Guest Post - Stockpiling: The How, Why & What

Stockpile, noun: a large supply of food gathered and held in reserve for use during a shortage or during a period of higher prices.

Stockpiling, verb: to accumulate for future use; put or store in a stockpile.

Well there you have it. These definitions say it all. "Food gathered and held in reserve for use during a period of higher prices". I couldn't have said it better myself. This is Why we stockpile. When we are able to purchase products for free or at a very low price we purchase multiple items of it. Sales of products go in cycles. What is on sale at a great price this week may not be on sale again for another 8 - 12 weeks. We need to have a supply on hand that will at least take us through that time period so we do not have to purchase the item(s) at full price before the next sale.

Looking for sales + manufactures coupons + store coupons is How we build our stockpile. Finding the great match ups is the key to you getting your stockpile to a point where you only need to go out every week and buy the items that are rock bottom prices as well as produce, milk, etc that are needed on a weekly basis. The bigger your stockpile gets, the less money you will be spending each week.

What are the items you should put in your stockpile? The list is long but here are some:

Condiments (BBQ Sauce, steak sauce, mustard, ketcup, mayo)

Rice & PastaSnacks (crackers, nachos, salsa, popcorn)

Canned goods (tomatoes, sauce, soups, vegetables)

Cereals

Cleaning supplies (cleaners, garbage bags, laundry)

Drinks (water, soda, iced tea, coffee, tea, juice)

Dairy (butter, creamers)Meats & Fish (keep frozen)

Breads (keep frozen)

Health & Beauty Products (band aids, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, soap, etc)

Start your stockpile slowly only looking for those items that are cheap or free. Within 4 weeks of starting your stockpile you can start to see approximately $50 knocked off your grocery bill. Within 8 weeks you can get to as much as $100 or even more off your weekly bill.
You will never pay full price again!
(savings will vary per family and family size...these numbers are based on what I was able to do with my family's grocery bill)

Cindy LiveseyLiving Rich With Coupons - http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/

Gift Basket Ideas

A reader wrote me asking for what to do with her overload of "stuff." Of course, charities are always what I promote but I have done other creative things with my additional stockpile items.

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New Home Basket - litterally this was a basket. I picked up a small basket from the dollar store (smaller than a laundry basket) and put items that were perfect for a neighbor that moved in two doors down. Some of the items included plug-ins, candles, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, etc. I also added a patch of cookies with this basket.

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New Baby Basket - When I have extra baby items around the house, a new baby basket it alwasy great. What new mother doesn't need baby wash, lotion, diapers, wipes, etc. These are things you can use over when you have 2nd, 3rd, 4th...children

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A Food Basket - While, I have not done this one, Mercedes at Common Sense with Money has (Mercedes, I think it was you.) She had someone in the community loose their house to a fire - she used her extra grocery items to give to this family who was starting again from scratch.

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A Teacher Basket - Do you have extra packs of pens, markers, tape, even fabric or ribbon. You woudl never believe what teachers can do with your excess stockpile. While, I do not have a school bound child, I have given my fellow teachers things as small as pens and papers - teachers love new things. There is a lot they pay for each school year out of pocket.

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Stockings (I have created these at Christimas, but why not choose another holiday, perhaps upcoming Easter baskets) - our Christmas stockings (growing up) were always filled with toiletries. This year, I asked my mom if I could be in charge of family stocking this year and I was able to give the family everything from razors, to scotch tape, to deotorant, you name it!

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A Stockpile Swap - Perhaps getting your friends together to exchange their excess stockpile items. You might be in need of a razor but might have laundry detergetn you can exchange for it.

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Host a Recipe Night - This could make for a fun girls evening. Over the holidays, girlfriends and I got together to create pretzel sticks for neighbors gifts (excess stockpile was used.) We also spoke of, but never did, getting together for canning homemade tomato sauce from all of our excess cans of diced tomatoes. Do you have too many taco kits in your pantry, host a Mexican night and make it a fun girls night in (or even out for later!)

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Photo credit http://dyerdelights.com/