Items for the Household you SHOULD Stockpile to Save Money

Stockpiling household items is a fantastic long term strategy to save money. All homes should stockpile, even on a small scale. Now we aren’t saying ‘Go out and buy 1000 rolls of dunny paper’ – don’t do that. But we are talking about the more traditional method of stockpiling. That is – buying non-perishable goods, both edible and consumable that your household uses on a regular basis when those items come up on sale.

Remember: Stockpiling is NOT Hoarding

Sure, stockpiling does cost you more at the time of purchasing. But when you use your stockpile as a ‘shop’ at home – and only grab new items as they are needed (ie when the old one is finished or consumed) – you will save thousands of dollars per year.

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The Elfa Decor 6′ Birch & White Reach-in Pantry from The Container Store

Who Should Stockpile?

Well everyone really to a certain extent. But stockpiling is particularly good for new Mums, larger families (especially with growing kids who have hollow legs). Families on a tight budget and families who live remote to a shopping area.

Stockpiling can be as simple as having a spare toothpaste tube for when you run out, or having a year’s worth of food ready and everything in between.

Remember stockpiling is not hoarding. Stockpiling is buying your normal stuff when it is cheap. Hoarding is just stupid.

How Does Stockpiling Save You Money?

Stockpiling can save you thousands of dollars each year when done correctly. There are a few rules:

1. Only buy items you already use regularly

Never buy items just because they are cheap or on sale. Only buy goods that you already buy – but in bulk and at a cheaper price.

For example, I make spaghetti bolognaise at least once per week as it is my kids favourite meal. I use a tin of tomato soup in my spaghetti – so I go through one can of tomato soup every week. If tomato soup comes on sale for say half price – and I buy 10 cans – I’m saving money because I know it will get used up – and they won’t just sit in the cupboard or have time to spoil (yes even tinned food can spoil if the can rust or gets damaged).

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2. Check the Used By or Best Before Date

For perishable goods – check the used by or best before date on the product before you buy it. You don’t want to buy it in bulk only to have it spoil before you get a chance to use it up. Plus many times an item is cheap BECAUSE it is close to the expiration date.

3. Don’t buy Bulky Perishable Food

Bread here, we are talking about bread. Bread spoils and is hard to store (unless you have a massive amount of freezer space but even then you have the added cost of electricity). Some items are just best bought fresh and in smaller quantities.

4. Rotate Your Stockpile

Always take items to use from the front, and add new items to the back. If you aren’t getting through items, slow down on buying new ones. Use your stockpile like a shop!

5. Always Check the Unit Price

Buying particular items in bulk does not necessarily mean you are getting better bang for your buck. So check the unit price for every item you are adding to your stockpile. The unit price is located on the price ticket at the supermarket.

6. Don’t go Overboard

Start with buying a few items in advance – don’t go for years and years worth of stockpiling all at once. Stockpiling can be overwhelming at first. You need to ensure you have space to stock the goods and a good system of rotating the goods and keeping an eye on used by dates.

7. Use Good Food Storage Systems To Preserve Your Stockpile

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly – take the time to store your stockpile of food properly. Invest in good quality food storage systems – glass is always best – but a good sealed plastic container is more affordable.

We have found a few places to get inexpensive food storage containers:

Catch has plastic container, glass containers, eco-friendly containers – all at a terrifically discounted price.
The Container Store has pantry systems, fridge organisation systems – this stuff is dreamy. They ship from the United States.
House has lots of collapsable food storage systems, glass storage jars and a heap of different food savers.

Pantry Starter Kit from The Container Store

But There are Con’s too! The Biggest Stockpiling Pitfalls:

Stockpiling done wrong can go bad in so many ways:

You Buy What You Can’t Afford

Stockpiling is a long term strategy that shouldn’t be done on a single pay cycle. You need to only buy a few items on sale at any one time. Stockpiling costs money to set up. Even if you spend an additional $5 per shop – that’s a great start!

You Buy Something You Don’t Like

Don’t buy 50 of the one tin of soup and end up hating that soup. Buy only what you love!

You Have Nowhere to Store Your Stockpile

If you are living in a one-bedroom apartment – stockpiling could get a little tricky! Make sure you find a delegated spot for your stockpiled goodies!

Where to Check for Specials?

Although stockpiling is usually a long-term way to save money – when starting out – you want to find the best and cheapest places to shop. That’s why the internet is so handy – it makes it easy for us to shop around and find the best pricing there is. And because you are buying items in bulk for your stockpile, that usually means free postage or shipping. So you don’t really even have to leave your home to stockpile effectively.

If you live in a capital city and get catalogues in the mail – these are a treasure-trove of information about what’s on sale. Remember though, they advertise the fantastic specials to get you in the door – but entice you with other things once you are there. Shop with a strategic list!

There are many great low-cost online stores in Australia – here are some of the best ones to check out:

Hint: Most websites have a ‘Clearance’ section – I highly recommend you check them out!

What are the Best Items to Stockpile?

Toiletries (And where to buy them in Bulk):

Best online stores to get a deal on toiletries include Catch and Ozsale.

Some of the Bulk Toothpaste Deals from Catch

Baby Needs (And Where to Buy Them Cheap!):

Best online stores for baby goods include Big W, K-Mart and Catch.

School Lunches:

Non-perishable items for school lunches is a fantastic way to save money – provided you can hide them so the kids don’t eat them all before they get to school!

Muesli Bars
Bulk Chips or Popcorn
Fruit Leathers
Individual Yoghurts (they freeze well!)

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Cleaning Supplies:

Check out Crazy Sales for good deals online for cleaning supplies – especially bulk items. Also, have a look at discount stores such as The Reject Shop – they often have them too.

This HUGE bulk pack of Dishwasher Tablets is only $68!! Grab the deal here >

Tinned Goods:

Canned tuna or salmon
Condensed Milk
Evaporated Milk
Baked Beans
Condensed Soups
Canned Vegetables (corn, peas, beans, carrots)

Dry Goods:

The only problem with dry goods is avoiding mice and weevils. Ensure that you store the items in a sealed container. Items like sugar are best kept in a glass container. Items to stockpile include:

Pasta Noodles (spaghetti, macaroni, lasagne noodles etc)
Rice Noodles
Ramen Noodles
Rice (brown, white, arborio)
Sugar
Flour
Bicarbonate of Soda
Rolled Oats
Dried Milk Powder
Cereal
Dry Yeast
Bread Mixes for the Bread Machine
Popcorn Kernels
Beans
Sultanas, currants or raisins

Meats

If you have the freezer space available, buying meat in bulk whilst it is on sale is a fantastic way to save a lot of money! Just ensure you either cook with it right away and freeze it into meals (freezer cooking) – or you break up the meat into meal-sized lots before freezing.

A fantastic way to save a lot of money on meat is to go rural and buy a whole or half-beast from a farmer. This is particularly good going into winter where you can slow cook some of the cuts.

Other Items:

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
Coffee and Tea
Honey
Cordials
Olive Oil, Vegetable Oil
Condiments
Spices
Salt & Pepper
Vanilla Extract
Stock Cubes
Powdered Drink Mixes
Wholegrain biscuits or crackers
Long Life Milk

Fresh Produce that Lasts:

These items won’t last like tinned goods, but as far as fresh food goes, they will last you a few weeks without requiring refrigeration.

Nuts and Seeds
Apples
Dates

Freezer Stockpiling:

Butter
Frozen Vegetables

In Case of Emergency Stockpiling

If you are stockpiling for the end of the world or an emergency, these items could come in handy:

Bread Mixes
Dried Milk Powder
Protein Powder
Muesli Bars or Protein Bars
Dry Pet Food

We add to our list of stockpiling items and where to buy them cheap and in bulk – so make sure you bookmark this page and check back regularly!