletries do not expire, when I buy more I make sure to put the new supply behind the current supply so I use my oldest items first.
Here are the toiletry items I stock up on:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap/body wash
- Deodorant (I stock up on my husband’s)
- Tooth paste
- Mouth rinse
- Lotion
- Sanitary napkins
The toiletries I am more careful about stockpiling due to expiration dates is deodorant, toothpaste, and mouth rinse. In addition, I have learned that my husband goes through a lot more deodorant than I do. So I don’t stock up near as much for myself as I do for him.
Paper Products
The best paper products to stockpile are toilet paper, paper towel, napkins, paper plates and paper bowls. Personally I don’t use paper plates, bowls and napkins often so I don’t have too many stocked up, but if you do use them regularly this is a great stockpile item.
Household Disposable Products
Various household disposable products are some of the best items to stockpile. They do not expire and you know you will go through them. Items like hand soap, dish soap, trash bags, dishwashing detergent and cleaning supplies are all great items to stockpile as long as you have the space.
Laundry Supplies
Laundry is something we will always have – it is not going anywhere. Therefore, stockpile laundry supplies to save time and money. I stock up on detergent, free and clear detergent for my baby, and stain remover. Dryer sheets are not something I stock up on because I don’t want it to lose it’s smell, but I do buy the largest size and make sure I have 1 or 2 boxes in my laundry cabinet. So stock up on any laundry supplies you use.
Party Supplies to Stockpile
Some people go through lots of party supplies while others may not if they do not host parties or have people over often. If you hold birthday parties at your house and/or have gatherings once in a while you likely go through paper products and party supplies.
The following are the best items to stockpile for parties and gatherings:
- Plates
- Cups
- Napkins
- Cutlery
- Disposable containers
In addition, decorations like crepe paper, signs, table clothes, and even balloons will last a while and can be stockpiled. Although, some of these items maybe more difficult to purchase in advance as you may want to know the party theme. So maybe do not go too overboard with stocking up on party decorations.
Best Clothes Items to Stockpile
Undergarments
Things like socks and underwear, bras, etc it is good to have a back up or buy a few extra when they are on a good sale. These items you wear each day, so having a spare may come in handy if you lose one.
Now, do not buy too many if you do not go through them often. For instance, do not buy 20 pairs of new underwear if you only wear a new pair every 4 years. The reason being improvements are made and fabrics change over the years. The style or material may change or your taste could change as well.
Another miscued stockpile for me was buying too many pairs of underwear. First, I realized I didn’t go through underwear as fast as I thought. Second, the underwear improved and the material got more comfortable. So here I was stuck wearing the ones I had bought. Lastly, on a couple pairs I had bought the elastic got stretched and didn’t work because it was too old. So I had to throw them away wasting money.
Favorite Clothing Items
Have you ever had a favorite shirt or pants and when it started to get worn you bought 2 more of them? Or what I have done in the past is if I really liked the style of a shirt or shorts I bought it in a couple different colors. At times you can get a deal on and item if you buy more of it. Now I would only do this with clothes I absolutely loved otherwise it is a waste of money if you won’t wear them. Buying 1 item even if a little more money is better than spending more money and not using an item.
Food & Drink Items to Stockpile
Food Is great to stockpile because many foods are always on sale or there is always a great deal on something to eat.
Non-Perishables
Non-Perishable food items are some of the best items to stockpile and save money for 3 reasons.
- Non-perishables typically have a long shelf life. Certain can goods I am buying right now don’t expire until 2023! Now this isn’t all non-perishables, but generally non perishable food items last for at least 6 months to a year. Also, if you pass an expiration date the food is typically still ok yet to eat.
- Non-perishables are generally cheap. They go on sale regularly and often there are coupons available for various products. If you watch for deals and coupons, stocking up on non-perishables can help decrease your grocery budget.
- They do not take up much space. Depending on how big your kitchen is and how much cupboard or pantry space you have, you can fit a lot of non-perishables in a small amount of space. Canned goods stack and fit together nicely. Boxes fit together nicely. Seasoning packets and spices are small and easy to store almost anywhere. Face the label of each item out so you can see what you all have at a quick glance. In addition, put the items that expire first in the front.
Sample non-perishable that are stockpiled in my pantry:
- Canned vegetables
- Canned fruit/apple sauce
- Cereal
- Peanut Butter
- Condiments
- Canned soups
- Ranch, Italian, Taco seasoning packets
- Boxed noodles, mac n cheese & stuffing
- Baking items
- Coffee
Frozen Foods
Next, some frozen foods are great to stockpile if you have the space. In addition to our freezer in our house we have a chest freezer in our garage to store extra frozen foods. Besides the foods you buy frozen in the store, I like to buy meats and shredded cheeses when they are on a good sale and freeze them. They both freeze well and when you buy at regular price they can be so expensive.
Furthermore, I keep some frozen meals in my freezer for when my family needs a meal and I do not have time to prepare one. Often it is easy to make a double meal while meal prepping and there are lots of meals that freeze well. For more on easy frozen meal ideas and foods that freeze well click here.
Drink Items to Stockpile
Besides food, there are lots of drinks you can stockpile as well. My family does not drink many different items, but we do always have a couple cases of bottled water on hand for events. Next, sports drinks, soda, and juices usually expire in 4-12 months so if you drink a lot of these items they are definitely worth stockpiling when on a good sale. Lastly, alcohol, wine, and beer have a relatively long shelf life as well.
Other Items to Stockpile
Above I mentioned lots of items to stockpile that will save you time and money. These are all items that I personally stockpile and use. There maybe other items that I didn’t mention that you use on a regular basis. By all means when items are on a great sale stock up.
If you have a baby or are pregnant and preparing for a baby there are lots of great items you can stockpile when they are on a good sale. *Click here for more information on stockpiling baby essentials. *
Final Thoughts on Best Items to Stockpile
Stockpiling and buying ahead saves you time and money, but it only works if you have a way to keep everything organized. I’ve made a lot of strides in that department over the years, but it continues to be a work in progress. Because life evolves, tastes change, products evolve and your organizational systems have to continue to evolve with it.
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