While it sounds a bit counterintuitive, stockpiling is the best way to save money on your grocery bill. You don’t need to hoard like it’s Y2K all over again, but by keeping a constant supply of the items you use regularly (toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, juice, pasta, marinara, etc) you can dramatically cut your grocery bill. The key is to wait for the super, mega, awesome deals and then buy a few extra.
I never pay for toiletries if I can help it. With all the “free with rebate” items available at RiteAid and Walgreens and all the ECB deals at CVS, there’s no reason to ever pay full price for shampoo, deodorant or toothpaste. Even if you’re not out of a product, pick it up and stick it in a basket in your linen closet.
By purchasing the items on sale with coupons when you don’t need them, you aren’t forced to purchase them at regular price in a moment of need. At first as you begin to stockpile, you’ll see an increase in your grocery bill. Don’t panic! This is okay! You can’t get *everything* for free but you can still see great savings.
Start thinking about the staple items of your household. Make a list and, if you have the time and energy, jot down regular store prices for each item. Keep this list as a reference as you go through the weekly sale papers and look for opportunities to buy one or two extra to set aside.
One of the biggest concerns I hear is “I don’t have room to stockpile!”. I live in a house built in the 1920’s with incredibly limited storage space. Here’s a quick list of the items I have found room for and stockpiled: Aquafresh toothpaste, Pantene and Head & Shoulders shampoo, Secret deodorant, Old Spice deodorant, mouthwash, Soft Soap hand soap, tampons, J&J Bath Buddies, toothbrushes, Oil of Olay body wash and lotions.
That’s a big list. Look at how I fit it all into my very unorganized linen closet!
That’s really not a lot of space to dedicate to stockpiling. If I really wanted, I could consolidate that even further to take up half the space. But when you look at these photos, you’ll be surprised to see that I have a full year supply of all the items listed above. I didn’t pay more than 50% of retail for any of those items. All of the Bath Buddies were free as was the toothpaste and toothbrushes. The tampons were 70% off. Most of the mouthwash was free or under $1/bottle.
Now that I don’t have to worry about running out, I can take my time and choose when I purchase replacement stock. Right now, I can get children’s mouthwash for free at RiteAid. Even though it’s for children, my husband will use it so I’ll pick it up and try it out. I can get a free toothbrush at Walgreens. I am not out of these items - yet - but I can find the space to stash one or two especially since they are free.
Once you start stockpiling, I promise you’ll be glad of it and wonder how you lived before stockpiling. You’ll want to kick yourself for spending money unnecessarily by paying full price for items you can get for free or pennies on the dollar!
Stockpiling toiletries is easy and cheap. Next week, I’ll share my food stockpiling secrets.
