Stockpiling suggestions and advice

[luv2bhapy2]

It would be great if there was a area to post advice and suggestions about do's and don'ts of stockpiling.

[Desert Debbi]

Stockpiling:

1) First in First out: in other words rotate your stock using the oldest items first to prevent waste!
2) learn to track how much you use on items that last awhile so you can figure out how much you "need". As an example I use 1 bottle of a 28 load detergent every 3 1/2 weeks. So I plan for use of 1 every 3 weeks.
3) your stockpile has to fit the space you live in. Pick your items based on size. Be creative where you put stuff. I use the space above my kitchen cabinets, below my sinks, and in a special redesign of my master bedroom closet and laundry room.
4) Make a checklist of what you want to stockpile, and the quantities. That way you know what you need and can check it off as you get it. I tell people to start slow as it takes time! Give yourself a budget of $10-$20 a week for stockpiling, and in around 3-6 months you will have a very respectable closet of H&B items, as an example. It took me about 6 months of AGGRESSIVE stockpiling to reach my happy place. You might have a different goal and budget =D

Finally, remember this should be fun. Its a hobby which doesnt COST you money.. it saves you money!

[tiffinpa]

Don't try to build a stockpile overnight. It takes time. You get out of it what you put into it. Don't let it take over your life--hobbies should be fun. Work it into the way you normally shop. Don't compare yourself to others; we all have different needs. What one family may consider a stockpile another may not. Be creative with storage space- under the bed, build up; use as much space as possible. Don't feel like you have to have all your stuff in one place. My stuff is placed throughout the house on different shelves and closets. HAve fun with it and before you know it you'll be in awe of all your 'stuff'!!

[Jenng]

Don't stockpile an item you've never tried before. Unless you know it's an item you can donate if you don't like it. This is hard to do with refrigerated/frozen items.

[dp38587]

HB and cleaning/laundry are much easier to stock up than most food items and having a good stockpile of this stuf frees up your money for food and other things you need/want. Depending on your family size and usage......a year's worth is very doable. Stuff with a long shelf life.....I buy all I have Qs for when the price is right. Fresh meat....just a couple of months in the freezer is all I want.
My daughters are setting up their own apt so a large chunk of my stockpile goes to them......but that is a huge expense they won't have to worry about,

Deb

[emrldrose]

Start your stock pile with items you use most! I suggest this for a few reasons, one- it is easy to learn to rotate when the items are being used on a regular basis. two- since it is an item that is on your list a lot, you will see the change in your shopping list, and learn the techniques faster. Three- you will see the savings faster, because you are saving on things you use most often. four- figuring out storage is easier. I don't mind having 6 cases of coke on my basement landing, because we use it everyday, but I wouldn't like having a shelving unit of misc. products there. Now that I am expanding I am finding other areas to stash the stuff I don't use the most. and lastly- because you use the product often, it is easier to calculate how long it will last and how many you need for each sale cycle. It's just an easy place to start.

For us, I have always used the stockpiling principles on Soda, Cereal and Name brand products that my husband is addicted too. These items are where I can save the biggest amounts, and get used up quickly so I don't have to worry about how I rotate things. Now that I am trying these principles on a larger scale, it has been easy to expand into items that I use less often and figure out how many and how long it will last. Just my experience, if you start with stuff you use the most, learning the techniques of couponing and stockpiling is easier.