couponing and stockpiling

Callieslamb · #21 03/10/10, 06:41 AM

I rarely even look a coupons now - unless it is one for Joann's fabrics! I think you are going to find that you can easily make it on 1 trip to town for a month. 20 miles isn't all that far so you really will not starve.

1. Be a really good shopping list maker. I make a table in Word - easier for me than a spread sheet. I have everything I normally buy on that list. Each month - I just fill in the amounts. Get the sale ads ahead (Many are online)

2.If you can't stockpile now - just save some funds to do so when you move. I know that isn't always easy. $20 here and there will get you quite a bit of the basics later. If you can start out with 2-3 weeks worth in the pantry, the 'oops' factor is greatly reduced. They can always eat pancakes!

3. When you do shop - shop the perimeter aisles. Except for that one detour down the baking section, most of what you need is on the outside aisles. The salt/sugar/prepared stuff is in all the other aisles.

4. My largest adjustment to once a month shopping was is keeping fresh veggies on hand in the winter. The salad won't last a month in the fridge. Bananas are gone in days, etc.

5. I assume you are planning a garden at your new place. That will help greatly! I hope you can learn to can and freeze. once you get all the supplies you need to be able to can your own food - it is a real money saver!

6. Start shopping once a month now and see how you do. It's an adjustment just like any other you make. I remember my kids staring at their tacos wondering what had happened - we were out of cheese. They adjusted.

Good luck. I think you are going to be just fine!

Nik · #22 03/10/10, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geo in mi

All:

You know, maybe I'm skeptical(paranoid?), but sometimes, when a chain store puts something on sale, I always wonder if, because of their computer system and rapid feedback, do they know something they're not telling me? Like: a certain quality problem in a certain batch number???? Stock overage and 'sell by' dates getting too close for comfort? Maybe their idea is , if you got it on sale, you won't complain about the lesser quality or miswrapping .... and on an on.....

Especially if I can't possibly use a big stockup over a certain time, or if I don't yet have the storage space, or spare cash then, I don't think it too wise to tie up good money on my shelves. At least, sometimes, those times being of my choosing. Make sense?

geo

Geo,
I don't think you have to worry about that too much. I use to be a wholesaler and we would make crazy deals with retailers in order to hit our goals, and they in turn would run a sale on that stuff for super cheap, sometimes even at a loss, just to lure people into the store. Never had anything to due with the quality of the merchandise, it's just we had a fiscal number to make and we would do whatever it took to make it.