When is enough...enough?

[SarahL]

I wasn't entirely sure where to put this, but this seemed to fit best. If not, my apologies.

I am not new to couponing, though I am new to HCW. I've been couponing for years, and grew up with my mother doing it also. We are a family of 4 - me, DH, and two toddlers. I regularly save 60% or more each week on my shopping trips with a fairly small time commitment, and given the ages and stages my kids are at, along with meeting their needs, I'm happy with that.

But my question is - when do you feel you have "enough?" This isn't really for me to gauge how much I should have of items, I'm happy with the balance I've struck.

Looking at some of the stockpile pictures though...well, it just seems like overkill to me. I realize many donate items. But honestly, how many bottles of body wash, boxes of pasta, rolls of paper towels, etc. does one need?

I'm certain part of this is family size, I know some people use more - say - pasta, than I do, and they may use less canned veggies, or something like that, and I know storage space factors in too. So I realize stockpiles look different to different people. For me, I use a lot of pasta, but it's frequently on sale, so I don't feel the need to stockpile more than 6-8 boxes total.

I personally feel no need to get more than 2 Sunday papers, nor order coupons from a clipping service, or trade, etc. I am personally not willing to make that type of time commitment when I know I don't need the stockpiling levels that it would bring. I have plenty of space, but just don't feel the need to have 50 of everything, kwim?

Please understand I'm not criticizing anyone here...I'm just interested to know what YOU feel is an appropriate level of stockpiling, and how you've arrived at that decision, if that makes sense.

[Mama Stu]

I think that it does differ for every person. I think it depends on how large your family is, how much you donate, what you use the stockpile for , ect......


I have 7 kids, 14 grandkids, I donate to a church member who works for a social services place, I use the stockpile for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, baby showers, bridal showers, weddings, and on and on.

When I first started couponing I did tend to go a bit overboard even with all of the above. If it was free I thought I needed 40 or 50 of them. I would trade, purchase coupons, beg, until I had what I thought was enough. Now, I have learned some moderation.

But, there are still things I would stockpile now if I could get them free. No doubles here. So, the deals are harder for me to come by. If I could get toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, napkins, ect.... free then I would stockpile as many as I possibly could get my hands on. Those are things that never go bad, and I am pretty sure the price won't be going down anytime soon

I have learned to stockpile food only in amounts we will use. I have had to throw away expired foods(and yes I know most food is good way past the exp date). Trust me these needed thrown


I think that each person just has to decide when enough is enough for them.

[$Saving!]

I wasn't entirely sure where to put this, but this seemed to fit best. If not, my apologies.

I am not new to couponing, though I am new to HCW. I've been couponing for years, and grew up with my mother doing it also. We are a family of 4 - me, DH, and two toddlers. I regularly save 60% or more each week on my shopping trips with a fairly small time commitment, and given the ages and stages my kids are at, along with meeting their needs, I'm happy with that.

But my question is - when do you feel you have "enough?" This isn't really for me to gauge how much I should have of items, I'm happy with the balance I've struck.

Looking at some of the stockpile pictures though...well, it just seems like overkill to me. I realize many donate items. But honestly, how many bottles of body wash, boxes of pasta, rolls of paper towels, etc. does one need?

I don't question other's stockpiles, I don't have all the information necessary to have an opinion one way or another on their intentions or needs.

I'm certain part of this is family size, I know some people use more - say - pasta, than I do, and they may use less canned veggies, or something like that, and I know storage space factors in too. So I realize stockpiles look different to different people. For me, I use a lot of pasta, but it's frequently on sale, so I don't feel the need to stockpile more than 6-8 boxes total.

And that's an example. What needs are in one home vary widely in another. If you were to see the 'stockpile' of Ziploc food storage containers I have, I'm sure it would make you shake your head But the story behind it would make sense. Same with the amount of peanut butter and tuna But pictures don't tell the story behind any of those items. Or the razor blades! Stories for each and waste of nothing when their use is explained, but photos don't explain anything

I personally feel no need to get more than 2 Sunday papers, nor order coupons from a clipping service, or trade, etc. I am personally not willing to make that type of time commitment when I know I don't need the stockpiling levels that it would bring. I have plenty of space, but just don't feel the need to have 50 of everything, kwim?

While I agree, many people amass a lot of identical coupons, to what use they are going to I can't question either. I know for myself the fact that I get three papers when I don't need the volume of products others do may seem strange to some. But when isn't told is what I do with them. They're not all for me, there is a story not being told often times and that has to be considered.

Please understand I'm not criticizing anyone here...I'm just interested to know what YOU feel is an appropriate level of stockpiling, and how you've arrived at that decision, if that makes sense.[/QUOTE]

My stockpile, personally, is a min. 4 months of goods we use regularly. Sales that get items free or for pennies on the dollar are 'purchased' for our benefit as well as family, friends, neighbors in need and donations. My stockpile has not taken over living spaces or unused bathtubs (although I got close once when I had 24 Scott Wipes I had gotten free during a sale and had no immediate space for!).

I do wonder, too though, what I see as OCD tendencies and unfortunately like all dysfuctions, couponing can quickly become a means to feed a dysfunctional personality disorder and I can recognize it and not concern myself with it. I can only control my behavior, not others

[SarahL]

$Saving, that is true that pictures don't tell the whole story, and I need to remember that. You reminded me that when my brother and I were in college, my mom would buy WAY more than what she would need for her and my dad, but it was so that when we came home we could "grocery shop" out of her pantry. We just took whatever we needed since in college we had neither the time nor the storage space to coupon.

Mama Stu's reply reminded me of that too - with all the kids and grandkids. Uses for gifts too. :)

I really truly am not criticizing anyone's stockpiling levels. I really am curious about how each person arrives at a level they're comfortable with, whatever the use. I know for us - I try to keep about a 12 week supply of items, because that's my general sale cycle, give or take. And some items are seasonal too. For instance, since it's the start of summer, I'm seeing a lot of sunscreen deals now, which I won't see in winter. But my kids are SUPER fair skinned so I use it year round if we're outside for any long length of time, so during summer months I'll stock up on more than a 12 week supply.

But occasionally I change my thinking, and I try out other methods, and I'm always interested in new ways of looking at couponing. So I thought I'd ask. I really do hope no one feels attacked by the question, because it's really only intended for me to learn from. I really want to know.

[cdadabo]

My stockpile is small since I am just starting out and my house is roughly the size of a matchbox...but, my largest stockpiled item currently is ketchup. I have 19 bottles (we have one in our fridge). The reason I bought 20 bottles? Because my family is under the impression that ketchup is a FOOD and not a CONDIMENT!

It's all up to each family. However, I don't agree with shelf-clearing just because you made a nickle on each item. You never know, someone may come along and need those items for their family. Spread the joy!

I won't go into why I stockpiled the TP I did!

[Gertie2u]

I'm new to all this sort of couponing, and I have to admit to a bit of jealousy when I see pictures and hear about the stockpiles of others. Always makes me feel like I need to get going and get my own collection stored up!

I have always used coupons when I could get my hands on coupons for products my family would buy anyways, and that was about the extent of things. I love trading coupons because I see it as a way to get the coupons into the hands of the people who use that product and will use that coupon. Thinking about it now, I guess I have a bit of a mental image as a coupon as a piece of paper with a job to do, and wouldn't it be sad if it doesn't get to do it because I just can't use that product. All the while, someone else that could use it for a product they need goes without being able to make that little coupon happy by using it. Just typing that out has got me laughing.

For me, having enough means having enough to spare for friends and family should they have need, with maybe some leftover for those in true need. If I can find a product nearly or completely free, I try to get what I think we will use before it gets too old, plus a couple, and drop the extras somewhere they will get to people in true need like teen runaways, battered women's shelter, foster kids emergency center, homeless shelter, or sent to a disaster shelter. Someone always needs free toothpaste, as an example.

I have been known to buy an item on sale with a coupon just because it was enormously inexpensive even though I could not use it, then find a friend or family member who does use the product. For example, a couple of weeks ago I got a large pack of Zantac for around fifty cents, I think it was. I asked around until I found a family member who must take it regularly. He was really happy to get a free pack, and it made me feel good to do something that really helped him.

[jkeating]

Right now I'm just buying the basic items that I need such as milk, bread, fruit, veggies and some meat.

Every Christmas I donate to my local SPCA because my mother prefers we donate to a local charity instead of giving her a gift. I usually buy large bags of dog and cat food. This year I will include paper towels, laundry detergent and extra canned dog and cat food I have in my stock pile since they can also use those items.

Our post office recently had a food drive and I was able to donate from my stock pile for that.

I got some body wash recently that also had deodorant attached that my son could not use. He goes to an adult day program and a few of his buddies were delighted to get that deodorant. They are all on a limited income.

If you saw how much men's body wash I have you would probably think I was hoarding it. To be honest with you my adult son is mentally challenged. Despite explaining to him that you only need to use a dime/quarter size amount of body wash on your poof he still goes through almost an entire bottle a week. He'll use the small amount about for a day or two but then goes back to his old ways. He also likes to use several types at one time. When they get to the point where you have to smack the bottle to get the wash out he'll take a new one because it's too hard for him to get it out of the bottle. Once I have the same brand I consolidate them into one. It's frustrating but I realize he honestly can't help it. So I have a lot of men's body wash for him. He's also the same way with shampoo so I have a lot of shampoo for him also.

Yes there are people who have way to much in their stock pile and have more than they themselves will ever use but although I don't need 20 bottles
of ketchup (I only have 6!) there are people who do use that much. Since everyone has different needs what they have a lot of will be different. I like to look at the pictures to see what people have.

[mom23teens]

in my opinion every household has different needs and i agree that every stockpile has a story and while i too would never clear a shelf i do share with others who are less fortunate than i and it makes me feel great to do so I say if you have the means share it

[belinda2]

I agree. Every household is different and needs and space are different. I'd rather buy, organize, accumulate coupons, etc etc once a year than multiple times per item. Some of my stuff will last a year or more but a few things because of expiration dates are good for 3 months. Also, some families have time constrains and it makes more sense for them to shop the least amount of times per year as possible.

[enginerd]

As long as there is enough storage room to have the stockpile without it encroaching on your living space and as long as you do not waste items because they are expired then I don't see a problem having as much as one wants to keep.