Stockpile, Stockpile, Stockpile

I have mentioned this word previously on this blog and if you peruse the coupon world you will see it discussed just about everywhere.  A stockpile is a collection of products that you purchase at rock bottom prices in large quantities.  The idea is that you have enough product in your stockpile for you to be able to avoid paying full price for that product again.  Some couponers seem to have stockpiles that could feed armies for years.  (I kid you not!!!)  For me, this is a bit too much because I have a small family and live in an even smaller apartment!  My goal is for my stockpile to last me until the next big sale.  I've noticed that some products are always on sale or offered for free.  My stockpile for these items is quite small because I know that it will be available again soon enough at a stockpile price.  For other items that rarely go on sale, our stockpile is much larger.  The size of your stockpile will in large part depend upon your couponing goals, the products you wish to stockpile and the ease with which you can replace it.  If you have a goal to stockpile a year's worth of non perishables for your family, then your stockpile will naturally be significantly larger than a stockpile that is intended to last for only a few months.  It will also depend on your family size, their likes and dislikes, and your budget.  I would like to suggest a couple of things as you begin to create your stockpile.

1.  Have a plan.  Don't just buy, buy, buy without regard to your goals and needs.  When I first started, I purchased every tube of toothpaste that was a good deal.  Within 2 months, I had over 30 tubes of toothpaste that I had gotten for free.  WHY!?!?!  My little family could not use that much toothpaste in 3 years!  So, I learned from that, donated them to missionaries and live quite comfortably with my 4 tubes, because I know that toothpaste deals come all the time.  It is an easy item to replace.  The only time I buy toothpaste now, is if it earns me money or if I would like to donate it to someone in need.  Planning will save you money, time, and storage space.

2.  Figure out what products your family uses and how long it takes them to use it.  Write the date on your bottle of laundry detergent.  Figure out how long it takes you to go through that bottle.  If you go through a 30 load bottle per month, then you can figure out how many you need in order to meet your stockpile goal.  Maybe you need 30 tubes of toothpaste each year because you have a 2 year old that likes to wash the sink with Crest.  Who knows?  Pay attention to your household and figure out what you use.  

3.  Know the prices of the products you buy.  How are you to know if you should stockpile if you have no idea what a good price is?  It may help you to start a price book where you track the prices of the products that you regularly buy.  If you choose this route I would suggest tracking 20 products at at time so that you don't get overwhelmed.  Once you are confident that you know a good price when you see it on those 20 products, you can expand that list at that point if you choose.  

4.  Keep an eye on the sales and see how frequently those sales come along.  This will, again, help you know what kind of quantity you should be storing in your stockpile.  

Your stockpile will be the key to your savings.  In the past, when I ran out of a product I would run to the store and purchase it at full price because I had that immediate need.  When you have a stockpile, you only consume products that have been purchased for pennies on the dollar or for free.  Instead of paying $3.99 for that loaf of bread that I was forced to buy at full price because of my need, I pay $.50 for that same loaf of bread and freeze it until I need it.  That is the beauty of the stockpile.

Well, that is all the advice I have on this subject at this point.  As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.  TTFN!