Wednesday, October 12, 2016

31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #12 - Keep a Stockpile


The word 'stockpile' can have some bad connotations associated with it.  That's not what I am talking about here - no shelf clearing, or hoarding allowed.  What I am talking about is having a designated space to hold enough items to get you through until the next sale.  Remember how we discussed items being on sale about every 6 weeks.  Buy enough to last 6 weeks, not 6 years.  Having a stockpile gives you the ability to be more patient and wait for those sales and coupons to match up, because you know you have enough to get you through.  And, having a space which limits how many shampoo bottles you can store will let you know when you have enough.  For some people this is a bin under their bed, or a spare closet, or just a bookshelf in their garage - it looks different for everyone.  I, personally, have two bookcases in our storage room for health and household items, and a chest freezer and a couple spare cupboards in our kitchen for food.  I can fit a LOT in that allotted space, enough to get through until the next sale.  But it's also neat, organized, and each type of item, whether it's soup or dish soap, can only take up a limited amount of space. 
You will definitely want to start small with this concept.  The point of a stockpile is to save money, not build the stockpile, if that makes sense.  So, don't go out and buy extras of everything just to have it, that defeats the purpose.  When you see something at a great price, or better yet, free, buy enough to get you through until the next sale, or however many your budget will allow.  Even if you can only afford to buy enough sale-priced chicken for the next three weeks, you have still saved money for those three weeks.  Over time your stockpile will grow with items you paid little for.  You might only want to apply this concept to one or two things, and that's okay, make it work for you.  If you eat mostly fresh produce, then maybe just stockpile things like toothbrushes and shampoo.  Every little bit helps the budget. 
So, the bottom line is that not all stockpiles are bad, and it's a concept that you can conform to fit your needs, and your budget, all while saving money.

Photos for this series are from Flickr.  They are pictures that are under the license of ‘commercial and mods allowed.’  Edits were done by me.  The licensor does not endorse me or my use.