What Price Point to Stock Up?

[vasavergirl]

Hi All,

I am totally addicted to this after just a couple of weeks, but I have a question. I'd love to know what price point you normally stock up on certain items (cereal, shampoo, diapers, etc.). I am tracking my prices so that I understand, but am worried that in the meantime I am missing out on using my q's with sales for the best possible prices. Right now, if something is more than half off I buy it, and more than 70% off, I stock up, but I'd love to know what you pay for your staples. Anyone willing to share? I'm particularly interested in diapers, cereal, milk, kids snacks, etc.

Thanks for your responses!
D

[flmomof2]

This is tough, because each region does their sales differently. I think 70% is a great discount, and would probably stock up too. As a general guideline, this is what I do:

I will stock up on cereal if it's $1.00 or less for name brand. For example I recently was able to get Kelloggs frosted flakes for $.25 and got as many boxes as I had Qs for. I will also get granola bars/crackers, fruit snacks etc. if they are BOGO AND I have Qs for them. I guess that would be around 75% off. I buy milk whenever I need it, so that's hard to stock up. I went to BJs today and got it for $2.98/gal, and got 4 gallons. It's about 30 cents more at Publix right now. Shamp/Cond., toothpaste, etc. only when it's free or nearly free.
Fruits, veggies, and meat I will buy on sale only usually, and I rarely have a Q for it. In my area it's hard to use Qs on meat and veggies, although sometimes Publix will have their own Qs I can stack with Mfr. Qs.

[ameeker]

Well, I like your 70% off rule, that sounds good to me. I'm a little less scientific, when diet coke goes on sale I buy 3 months worth. My sale price is $.99/12 pack, and I will buy a 3 month supply, since I know it will be on sale again in 3 months. Cereal I will buy as much as I have q's for if I can get it for less than $1/box. We don't eat as much as I buy, but the school likes it for snack break and the food pantry likes it as well. If I can get it for free, I'm begging q's anywhere I can get them from. Shampoo and conditioner I buy when it's name brand for less than $1/bottle, but I should lower that threshold because we seriously have 41 bottles in the house. Toothpaste, I like to make a profit on, we're stocked up through 2012, so I really do need a profit on it to get interested. Disposable razors, $.25 each or lower. My husband needs 2 a month and it goes on sale every 3 months so 6-12 at a time is about right. Pasta we eat every week, so I'll try and get it for $.50/box or less and buy a dozen (or more) if I can get the q's. Deodorant $50 or less, and I need about 8 for a year, and 10 for DH.

You should look at what your needs are per quarter, that way you'll know how much to stockpile. Most sales come around every 6-12 weeks. I've made some errors in shopping, because I'll leap at one sale and a week later it's on a better sale somewhere else and now I have no q's for it. But I keep a running list of the best prices I've seen on things, along with where and when I saw that price, so I'm better prepared for the next round. It takes a while to get going, but it's all gravy after that.

[browngirl]

I'm pretty much on the same page as the others. Your 70% rule seems like you've got a handle of what's a good stockpile price for the majority of items. I never thought of it percentage terms. One example I have is toiletries. As a rule, for me, it has to be under 0.75 for stockpiling. I should be able to--and can--get body wash, soap, shampoo, razors(good razors and my husband's are the exception), deodorant, etc. for well under $1 if not free. And definitely the cereal under $1 rule applies for me as well. I just stocked up on Cheerios b/c they've been 3/$5 and I had a bunch of coupons making each box 0.57 or 0.67. So good luck to you, you'll do fine.

[anbfraz]

I buy cereal when it is $1 or less per box, and I get all the free cereal I can to donate to our food pantry at church.

For things like granola bars and fruit snacks I buy when they are 70% off or more, which around here is $1 to $.75 a box.

Milk is something I wish I could save more on, but so far the best strategy I have found is to check my local store ads for the lowest price available that week and then price-adjust at Wal-Mart. Last week I got several gallons for $2.39, which is the best price I have seen for a while.

Shampoo/Conditioner/Stylers I try to get free or nearly free. I might "splurge" for my DD's but it still has to be under $1 a bottle on sale with Q's! LOL!

Toothpaste must be free or a money maker. Deodorant needs to be less than $.50.

I don't have to buy diapers anymore (woohoo!) so I can't help you there.

I love your 50% off to purchase, 70% off to stockpile guideline. I think you will do very well if you stick with that!

[KansasMama]

Diapers are hard to do, I think.
Sometimes Target will have them on clearance if they get like a "new design" in. This happens rarely though. What I have been doing is.... Target sends out those baby coupon books every month or so, and they usually have good coupons. Normally they have $2 off huggies, which is what we use, and then i stack that with a $1.50 manfq, making it $3.50 off. That is the best i have been able to do though. lol. Keep an eye out at drugstores, sometimes they clearance them, or have them on sale for cheaper than 9.99 for a jumbo. Also you can use walgreens RR or cvs cash things. Though i am not really a drugstore shopper, so i am not savvy on that.

[SavingInLakewood]

I've learned a few rules from the pros on the board. You should never pay for toothpaste, hair care products, lotion, feminine products, or foil! LOL

70-80% is good stock-up rule-of-thumb.

[eagle0400]

I agree with all the above, but I have also been able to stock up on most of my soups and broths for .50 or less in most cases if not Free. Some things you will find are "seasonal" and you will want to stock up on them if you tend to use them all year around.

And example for my family is we love Grilled Cheese sandwiches and Tomato soup. I have noticed that Tomato soup (and Most soup) is on sale much more during the winter then summer, yet we tend to eat this meal all year around for a quick dinner (and the Kids Love it). I got several cans for Free at the beginning of Winter and was even able to donate several cans to the school food drives.

I have also stocked up on the "cream of...." soups for year around uses.

[mnm'z]

Eagle, we also love grilled cheese/tomato soup, it's a major comfort food for me. We doctor ours up, I'll take some butter and mix in garlic powder, parsley and whatever else to spread on the bread, and we'll add some basil and garlic powder to the soup and a little mozz cheese on top. Yum!!!!

Prices for stocking up? Well, for H&B products - mostly under a buck or free. DH is a product snob for most things, and I am for a couple of things, so I have to expect to pay a lil something, ya know? For grocery items, I'll pay attention to what other posters are getting things for. I live in the LOND, so I'll deduct for the double q's that I won't get and see what price point they're paying at that time. That's probably the best deal I'll get. Example: Kroger shoppers can get Cottonelle tp for $.99 - $.50 MQ - $.50 MQ(doubled) = free. The best deal I could possibly expect to get is tp for $.99 - $.50 MQ = $.49 OOP. HTH!

[decoratordeb]

I'm new to this forum and using coupons, but have been shopping for many years!

What I've found as far as getting meat discounted, is either to but it at the store that has it on sale, or price match it at Wal Mart. I didn't know for the longest time that they would match sale prices of things sold by the pound, but they do. I prefer to do my shopping at WM vs. the store where it's on sale as they don't require you to have the minimum purchase, etc, and thus I'm not tempted to "pick up something" paying too much for that and defeating the purpose.