Today’s question is from Mary:
Like many families in this current economy, we struggle just to make ends meet. Paycheck to paycheck is how we have been living.
Due to a slight loss in income, money is tighter than it ever has been. As a result, I find it hard to stockpile. If you don’t have extra money to spend, do you even try to stockpile, or do you just try to save on the items you normally buy?
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We are in the same boat, but I believe it is even more important to try and stockpile now because prices seem to be continually rising – who knows where they will be in a year? If things get even worse, then you will still be able to feed your family and brush your teeth :o) Our situation is difficult because we live in a rural area with few shopping options. No one does double coupons or buy one get one free. I had never even heard of Aldi or Publix or other great stores before reading this blog. I have to drive an hour and a half to get to the nearest Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Costco, and Grocery Outlet store, so most of the time a few good deals are not worth the gas money. I do try to save up enough money so that when I do go and hit all those stores, I can really stock up. I’ll spend a day and get all the great deals I can, and usually spend more than $500. But those things will carry me through for weeks, and I have a large family. The hard part is being very disciplined in all other areas so I can save up enough money. I go to U-pick farms to cheaply get fruit to freeze for smoothies and muffins. I never pay full price for anything and diligently search clearance shelves and clip coupons. I may not be able to get nice shampoo for 50 cents a bottle, but matching coupons to sales I can sometimes get it for $1. So I will buy as many as I can afford to, and won’t have to buy shampoo for a long time. Knowing prices is a huge help. For example, I know that Costco is by far the cheapest place to buy things like yeast and taco seasoning, while I can get cold cereal for a much better price at my grocery store when they have their big cereal sale (usually twice a year). Check your area for farms or other local sources for food — we have a bee farm that will sell a bucket of good honey for $22, and that will last a long time – and honey is one thing that keeps going up in price.
I know I’m preaching to the choir, but we hardly ever pay money for family activites – when I look at how much it would cost to take my family to the movies, I can get a cart full of food for that price! I also shop thrift stores for my kids’ clothes. I am very picky and sometimes leave with nothing, but other times I can get good quality, name brand clothes for a tenth of the cost. I also try to save money every year to hit the day after Thanksgiving sales. I don’t just buy Christmas gifts, but gifts to use for baby showers, weddings, birthdays, etc. I feel better about life if I know I don’t have to decline a shower invitation just because I can’t afford a gift. Just be diligent, creative, and don’t give up!
I forgot one more thing — if at all possible, plant a garden!! One year we planted tons of corn, and what we didn’t eat we cut off the cobs and froze. We had corn all year, for almost no cost (except a little hard labor!)
I would try stockpiling with the food that you already have, and then when you have enough to make a meal, use that day’s budget to stockpile something from the store.
The secret is to cook meals into separate ingredients for readily available freezing and stockpiling. For instance, if you make pasta and sauce, don’t combine them. Freeze the sauce and the pasta separately. You can then make the sauce into sloppy joes with just a little bit more ground beef, and the pasta into pasta salad.
This means you have to be very creative with how you prepare your food. There is a reason that my husband tells everyone that he’s never had the same meal twice in a row. He just doesn’t know he’s having leftovers.
If you save everything leftover, you will eventually be able to have enough to create an extra meal. And the money from that meal will let you have enough to stockpile something from the store, say four extra boxes of pasta. And those four extra boxes of pasta bought on sale for 75 cents (as opposed to $2 each) will let you buy something else. Etc.
How exactly do you make a price book? Wouldn’t you need to go to the store every week and check all the things on your list until you see the price drop for each item? Is there an easier way? I live out in the country and figuring out rock-bottom prices seems like it is going to be very difficult.
My family is in a very similar situation. Stockpiling has really been a great help to us. I stockpile through couponing. I don’t do alot of couponing and I am not aslways successful, but through just trying I have been able to put up enough noodles, sauces, marinaides, dressings, cereal, popcorn, etc….to last my family for the next 6 months. For all of those things, I either paid nothing or very very little. This website helps so much. They tell you what coupons to clip, what store to go to, and what you will pay! Follow their instructions and you will succeed!
Talk to Friends or Neighbors that grew up in a poor country, they def. can tell you alot about how to stretch your money very very very far. I learned from a Russian Friend that you can actually make about 6 different meals from one meal, just keep cooking with the leftovers and add veggies or another side dish, or mix it into soup or stew etc. From another Friend i learned to see the Potato as a Veggie not a Sidedish, when she cooked she always cooked the potato as a veggie and then with a side of rice.
What do these Friends have in common, they grew up in pretty much two different continents, there stockpile is pretty much the same Potaotes, Rice, Beans, Flour as long as you can fed your family, even how small the stockpile, you did a good job.
Suggestions for starting a stockpile:
I believe you just have to start small. Don’t stretch yourself too far out of your comfort zone, esp. when financially strapped. That being said at some point doing the same thing over and over again is going to produce the same result each budget period.
Become familiar with how to play the drugstore game, my favorite is Walgreens, and read the Blogs that have already done the work of how to get the best value. On an item, but always double check your coupons and local sales before you go out to see if u can get the same deal or better. I usually pick a day that I have some time to play with, after reading the blog the night before I am armed w/ my strategy. Then I go into my local Wags, usually I have all the same deals as the blogs. Sometimes I have to get a rain check… Always get your rain checks esp. on items that come out free after RR!!!!
Set a dollar amount. I.e. set aside 5 dollars for stockpiling; at the drugstores u can get some great deals on multiple things for under 5 dollars. If u don’t have to buy toothpaste and deodorant for a couple of weeks that now frees up another 5 dollars maybe even 8 or so toward groceries… maybe u use that during this budgeting period on meat or produce, or smaller items, or maybe you roll it into your budget for your next budgeting period (monthly, weekly etc… however you have your budget outlined).
Also try a few DIY that may be eating into your budget. I.e. make your own dishwashing powder and alternate it with store bought so it lasts longer. Substitute vinegar and baking soda for cleaning products or buy bleach at the dollar tree. Use baking soda shampoo… peroxide costs a dollar vs. crest or Listerine @ $5… little things can set free a lot of money but you do have to step out and take a step forward in a new direction …
This has all been said, but it never hurts to reiterate… I go to coupon mom each week and go to the grocery store deals tab and find the items with the highest percentage saved each week. I have a cheap newspaper subscription and I get several papers at walmart (4-8) each week for a dollar, which I am always glad to have as I provide for my family of 7, elderly parents and occasionally my brother’s 3 kiddies. I have enough coupons to get the best out of “buy 10, get $$ off” deals. We have quite a little stockpile going this way. Hubby is going crazy because he has to move soup to get to his cereal. He doesn’t remember last year when we had no cereal or soup and couldn’t afford to take the kids to the doctor for ear infections. I am having to be very patient with him as I run out to the store to buy $16 worth of juice for $3.40 including CRV tax. I pay sometimes for my groceries with pocket change, but that’s because that’s all it costs. Take your time, remember to rotate your stash and think about all your family needs, like emergency supplies. (I felt like a real hero when we needed our emergency ponchos at Disneyland and our emergency microwave mac and cheese at Legoland – LOL.)
I give myself a newspaper budget, which is dramatically shrinking thanks to the generosity of others. My grandpa gives me his coupon inserts, and I’m fairly certain he has his bridge club collecting for me as well – he frequently gives me multiple inserts.
I only buy toothpaste when I can get it for $0.25 or better. I have had drugstore runs where I have bought 30+ items (toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, cleaning supplies) and only paid $5.01 out of pocket, not including rewards.
Rolling rewards is my favorite way to save money. I also go to our local farmers market and haggle. I only buy staples at grocery stores. I eat a granola bar (or something) so before I go inside so I don’t go in hungry. I plan meals ahead with my planner, bought for less than $5 because Borders is going out of business and I have a Borders rewards card that got me 15% off.
My story is a little complicated because I am allergic to dairy and wheat. I pretty much don’t have a “convenience food” allowance because everything seems to have either wheat and/or dairy products. I have been teaching myself to cook more with beans, rice, and especially oatmeal, so I have more funds for those than if I didn’t have the allergies and could by wheat or dairy.
I agree with all the post, we’ve been there too many times! But like stated before be patient, talk to like minded friends and family work together. Ask for gift cards at holidays,etc. But most importantly don’t waste anything. I save old bananas(even pieces) until I get what equals 3 and make great simple banana bread we eat for breakfast. Bread scraps(of any kind bread, corn bread, pancakes,biscuits) use these to stretch casseroles. Especially casseroles of free over abundant things like squash. I learned that if you make things kids don’t like look like something they do they will eat it. Like the squash blend it up add onions, cheese and lots of bread crumbs they don’t know it’s(that ole yucky squash). All these tips and more can help you to stretch things you have on hand. Don’t get discourage,keep faith, things will be better.
Find a store that marks down meat, the day before, or the day of the “sell by” date. Yesterday, I got 10 pounds of 85 % lean hamburger for 99 cents a pound at Albertson’s. Ask a butcher what their policy is on this. Get to the store early or it will all be gone.
Use less meat in your meals, or find good meatless meals.
Make your own spaghetti sauce, in large batches, using 1 1/2 or two pounds of meat for a triple batch. I spent $18.00 on a large crock pot, at WalMart and use 1 1/2 pounds of cooked hamburger for a triple batch of spaghetti sauce. I use three 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce and three small cans of tomato paste. We get the sauce and paste at Sam’s, but you can often get good deals when it is on sale at grocery stores. I add 1/2 can of water to each can. Add Italian seasoning, or Oregano and Basil to suit your taste, and garlic powder, and onion powder. ( We buy the large containers of spices at Sam’s. It saves a lot! ) I cook the sauce on low, all day, and then fill three quart size jars with the sauce and freeze. Just make sure you leave about 2/3 inch empty at the top, for expansion in the freezer. This is the basis for three meals. Buy spaghetti noodles when they are a loss leader.
Once or twice a year, large containers of Oatmeal is a loss leader. I will buy as many containers as my freezer will hold. We eat oatmeal for breakfast frequently, and I use the uncooked oats to make healthy oatmeal bread, in my bread machine. Using a bread machine will save a lot of money, and the bread is much better. I’ve seen nearly new machines at garage sales or Goodwill for $5 to $10.00 each.
Plan you meals around loss leaders.
If you use cold cereal and have an Albertson’s store in your area, buy it when Albertson’s is a loss leader for $1.00 a box. We found that the Albertson’s brand of raisin bran has a lot more raisins and tastes great.
Price match at Walmart. This week, I got grapes for 77 cents a pound. This week I will get Strawberries for 99 cents a pound. Frozen grapes are a treat! Freeze strawberries.
Breakfast for dinner is very good. You can make waffles very inexpensively. Those frozen (thawed) strawberries on waffles are a special meal.
You can save a lot of money if you just plan ahead. A few years ago, I fed our family of three adults on $25.00 a week. I can’t do that any more, with inflation, but I can do it for forty.
Keep a positive attitude, and make it a challenge to see what great meals you can create for a little money. It gets to be a game, and it is fun, not a drudge.
Find a store that marks down meat, the day before, or the day of the “sell by” date. Yesterday, I got 10 pounds of 85 $ lean hamburger for 99 cents a pound at Albertson’s. Ask a butcher what their policy is on this. Get to the store early or it will all be gone.
Use less meat in your meals, or find good meatless meals.
Make your own spaghetti sauce, in large batches, using 1 1/2 or two pounds of meat for a triple batch. I spent $18.00 on a large crock pot, at WalMart and use 1 1/2 pounds of cooked hamburger for a triple batch of spaghetti sauce. I use three 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce and three small cans of tomato paste. We get the sauce and paste at Sam’s, but you can often get good deals when it is on sale at grocery stores. I add 1/2 can of water to each can. Add Italian seasoning, or Oregano and Basil to suit your taste, and garlic powder, and onion powder. ( We buy the large containers of spices at Sam’s. It saves a lot! ) I cook the sauce on low, all day, and then fill three quart size jars with the sauce and freeze. Just make sure you leave about 2/3 inch empty at the top, for expansion in the freezer. This is the basis for three meals. Buy spaghetti noodles when they are a loss leader.
Once or twice a year, large containers of Oatmeal is a loss leader. I will buy as many containers as my freezer will hold. We eat oatmeal for breakfast frequently, and I use the uncooked oats to make healthy oatmeal bread, in my bread machine. Using a bread machine will save a lot of money, and the bread is much better. I’ve seen nearly new machines at garage sales or Goodwill for $5 to $10.00 each.
Plan you meals around loss leaders.
If you use cold cereal and have an Albertson’s store in your area, buy it when Albertson’s is a loss leader for $1.00 a box. We found that the Albertson’s brand of raisin bran has a lot more raisins and tastes great.
Price match at Walmart. This week, I got grapes for 77 cents a pound. This week I will get Strawberries for 99 cents a pound. Frozen grapes are a treat! Freeze strawberries.
Breakfast for dinner is very good. You can make waffles very inexpensively. Those frozen (thawed) strawberries on waffles are a special meal.
You can save a lot of money if you just plan ahead. A few years ago, I fed our family of three adults on $25.00 a week. I can’t do that any more, with inflation, but I can do it for forty.
Keep a positive attitude, and make it a challenge to see what great meals you can create for a little money. It gets to be a game, and it is fun, not a drudge.
There’s so much good advice here! How lucky we are to have such excellent collective wisdom.
My contribution is that many of us need to do better at eliminating as many forms of pickiness as we can! Whether it’s our own preferences for certain brands or family members who will only certain things (husbands who want meat and potatoes or kids who eat only white cheese and canned corn or whatever!), indulging these kinds of preferences will only result in longer stocking-up time. Note that I’m not talking about medical issues or sensory-related things – obviously those must be addressed. A stubbornness that has no such origin must be confronted as interfering with the family’s financial health.
I’m sure all of the tips I would offer have already been shared, but I did want to add this: Though you may have the coupons to buy 10 of something, consider all the people who are struggling to add just one or two of that same item to their stockpile.
I like to think that most of us are responsible stockpilers, but then I hear of someone crowing about getting 10 free bottles of hand soap. Yes, you may think your store has plenty on Monday, but are they still going to have enough for everyone by Sunday if everyone buys 10? Just a reminder that there is always someone struggling more than you and every deal will come around again.
What I would do is spend as little money as possible on food for a month. Even if that means nothing but beans for a month, or making all of your bread from scratch, or eating pasta 4 nights a week because it was on sale for a great price. Or having for your fruits and veggies only carrots, cabbage and bananas because they are cheapest. And then use that extra money to start building up a surplus of stuff that is on sale for a very good price that you use with some frequency and that is a relatively cheap food. Because in the long run, you will spend less on the things you normally would want to buy if you stockpile when they are on sale.
This topic is so timely for us. My salary is reduced for at least 2 years, and I find myself going through my pre-reduction stockpile too quickly. The best I’ve been able to figure out is that I have a set amount of $$ I can spend each week on food. I challenge myself to menu plan and shop strategically to come in below that amount. I spend the difference on stockpile.
The clearance bin at the meat counter is my best friend. Things are marked down 30-50% or more and can go into the freezer for later. Another shopper joked with me that “if it ain’t on clearance, it ain’t on the table.” Too true!
I have a policy if I don’t have a coupon for it I don’t buy it, except for produce and meats (hamburger or chicken but it must be onsale). My mother was even in town the other day and she said she caught herself the other day at the store saying she didn’t have a coupon so she couldn’t buy it. lol
Food storage overwhelmed me until I decided to dedicate $10 every week to it. My only rule is I buy one item in bulk each week with my $10.
$10 is a number that doesn’t stress me out and I like seeing a big stack of canned corn or 20 boxes of mac and cheese on my shelves! It adds up quickly. Especially when you shop at Aldi.
Just thought I would direct you to a website that may be of use to you:
pennilessparenting.com
She has some extreme frugality ideas as well as ideas of using things that would normally be thrown out as waste, such as banana peals.
*make that banana peels…………
I am VERY new to couponing but I think I’m getting the hang of it. I’m starting to build my toiletries stock pile (with the help of blogs like money saving mom), but I’m having a hard time understanding how you guys get food super cheap or free. Either the sales around here aren’t that great, or I’m missing something. Maybe I still have a lot to learn. I’m going to read every single article referenced in these comments. I hope to find the secret there!!!
It could be your area. These things really do vary by region. But this blog has readers from all over, so you hear about many different freebies, but likely no one is getting them all. Also, I find that when someone gets something free they are so excited that that’s what they talk about. And we notice, of course. We don’t always notice that the same person had to pay $ for the rest of their groceries that week. In other words, I think there is a phenomenon where we is more free stuff out there than there really is!
some of it is regional. Some areas have better deals than others. The only double coupons around here are Hen House, and I just can’t make it worth it for me to shop there (although I know others that shop there frequently and get great deals.).
so be patient. Sales and bargains are cyclicle. If you are new to this, you likely haven’t seen all of the best deals yet.
Maybe start with a price book, so you have a baseline to compare with.
Don’t overdo it. Start with one area of saving or one store. ( And if you have a stockpile of toiletries, I bet you have already figured out Drugstore shopping.)
And remember: Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone’s situation is different.
Check afullcup.com/forums and look for your grocery store. If there is an active forum, you may find great deals you may have missed.
Occassionally, I buy bacon or sausage if it’s extremely cheap (around $1/lb). For bacon, I will oven bake 3-4 lbs on a foil lined cookie sheet, one lb at a time until just under-crisp. I put 5 slices each (2 for me, 2 for DH & 1 for DS) in small freezer baggies & freeze them (don’t drain- I just pick them right off pan to baggie). We get several months worth of ready-to-serve bacon. I just take out a pack, open the zipper a bit to vent & microwave for 1 minute.
I save the grease (in the fridge or it goes rancid) in a small bowl to flavor beans, etc. Using one pan for several batches takes a little longer, but it allows the grease to combine, making it much easier to pour in my bowl. Plus, the grease helps the later batches cook faster than the first one did.
I just try to stretch things or get free things whenever I can.
Once I got a free pound of ground beef, so I stretched it into a giant pot of spaghetti sauce that I froze for many meals to come. Today I got a free Revlon lip color at CVS with my ECBs and other items I needed. I don’t need the lip color yet, but I will when my other one runs out.
After more than a year of following moneysavingmom, I regularly receive freebies in the mail for things like shampoo, conditioner, soap, diapers, snacks, magazines, and more. And I always accept (even if I decide not to keep) hand-me-downs, especially for kids things!
Like the other ladies have stated, it is going to take some time, and some trial and error too. I have a small stock pile by some standards. I have set prices (for me) that I will work with, and a tight, but not rigid budget to work with. This site, and a couple of others have helped a lot.
You will have to figure out what works for you and your family.
I stock pile what I know we will use in a reasonable amount of time before it goes bad.
Ten tubes of free toothpaste that everyone hates isn’t worth the time, effort and space.
However ten free bottles of your favorite brand laundry detergent is.
I hope you can find the balance you are looking for, and that your family isn’t too picky or brand loyal. 😀
i started at rite aid – it only took me about $50 in 6 months to get to the gold level of discounts – i purchased anything free, then paid tax only – now, between my discount and coupons, i try to keep it less than $2 every week – now, i do multiple stores, but ra is a great place to start – i have paid handymen with stockpile items, i have sold them at garage sales, i have made gift baskets with stockpile items, i have swapped them with friends who hit some great deals that i needed, so think beyond what you use – when something is just a plain old great deal, get it and you will probably find a way to use it! even if you just pass it along to someone else for free, you have gotten to serve someone at a time when you may not be able to write them a check, cook them a meal, etc.!
We aren’t very picky, so the only meat (except pre-packed cold cuts) I usually have to buy is ground beef (on sale $1.99/lb or less). I brown several pounds at once (value packs are often 3lbs). Then I split it evenly in freezable bowls, usually 4 bowls so I have 3/4 lb per bowl (I measure by a level cupful). 3/4 lb works well for use in Hamburger Helper (still calls for 1lb meat even though it makes less now). No one ever notices a little less meat. I’ll use 2 bowls (1&1/2 lbs) with one can of Manwich for slightly less sloppy joes. I use 1 bowl of hamburger, a box of pasta noodles, a jar of pasta sauce & a small can of tomato sauce (to stretch the pasta sauce a bit) when we want spaghetti.
I do exactly the same thing with my meat – 4 bowls for 3 lbs!
I do this, too! I also bake chicken and cut it up to freeze in small containers. One chicken breast can provide enough meat for a 9×13″ size casserole.
I grocery shop at the beginning of the week. My question is sometimes on Saturday our grocery store will run a super saver sale which I don’t find out about until the end of the week. How does one shop for groceries with a budget but still save money in case of a sale like the one my grocery store does on a Saturday (but not every saturday)?
Jill- If you wan’t to shop at these “pop up sales”, set part of your grocery budget aside for things like this.
If the regular weekly ads had great deals and you spent all of your grocery budget, don’t even look at those ads until your next grocery trip is due.
I know, it is so hard to stay away from a “smokin” deal. If it’s something you just can’t resist, are you in a position to borrow from the next weeks grocery budget. Of course that would mean spending less the next week
Hi! Make sure that your recipes contain few ingredients. This helps both with budgeting as well as ensuring those valuable foods do not go bad in the fridge while waiting to be prepared. Most of the foods I cook contain only 3-4 ingredients, taste great, and are healthy. Actually I just posted my chicken salad recipes on my blog (www.makinitsimple.com) as I believe many other moms are out there like me, trying to feed a family healthy food on a budget. One other thing…though it is hard to balance, stay away from as much processed food as possible. Make sure you are fueling yourself and your family with whole, clean foods that add value to their lives instead of subtract. Those food companies can really tempt us with their coupons, but visit a local farmer’s market, buy fruits on sale and frozen veggie to save money and learn to make legumes, lentils and quinoa…foods that can replace the meat for the night and provide a similar protein profile. Good luck!
Try swapping stockpiles with some other moms… maybe you can pick up some free toothpaste (I can always get at least one free tube toothpaste) and trade it for something she has that you want. Even if it is a $.50 can of tomatoes– you’re still up $.50.
The other thing I’ve done is play the CVS game and get some health and beauty products for free or close to it, and then sell them at yardsales. You can usually get 2-3 bucks for makeup, and make some money on that. Then invest that into your stockpile.
Stockpile is a process– be patient with yourself. And if things are that tight, do not hesitate to avail yourself of community/government resources. You’ve paid for them, and you can pay back into them when you get back on your feet. DO NOT let yourself (or your family) get malnourished. It isn’t worth it!!! Blessings to you.
We are having to move out of the blue and have little money to spend,so unless is free I’m not getting anything,what I have been doing lately is if something is free after rr or ups or ecb and I had buy something anyway then I’ll do it,for example I woke up sick this morning and had no medicine,so I had to buy medicine at rite aid anyway,I went I got the hand sanitizers ($1 each ,$3 for 3 ) and got 3 up rewards to spend at the store they had cold medicine for $1 on clearance so I bought 2 and 1 bag of Halls, I paid with my ups since I was already spending $3 and only paid .5 cents more. I love those deals!
Watch for seasonal deals for freebies or very cheap items. Right now look for great deals on snack items and school supplies. At Thanksgiving time, stuffing mix and cream of mushroom soup will be extremely cheap. And as the holidays approach, stock up on baking supplies.
Great idea! Now for Labor Day you can probably find great deals on BarBQ items like barbeque sauce, hot dogs (freeze), mayo and mustard. Also back to school items like peanut butter, granola bars and frozen waffles (They will be .50 after sale/qs at Shoprite next week) Every holiday season has its own items, you get to know them after a while.
We live paycheck to paycheck too. I do try and buy the bigger sizes on some things at Sam’s Club – toilet paper, paper towels, and things like shampoo, dishwashing soap etc.. With inflation I think it does save even more money since those things are definitely going up and up in price. With our small family many things last 6 months to 1 year.
Otherwise look for sales, freeze things, coupons are great.
I had very little luck hitting sales for free or nearly-free items when I wanted to get started, so I started my stockpile backwards. By that, I mean freezing stuff that I already had that would normally have gone to waste — peach sauce from the ones that went soft, leftover rice, half a banana, excess from the garden when it all got ripe at once…it adds up. That extra frozen stuff helped me have the variety and confidence to buy on sale/in bulk with the intent of stockpiling. You have to have a little extra somehow in order to set something aside, so the trick is to figure out how to find it in your home economy 🙂
Great idea Kaylea!
To get a little extra $, perhaps have a yard sale…even though it’s late in the year. Or try putting some clothes in a consignment store. I know sometimes on freecycle.com in my area people offer groceries that they aren’t going to use so that could be an option. I am a big fan of mypoints.com and swagbucks. I trade mine in for amazon gift cards and with free shipping (for moms, college students or free trial) you could get some grocery items that way as well cheaply.
I would also say maybe add one or two staple items (bread, cheese, peanut butter etc) per shopping trip if you can. Some items freeze and can make it last longer. I know we have a discount bread store nearby and you can get almost outdated bread cheap, then freeze and use when you need it.
Use cash and get your 2 weeks’ worth of food money and put it in an envelope. I agree with starting small but this way even when you do have wiggle room, you won’t blow your food budget for the month when a good deal on a regular staple goes on the low price for the year. Also, I definitely agree with using more dried beans to replace some of the meat to free up more money. We are really careful and it starts small and takes time to figure out what low prices are. When you first start out it might be just getting a few extra packages of a certain food and eating potatoes for a few meals but really in the long run it all adds up which frees even more money to stock pile more (a snow ball as someone else has already said).
We have a great stock pile now all with foods we eat regularly, nothing we won’t eat, but it is nice when the stores don’t have good sales for a week just to buy the on-sale produce and maybe 1 or 2 other things then wait for the good sales to buy most of our groceries.
A lot of great suggestions. Is it possible to get food from a food bank to get a little breathing room? Or you may qualify for Food Stamps (SNAP). I beliebe that you qualify for those based on income. Finally, maybe you could make a little extra to give you the funds to get started: sell some things on eBay or Amazon, do some services (baby or pet sitting, sewing, baking, etc.). Good luck to you. I hope you are able to get a good starton your goal.
I try to balance my budget and stockpile around the type of item that I can get the best deal on in that particular week. I do splurge on occasion but it tends to balance out. For example-every so often pork loin goes on sale for $1.50-$1.99/lb I try to get it at the best price possible and buy 2 if I can-one pork loin can create about 12 meals worth of meat! The butcher counter cuts and packages it for me exactly how I want without any extra cost-if I buy chops from the counter normally-I end up paying around $5/lb! This is big savings through the pork loin! Just because I am buying a bunch of meat doesn’t mean I have any extra money that week it just means I have to limit another area! I buy less cereal or snacks that week to make things balance. The same goes for other items as well. If I can get a good deal on cereal then I cut down another area for that week. In the end it really tends to balance out-when I am buying meat I have 12 boxes of cereal stocked up so there isn’t much impact. I hope that makes sense! IT TAKES TIME! You also just have to be patient and get used to a super low cost meal now and then while you are on your way-it may mean a meatless meal on occasion. I also try to get a handle on meat expiration dates. If you notice that meat expiration dates a quickly approaching try to visit the store a couple days before that and check for mark downs. I can save even more on my meat this way especially on big bulk packages that I break down to meals sizes and freeze right away anyway!
I do exactly as Liz (the first poster) does, I also do a bit of stockpile on Xmas time when I get a bit more of money from job or as xmas gifts.
I actually have a question for those of you who stockpile pasta. I had a great stockpile of 6 boxes of spaghetti. They were not even close to expiring when I opened box after box to find the pasta had molded! I had stored it in my pantry in the original boxes. I live in central Florida, so maybe the humidity ruined them? In this case, what is the best way to store all that stockpiled pasta? Freezer? Plastic containers? Any help would be appreciated!
I have never heard of pasta getting moldy but I do know that many grains do best if frozen at least 24 hrs to get rid of any potential bugs. If you have room in your freezer then, yes, put as much food in there as you can. We keep flour in there as long as we have room and then take it out.
Maybe try freezing for 24+ hrs then putting into an air tight container.
I have NEVER heard of dry pasta getting moldy and I live in Maryland, a very humid area. You could put it in the freezer, but if you remember the brand, check online to see if there was a problem and a recall. I would also contact the company directly if this ever happens to you again with any product.
Many stores let you return or exchange food items that go bad before their expiration dates. They like to keep their customers happy. I have returned items that once opened were bad.
BOGO with a coupon.
I don’t know if you have an interest but if you can, learning to bake bread can help– both by saving money and making inexpensive meals much more appetizing. Also, try making your own cleaning supplies- the web is full of “recipes” and that will save you a bundle — and some of that savings can be used to stockpile. Memberships to places such as Sam’s can be too costly- but maybe a family member could give you one for Christmas this year? Bulk buying there will save a lot, again freeing up some money to stockpile. Best of luck and God bless!
I don’t have much time to answer (I have to run to the store because it is Wednesday which means penny item day for Publix shoppers) but I will say don’t give up. When I first started couponing about three years ago I didn’t see a big savings over what I was already spending (which was considerably less than what “normal” people spent already) but I had MUCH more to show for my money. As my stockpile grew one box or package at a time I had a lot more money to spend. Now I spend an average of $40 a week and have a HUGE overwhelming stockpile and I should really not buy as much but I love having backups of everything and being able to share with my family.
So the moral of the story is: 1. Yes it is worth it 2. Don’t get discouraged 3. It takes time to build your stockpile 4. Build it one item at a time
Good luck to you and I am sending you a huge hug. So many of us are in such similar shoes these days with the economy being so terrible.
I pretty much only stockpile items that I can get for free or close to it. That way, it’s not using up money from the budget.
I also have a very fixed budget for groceries.
When I started, I set aside a portion of this budget for building a stockpile. This was the only money I’d use to buy anything other than necessities – even if there was a GREAT deal.
Of course, in order to use even a portion of the budget, I had to cut back further than I’d ever done. The good news is that some of the deals I picked up during the first few weeks helped fill in, even though they didn’t stay in the stockpile long.
After a few weeks of this, I started reaching to my stockpile for necessities, which allowed me to use more of my budget for building my stockpile. Before long, we were set.
Now I only make a “needs” trip to the store every 4-5 weeks. It’s certainly worth the effort to reach this point.
You could start with B1G1 free sales. You are spending the same that you would normally spend but you get 2 items. The next week you don’t need that item and have excess in your budget. So you spend that money on something that is B1G1 or on sale. Slowly but surely you will create a stockpile of food. I wrote an article about here that explains my method a bit more. http://jennifer.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Create_a_Stockpile_of_Food_-_for_Little_Money
When I started to stockpile I freed up money by getting creative with the odds and ends I had on hand (search engines are definitely my friend!). By coming up with several meals before I left the house, I didn’t need to buy as much food for that week. That meant I had more money to spend on deals. The next week I did the same thing, planned meals by what I had on hand with the goal of buying as few ingredients as possible. I kept going and each week it got easier. Now I’m to the point where I can only buy store deals. Just hang in there. It gets easier the longer you do it.
Our family knows what its like to live paycheck to paycheck, no fun for certain.
My suggestion is to prioritize, does you family eat alot of pasta, or do you have a child that “can’t” go without corn? If that is the case then those are the things you should focus on having on hand.
Don’t shy away from mark down items I have gotten some really good deals on meat that has been marked down because the expiration date is looming, take it home cook it for something to freeze or divide it up and freeze according to how you will use it later.
Give yourself a break and don’t compare yourself to others either, I am guilty of that, do the best you can with what you have to work with, and be proud of yourself for every little stride you make, even if it is a free tube of toothpaste or a dented can of veggies.
~Happy Dance~
I feel ya! I used to do some major stockpiling when we had more income, but being that I wasn’t organized about it and didn’t always stockpile the wisest items, it actually turned out to be a waste more often than a blessing (10 cans of sliced mushrooms expired in the back of my pantry because no one would eat them after I served them too often :p and other such misadventures)
Now with more to take care of with less income, I’ve quit my old idea of stockpiling and completely re-evaluated it. If there is something that is normally ridiculously expensive but an actual essential, I’ll give up something else off the grocery list that paycheck to grab *one or two* extra of the item on a killer sale.
What it’s come down to for our family is stockpiling/buying bulk a few basic items like rice, beans, noodles and spaghetti sauce that last a long time in the pantry and we can always make a meal out of (albeit a plain meal), and things that are a real bummer to run out of, like bathtissue and deodorant – while not over doing it on the rest. Just remember, stockpiling is really nice, but it’s usually not a necessity – find the best fit for your family 🙂
Try holding a swap party with some folks who have items in a stockpile you could trade coupons for free babysitting or whatever you have to offer. Clothes you clean out from your closet anything.
Try getting some food from a food pantry and use this for a week or two to get ahead.
Try eating just off of coupons for a week or two .
I did powdered milk
and last week we had
Canadian bacon – from homel .28after coupon
Hillshire Farm smoked sausage.78 after my coupon
I did three meals with Zucchini ( a neighboor gave them to me from her garden)
I made breakfast for one meal
We had beans and rice Zatarain beans and rice free after coupon
I bought some soap and toliet paper after coupons total for both .84 (I had $3.00 RR) This helped with the TP because I bought 3 large packages with coupons at Walgreen’s
So all total last week I spent under $5.00 for food to feed 9 people and we didn’t starve.
We had zucchini bread for breakfast
We had a variety of meals and now I have extra cash this week for stocking up. We did have to use powdered milk which we all dislike but if I wanted to I could have worked that in and stayed under $10.00 for the week. It is possible to buy only what you have cash for even with no money coming in.
I sold a few items which gave me $17.00 last week and with needed school supplies and the food we did just fine.
When the bread winner looses the job life does go on.
Great job!! Wow!
$5 to feed 9 people is fantastic, Janet…You inspire me!
As someone who has spent weeks waiting for the next paycheck with little money to tide us over I know what its like to live paycheck to paycheck.
I posted pictures of my toiletries stockpile months ago. What that picture doesn’t say is that it took me three years to build it. I never paid more than $1 for shampoo for instance and most were free or less than $1.
Recently the coupon inserts had $3 off body wash and Walmart had it for $3. I had 12 coupons (combination of the $1 Sunday papers I bought, 50c a week ones I had delivered and coupons I got people to give me.) That bumped up my body wash supply-all were free (cost of tax which is high here).
Ask people for inserts they don’t want. Ask the local library what they do with their inserts. Look for a super cheap Sunday paper delivery (depending on where you live). Menards has papers for $1 instead of the $1.99 we pay at other stores. Frequently that $1 pays off with high value coupons making things free or very cheap.
Look for those high value coupons. Then check the prices at Walmart.
Building a stockpile takes time. When I started in 2008 the sales were great and so were the coupons. I learned CVS, Walgreens, high value coupons. I got not only enough for us but also for friends who were being laid off. I stopped worrying about having enough. I always had what we needed.
I’m living paycheck-to-paycheck myself as my priority right now is to pay down debt. Instead of trying to stockpile lots of things, I focus on one category of items such as pet food or pasta sauce or canned goods, etc. For example, I have a pretty good stockpile of canned goods so I don’t buy those unless I can get them absolutely FREE. I’m currently stockpiling pet food – my cats and dogs are not picky eaters, fortunately, so I can buy whatever brand is a good sale with coupons of course! I also plan a lot of my meals from the pantry when I have enough saved and use the that grocery money to build up another stockpile.
Be careful switching dog (and cat) food brands often or every bag. It can give them allergies and cause them to get sick! Best to stick with the same one.
I cant switch often either. My dogs aren’t picky,and will eat whatever I give them, but switching brands will result in an upset stomach or two.(even if it is a national brand.)
I completely understand wanting to stockpile because when things go off sale and you end up needing them it can mess up your budget completely. Here is what I do: I have a tight budget to feed my household of 5 for a total of $250 per month (tight). We shop for the things that are ONLY on sale for that week and the money that is left over we call it the stockpiling money, so we put that up until we find an awesome deal and use the extra for the stockpiling. Things I buy with my stockpiling money is tissue, soap, toothpaste, can goods (long expiration date), and etc. School just started back and Publix had an awesome deal on cereal so I bought (25) boxes with my stockpiling money. Also, fruit snack had a really good deal so I bought (20) boxes which I am hoping lasts 6 months. In the long-term I am saving by stockpiling because I will not pay those ridiculous list prices. The key is to get the things you know you will use, and not just get things because it is a good sale because if you do not use it you will end of losing money.
I have to say that is impressive! $250 for a family of 5, I am in awe!
I have a family of 5 and I live on a “budget” of about the same. I don’t have an actual budget but watch what I spend on groceries and it is about that same amount… due to stock piling. It is nice but drives my husband crazy. lol
I have a family of 5 and we also live on $250 a month because we have so much stockpiled and free cereal coming out of our ears!! And free pasta and lots of other things.
We’ve been there! DH had little-to-no paycheck for 11 wks once – we ate way too much white rice (UGH!!) – never going to do that again. We decided to stockpile AND get out of debt at the same time – both were priority #1 lol, with 4 kids.
When he found a new job, we had bills to catch up on and a pantry to fill. DH gave me $ each wk (and a bonus if we got the elec bill really low) that $ went into my ‘food’ envelope and was only spent on food.
First thing I did was change the way I shopped/we ate. I bought a canister of oatmeal, not a box of cereal (same $, but the oats carried us a lot farther). I bought ground turkey (1.88/lb now) not hamburg (3.29/lb now). Chicken, not beef. Many times, frozen veggies are cheaper/lb than fresh. Dried beans, not canned. I started making more soups, casseroles and chili.
Second, I scoured the sales, and did price comping at 1 store to save time, $, gas. I used coupons when they were useful, but not for convenience things. Whatever was cheap for veg/fruit was what we had. I started a small container garden to get the hang of it.
Brown rice, whole grain pasta, and dried beans are better for your health and your budget. I learned to make broth/gravy from my (clearance bought) roasting chickens, saving about $1/can. Tastes great and freezes for months. All of these things allowed us to have a 2 month stockpile of the basics in about 4 months, which gave me a great feeling of security. Now I move things from the pantry to the cupboards, know what I need to replace and know that if things got bad again, we could go for months without starving or needing help. Good luck, hope that helps:)
For me its trial and error. In July I thought “I should have a stockpile budget”. Only I didn’t calculate one out and overshopped. This month I decided to forgo an actual stockpile budget and work it into the overall grocery budget. For example I allot myself 100.00/wk for groceries, this includes: General Groceries, Drugstore Trips and Target/Walmart. Anything I buy needs to fit into my weekly allowance so if there’s a good stock-up price for something I work it into the week and cut something out if I need to. So far it is working out great. I also encourage you to pick 2 days a week to shop. This way you aren’t just randomly going all the time because I found that causes me to spend more too.
Really like this, I am so with you on not going every day, it really adds up. I would also add try to limit the number of stores you go to on your shopping trips, I find I want to fit more stuff in the cart but don’t watch the cash going out of my wallet when it is lots of little transactions. Budget, budget!!!
Carry a calculator with you when you shop. Make your list before hand with estimated prices and then add it up as you go. When you reach the amount you have alloted for that particular store you need to either stop shopping or put something back and get the one item you have to have for that week. At first you might have to do without something you want/like if you want to buy a few extra of something else but really it only takes a few weeks to get started good and get comfortable in what you are doing. I started in Jan and since then I have gotten our grocery bill down from nearly $800 a month to $300 or less. With me it started a necessity and now it’s a “game” to see how much stuff that I know we’ll use I can get with the least amount of money. I even find coupons for milk, bread, and eggs!!
Ooops! Sorry for the miscalculations…. it was a 10 pound bag that I bought at Sam’s Club, and the price per ounce was only a few cents cheaper than at the local grocery store!
My apologies. Not trying to be misleading. 🙂
Most grocery stores sell beans for $1.25 a pound. It’s about .68 a pound at Sam’s Club in the 25 pound bag. Plus, beans double in size while cooking!
You were just fine!
I stockpile no matter what my income. When canned tomatoes were on sale for 19 cents a can, I didn’t just buy what I needed for that week, I bought what I think I would use in the next few months. You buy things when they are on sale so you don’t have to buy them the next week when they are not. That saves money in the long run. If I found a good deal on an item that my family would use, I would not get something else on my list that wasn’t on sale to make up the cost when you are in the beginning stages of stockpiling. As your supply fills up, you won’t have to cut out things from your budget.
Even if things are super tight, stockpiling is still the way to go at our house, as well as trying to save as much as possible in every purchase. If there is a particularly good deal at Walgreens or CVS and it costs me very little out of pocket AND there are Register Rewards or ExtraBucks included, I will do it. Also, some of the comments above are what I would have suggested. For example, if you have a set budget amount and you have coupons that save you $5, then you have $5 to spend on stockpiling because you’re not going over budget due to the coupon savings. I also second the thought that stockpiles don’t happen overnight. Mine has taken several months to build. Best wishes!
I think different approaches work for different people in different circumstances. When I first started trying to stockpile, we were on a tight budget (we still are). I tried to buy things that were loss leaders at the grocery store, or items that I could get for pennies on the dollar, or for free.
One time I was able to get pasta for 55 cents a package/box. The deal was 10 for $10 and then get $5 back. 55 cents x 10 = $5.50, so I roughly paid 50 cents (before taxes) on 10 packages/boxes of pasta.
I just kept looking for deals like this. I still look for deals like the pasta deal, but I also have started to research buying in bulk. A few weeks ago I bought a 25 pound bag of dry pinto beans at Sam’s Club because I could get them there for about 2 cents per ounce verses about 6 cents per ounce at the local grocery store. Talk about savings. Now I don’t have to buy pinto beans for a long time, and they will keep for years because they are dry.
I hope this helps. 🙂
The loss leaders are where I try to stockpile. For example-Kool Aid canisters were recently $1. Kroger brand kids vitamins were $1.98. Tuna is sometimes 50c. Thats when I try to stock up. Also thanks to Crystal I cook from scratch-even with working its easy to come home and make a pizza dough from her recipe. Little things help.
As for the pinto beans we were getting the expensive little bags until a friend showed me the local Mexican store where it was a huge bag for about $4.
I recently started a Costco cost comparison, with how much you’d have to spend at the grocery store to beat Costco’s price. Some things I thought I was getting a good deal on with coupons and sales I actually wasn’t, and vice versa! http://www.savemoneylivejoyfully.com/p/saving-money-onseries.html
As far as building up my stockpile, start small. There are usually 1-2 items you can get for free every week with coupons and sales. This week, I’m getting free Kens Salad Dressing from Albertsons. A few weeks ago it was free Juicy Juice from Kroger. You can always afford to buy it when it’s free 🙂 I also do one night of leftovers during the week, and that really cuts our grocery budget. You could do something like that and use the extra money to build a stockpile.
I just posted today about how I plan to save the most money on groceries. You can read it here if you are interested:http://thepeacefulmom.com/2011/08/24/grocery-planning-day-step-by-step/
We have a super tight budget, but using this method I can feed our family of six for $400/month and still have food in the pantry, fridge and freezer. Hope this helps!
Wow! Impressive
Thank you for this article!!
My pleasure Stephanie!
I liked what courtney and suzy said. I try to base my weekly menu on sale items at the stores, this saves a good amount (along with couponing) and then the extra I use to buy stockpile items, but always try to get those items on sale too! Like Corie said, even a little at a time helps!
I have been unemployed for almost 2 years so I understand about money being tight. I do some surveys online like Pinecone, etc and I use that money to help with my stockpile. You just have to look for the deals as posted on sites like moneysavingmom and collect coupons, I have a friend who saves them for me. I also go to CVS about every other week and they have items that they will start out with 25% off and then the next week it’s 50% off and then 75% off. It takes time to get a stockpile. A lot of mine is shampoo, body wash, hair color, etc. We do not have any stores that double coupons in my area so I have not found any “deals” on toilet paper, etc. Facebook is also a good place to get “free” products and samples. Hope this helps some.
When our budget was that tight, I began trying to stockpile just a little bit every week of the very best deals that week. Before long, I had a growing stockpile AND more room in my budget (thanks to the money savings from the stockpile items).
And THAT is the beauty of having a full pantry!
AMEN!
only stock pile on things that wont cost u so much or are free. you dont have to buy alot of everything every week. if u see a good deal on 1 thing every week and u take advantage of it, then in 8 weeks u will have 8 items that you have stockpiled. and with time you will only have to go to the store to pick up the basics, ie: milk, eggs bread etc… i was really lazy this summer and diddnt coupon much, but thanks to my stock pile (that took me about 9 months to stock) i was able to get away with not having to shop much. it takes time but it will stop u from having to pay full retail later when u need the item… i can go on and on. just remember it doesnt happen over night…
I understand your struggle! We have been there and we are in a situation where we are struggling financially now. What I have done for our family that has worked quite well is I started with $5 for CVS and $5 for Walgreens… I used coupons and only bought products that offered ECB or RR to equal what I was spending in Cash. I then would roll the ECB or RR each week so that at most I was paying taxes. Overall I would spend about $14 the first month and around $4 each month thereafter… Also We make our own laundry detergent and cleaning products and use old washclothes instead of paper towels (just those couple things saved us a ton!). Hope that helps a bit! 🙂
how do you make cleaning supplies.I do the laundry det but not the cleaningstuff.
You don’t need much in the way of cleaning supplies. Vinegar works in place of windex and anywhere you want to kill germs. Baking soda works as your abrasive cleaner (in place of Ajax or whatever). Lemon juice is also helpful as it adds shine and sparkle. I haven’t bought commercial cleaners for a while as these together do just about everything! Its been nice for my budget as that’s more money for food.
I love my vinegar/water solutions! My daughter wants to help me clean and I wouldn’t let her before because I didn’t want her around all the chemicals, now she can help and I don’t have to worry about it 🙂 Not to mention it is soooo much cheaper 🙂
Try buying a few of each of the items you find at stockpile price…and then begin weekly meal planning based on what’s in your stockpile. It may be harder at first but as your stock slowly builds you will find more variety and option.
I’ve wondered this alot latley. We had a power outage and lost all the meat in our freezer. So there is literly 2 regular sized packages of chicken in there. I cant afford to fill it up in one week but am looking forward to the answers and helpful hints ppl give. 🙂
Mary,
Our income has been cut by 68%. Most of the time I don’t even have money to go grocery shopping. However, that hasn’t stopped me from building up my pantry. It’s REALLY important that I build up my pantry, too, since I often go months without being able to buy food.
I wrote two articles on how we do this. The first is entitledWhen You Need Food, and it’s about building your pantry and feeding your family when you can’t even afford to buy food.
The second is called
Eat for Less and Build Your Pantry at the Same Time. It talks about how we’ve reduced the costs of our meals (with specific examples) so that we can both eat and stockpile at the same time, for a LOT less. That way, when we do have money to spend, we make it go as far as possible.
In 2010 I was able to stock my pantry and feed my family for .70 per person per day. That’s 3 meals plus a snack at .70 total. This year, we’ve been doing the same thing. Our meals for our family of 8 typically run from under $1 to $2.
Even though it’s really tight, you can still build your pantry!
In addition, you may find that tighter finances mean stockpiling in a different way. When I get a little money, for example, I’ll buy a 25 pound bag of something (black beans for $17, oatmeal for $16, etc.) or a 50 pound bag of something (rice or popcorn [$17 for 50 lbs]). It’s a simple way to build up the basics, keep your family fed, and it’s very inexpensive.
Prudent Homemaker has an awesome website! Definitely visit it for some ideas and encouragement.
Prudent Homemaker,
I just wanted to tell you that I read the ‘When queens ride by’ story on your website some time back and it actually changed my whole attitude towards my daily chores. I’m more in love with what I do now, at peace and happy. Thank you. 🙂
We have started doing this and making things we would normally by at the store at home. Last week when money was tight I spent $30 for our family of 6 and that included 7lbs of cheese. When you have basics on hand it makes the food budget go much farther.
I would totally recommend those articles!!! I found your website a while back, and Prudent Homemaker has been a great source of knowledge and encouragement, along with Money Saving Mom. Between these two sites, you will be able to find the information you need. The biggest tip I have is to have a good attitude. It is hard – no doubt about it – but your attitude can make or break the situation. If it were me, I would definitely meal plan, if you don’t already, and I would swap one meal that is more expensive for a less expensive meal so that you now have an extra dollar or two to pick up an extra package of strawberries to go in the freezer for smoothies or whatever when it is $1.
I forgot to add that it is kind of like the Debt Snowball theory: start with an extra box of something. Then, you can eat that, and with the money buy two of something. Soon it builds up, and you can buy 10 of something when it is an amazing deal, and with the money you will save, you can buy a bunch of something else. But don’t get discouraged while you are waiting for your snowball to get rolling.
Wow what a great simple idea! I already meal plan but “swap one meal” for one less expensive sounds like a great plan. Like if I was planning breakfast for dinner I could still have dinner but cut out the bacon? Or if I planned beef tacos I could sub beans and have tostadas!! Wow I feel like a genious sitting here thinking these up!! Haha, I love it!!
*genius hahaha
I love your web site, Prudent Homemaker! And your food pictures are so pretty!
Just went to this site, and then bookmarked it, great advice I will be headed back there!
Just read the pantry building article! Wow-I’ve never heard of this site but it looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing what you have learned no matter what season you are in financially!
This might not be the best advice out there, but it works for me when money is tight.
I plan groceries based on what I need, what I can afford, and try to match up anything on my list I can use a coupon for.
Then I calculate my coupon savings for everything and the money I save by using them is my “stockpile” money.
The money I take to the store is already budgeted, so anything I buy using the savings from coupons is what I consider “found” money. It doesn’t hurt me if I use all of it.
Sometimes there are no good deals on stockpile stuff, so I roll that week’s leftover grocery money into the next week’s grocery money (or into my savings account 🙂 ).
It may not seem like a lot, but it adds up over the weeks.
Hope that helps!
We were in a similar situation when we began stockpiling. We began by only buying one or two items over if the deal was good, since that usually would only mean an extra dollar or two. Since it’s only my husband and I this worked well because we were able to buy things faster than we used them, but not buy so much that we couldn’t buy other things or store them. Just start small, even one extra item is one item less you have to go out to the store to grab.