Budget for Stockpile

[prairiewild]

I was wondering if folks have a budget for their stockpile. What is a reasonable amount to spend in a month on it?

[Green is Gold]

I was wondering if folks have a budget for their stockpile. What is a reasonable amount to spend in a month on it?

I apologize for my lack of computer skills. (I can't link) If you look at the top of this page, (inbetween coupon data base and blog) click on articles. Then under Articles by category, click on Stockpiling. About 4 or 5 articles down you will see "Couponing and Budgets" May 3rd, 2011. Click on it and read it. It was very helpful to me. Sort of a "Stockpiling for Dummies."

[Gnorga]

Couponing and Budgets

[Green is Gold]

Prariewild, meet Maradee. She's a really nice Mod who follows me around the site and acts as my Tech support! Thanks Maradee!

[JulieDB]

No. I have no budget. I also have a much smaller stockpile than I have seen in the pictures here.

I also don't get a lot of coupons so there is no way I could ever buy 12 or 20 of something using coupons.

If I find a good deal on something, I will buy one or two extra. Unless I already have a lot of it at home. One thing I do need to be careful with is the Downy Unstopables. They have been putting out a lot of coupons for it and I have found some really good deals. So I have enough for a long time.

I had trouble with paper towels for a while. I had a ton. Unlike what I have read here, I do buy things at Costco for my stockpile. I find it is just a lot easier to buy things in bulk there like toilet paper and paper towels when they have a coupon for it. I figure I am also saving money because that is quite a few less trips I would otherwise have to make to the store. But then... I got some high value brand only coupons. I used them for paper towels. And I already had a Costco package. So I had plenty of paper towels for a year. I still have two rolls of those left and I have since bought a new package at Costco. 12 come in a package. That lasts us a long time. I might also buy paper towels if I see seasonal prints that are marked down to say...75% off. But I haven't found any of those in a while.

I buy some canned goods at Costco. I find that buying them by the case there is actually cheaper than trying to find them in the store with a coupon. But I have also recently used coupons for assorted beans, including refried. I try not to keep more than 12 of any one kind of vegetable and less of the fruits. If I buy any more, chances are some will go to waste.

There are plenty of things I see coupons for that we do not use. We are picky about our toothpaste and body wash. I don't need any more razors for a very long time. We already had a ton and then my mom put them in our Christmas stockings. We don't use those manual toothbrushes. We do get free ones from the dentist which we donate. We don't use air fresheners, Frank's Red Hot Sauce or BBQ sauce. Every once in a while I will try the BBQ sauce because I can get it for cheap. I hate the stuff. Husband and daughter don't really like it and complain when I make it. So I just won't buy it any more. I see plenty of lunch meat and cheese coupons we don't use because we can find other products for less.

In my garage I have a four shelf shelving unit. Most of my food stockpile goes there. There is a shelf on the wall which I use for bottles and jars because they tend to fall off of the wire shelves. I might keep an extra two or three jars of salsa and pasta sauce there.

I have some stacking bins that are quite large. Those are filled with paper products and bags. I figure when they are full, that is enough for us. Exception being if we are having some sort of respiratory problem. Then I might buy more tissues. Paper towels and toilet paper sit on the floor if they are a full Costco pack. As I use them up, they go in the bins.

I have another plastic shelving unit where I keep things like boxed milk, rice milk, oil for popcorn and assorted drinks. Cases and 12 packs of drinks sit on the floor. I keep at least a week's worth of diet soda. I will buy more if snow is coming. We can get snowed in here for a week.

I found out the hard way that I can not stockpile things like cereal. The rest of my stockpile is out in the garage. We got a rat in there. So nothing like that can go there. I might buy 2 or 3 extra boxes and they will have to sit on the counter. I have no cupboard big enough to put cereal in.

We also have a small chest freezer in the garage.

[prairiewild]

That's a great article. Thanks. I do around 25$ a week for my stockpile except for some weeks that are really good. I think its hard to get that down to $10.
Julie, Its been a while since I've been at Costco myself. I found a very useful blog that I've been using to compare costco prices to grocery store prices. And with somethings its been easy to better the costco price, but in others like spices and nuts and cheese and such costco is far and far the better choice. I also buy my beef only at costco-if I buy beef in the stores around here for cheap, I'm always disappointed. Costco shopping days really throw my stockpile budget tho. I'm challenged to walk out of there paying less than $50!
I also wonder how do I split my grocery budget from my stockpile. Like today, I bought a bunch of cereal from CVS-I marked it stockpile in my budget-but then the kids got home from school and I am already half way through two of the boxes-so maybe I should have counted it as grocery lol.

[renodebb]

I usually do about $20.00 a week.
Debbie

[JulieDB]

That's a great article. Thanks. I do around 25$ a week for my stockpile except for some weeks that are really good. I think its hard to get that down to $10.
Julie, Its been a while since I've been at Costco myself. I found a very useful blog that I've been using to compare costco prices to grocery store prices. And with somethings its been easy to better the costco price, but in others like spices and nuts and cheese and such costco is far and far the better choice. I also buy my beef only at costco-if I buy beef in the stores around here for cheap, I'm always disappointed. Costco shopping days really throw my stockpile budget tho. I'm challenged to walk out of there paying less than $50!
I also wonder how do I split my grocery budget from my stockpile. Like today, I bought a bunch of cereal from CVS-I marked it stockpile in my budget-but then the kids got home from school and I am already half way through two of the boxes-so maybe I should have counted it as grocery lol.

I buy my beef and some spices at Costco. But I will never buy the Italian seasoning again. I found it had a musty odor and odd taste.

If I shop for myself in Costco I usually pay around $30 or $40 if I am only buying food. But I do buy supplements there and last time I bought memory foam pillows. We do buy some clothing and gifts there too. This past Christmas we bought gift bags and tissue paper. I still have enough for next year. But often I have to buy for my mom as well so that puts the price up there. The bright spot is that I am a gold member so I am going to get something back for the items I am buying for her.

[mythreesons]

My stockpile budget is pretty much up to me...I will say for this month $350 to $450 dependig on the deals..I don't need to buy anything but milk,potatoes,onions this month..It took me month's to stockpile what I have now along with lot's of money spent..however,I'm finally in the position to choose to buy or not to buy. But, I alway's add more to my stash..I also want to mention that I make alot of food from scratch so that really saves me money..