Stockpiling non-perishable items goes hand in hand with couponing. Once you’ve figured out how to stockpile correctly, shopping becomes more about buying things when they’re on sale rather than because you actually need them. You eventually begin shopping from you own supplies at home each week rather than from the grocery store, which ultimately saves you tons of money. Items most often stockpiled that will save you the most money include (but are not limited to):

• Mouthwash/toothpaste
• Toilet paper/paper towel/tissues
• Makeup
• Deodorant
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Cleaning products
• Shaving items
• Soap
• Ziploc bags/garbage bags

There’s a trick to stockpiling, and the following tips will help you get started.

1. Learn the store’s sales cycles.

Most stores have a “sales cycle” for name brand items. This means that the same items go on sale at the same times every few weeks for months. If you aren’t paying attention, you may never notice that toilet paper goes on sale every six weeks. If you are paying attention, you can coordinate your toilet paper coupons with the in-store sale your store is having on that very brand of toilet paper. You should only be buying toilet paper when it goes on sale and you have a coupon for it. You should also plan to buy several packages of toilet paper to get you through until the next sale.

2. Buy meat in bulk.

Many stores have one-day meat sales. During these sales, meat is often really cheap. Even though meat is perishable, you can buy extra during these sales and freeze it using a food saver vacuum sealer so it lasts much longer. Also, if you’re shopping for meat, do it early in the day as many stores mark meat reaching it’s expiration down between 6 and 8 a.m. in the morning.

3. Create a master list.

So you don’t forget to watch for sales, create a master list of the non-perishable items your family uses regularly. Anything that can be stored for longer periods of time should be on that list. Refer to it when you need to make sure you aren’t missing something important during your shopping.

4. Storage Space

If you plan to stockpile, you need plenty of room to store your loot. A chest freezer for frozen foods, a dark, dry place with shelving or totes works great for keeping food and toiletries organized and protected during storage. Think about making your stockpile easily accessible because you’ll need to rotate your stock every so often to use up items that expire eventually.

5. How much to buy?

It’s really easy to get carried away when building your stockpile, but it’s important to only buy what you know you and your family will use. Don’t buy something simply because you’re getting a good deal if your family isn’t going to use it or eat it. Be selective in your purchases to get the most bang for your buck!

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