How to stock up on food when you’re on a budget is tricky. Stocking up on food allows you to buy items when they’re cheaper, so in the end, you save money, but you have to put up more money to be able to purchase them when they’re at the cheaper price point. It can seem like a vicious circle that is only meant to allow wealthier people savings, and not the people that need it the most.
First I’d like to say: This post is NOT about hoarding. Please do not do that. These are tips on how to have a small stock of items you regularly purchase at a cheaper cost so that over time (not immediately) you will notice a small dent in your grocery bill. Inflation and supply shortages are bad enough, we do not need people hoarding again.
I started slowly stocking up on regular foods I would purchase when they were on sale a couple of years ago. I have a room downstairs where I have my deep freeze in and some shelves. For my family it’s best we stock up on paper products, cleaning supplies, and pantry staples. It took me a while to build up, but now there are weeks that my grocery bill is substantially cheaper as I have all the items I need already, and I’m not buying them again until I see them on a great deal or do a Costco run.
What You Want To Stock Up On
The first thing you need to decide on is what it is that would be most beneficial for you to stock up on.
For my family we stock up on the following:
- Cleaning Supplies (detergents, sprays, wipes, garbage bags, etc.)
- Paper Products (Toilet Paper, Paper Towel, Kleenex, etc.)
- Meats
- Pasta and Sauce
- Rice
- Soups and Broth
- Baking Supplies (Flour, Sugar, etc.)
- Condiments (Ketchup, Mayo, Mustard, etc.)
- Bread
- Cereal
- Protein Bars
How To Store Them
The next thing you need to do is figure out where you’re going to store them. Deep Freezes are a life saver and I recommend storing the other items on shelves in an area away from your kitchen.
Look For Deals
Look through flyers, and use flyer apps like Flipp or Reebee. If you see anything that’s a good sale write it down on your grocery list and purchase items. Again, don’t hoard! Just pick up a few of them. Very simple, won’t break your bank, and in all honesty, it won’t take long to start noticing the difference.
Bulk buy at places like Costco. Watch the prices and know price points though. For instance, Pasta is not a good deal at Costco, I can get it way cheaper on sale at Walmart or The Superstore. I regularly shop at Costco and you can click here to read what I think are great finds there.
Look for Truck Load Sales. We have an amazing restaurant that has regular truckload sales where they sell meat at a pretty great rate.
Be Patient
This isn’t going to be instant savings. It takes time. Sometimes your stock gets depleted as well. Lately, there haven’t been very great sales, and when there are there’s sometimes no stock as we’re experiencing major supply shortages where I am.
If you have tips or suggestions on how to stock up on food, I would love to hear about it in the comment section!
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