What are your goals for stockpiling?

[DamianMom]

My goal is to hopefully build a year supply (and then some on things that can last longer) of things we need all the time. TP, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo/conditioner, etc. And to get a good stockpile of food that is good enough to live off of. Right now my food stockpile seeme like mostly condiments! LOL I hope to also get my stockpiled organized and get better storage for it.

[wealthybarney]

Since we live in a small Apt. without a garage or storage, I'll need to modify my goals.
We can fit up to a 4 month supply of everything. Right now, we are living off our freezer stockpile before fall, so the meat will not go past the expiration date. We donated our stockpile of TP, so we'll need a lot more of that, plus 4 months of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

[thickbluebug]

I am changing my stockpiling goals again.
I am stocking all I can of shelf stable meat/fish, jarred/canned/dried fruit, dry beans, flour, meal and condiments and keeping it for me.
NO giving to the inlaws, no swapping, or no food in the yardsales.
Well if a disaster happens, I will share w the inlaws but that's it.

[uummm]

Well, now my husband has climbed on board and decided we need to stockpile ammo and guns because of the way the economy keeps going down down down...I have plenty of food and camping propane if need be, but I am not sure I can coupon for guns and ammo. I think I will make that his department.

[KristieGK]

Originally Posted by anaj06 As far as food; I want to be healthier. I think my husband and I have gained weight because of my stockpile. If it is in there we eat it; if it weren't there we wouldn't.

Not to hijack but I just wanted to say that having a food stockpile has had the exact opposite affect on our family. Something about just knowing it's there and that there is plenty has caused us all to only eat when we really need to.
Isn't it "funny" how the psychology can be so vastly different from person to person? I find it very interesting. No right or wrong. Just interesting.

[maggiew]

Originally Posted by KristieGK Not to hijack but I just wanted to say that having a food stockpile has had the exact opposite affect on our family. Something about just knowing it's there and that there is plenty has caused us all to only eat when we really need to. Isn't it "funny" how the psychology can be so vastly different from person to person? I find it very interesting. No right or wrong. Just interesting.

It is funny, isn't it?

Me, now that I have all these packs of cookies/sunchips/Chex mix for free, I no longer have the slightest urge to snack on them.

The kids...well, let's just say that they are quite aware of how many packs there are and they want to eat all of them today! It's like they are determined to eat through the stockpile.

[$saver]

Originally Posted by thickbluebug I am changing my stockpiling goals again. I am stocking all I can of shelf stable meat/fish, jarred/canned/dried fruit, dry beans, flour, meal and condiments and keeping it for me. NO giving to the inlaws, no swapping, or no food in the yardsales. Well if a disaster happens, I will share w the inlaws but that's it.

Well I'm with you on this one....my biggest problem is I keep giving things away! I had a very large stockpile built up and noticed the other day that it is dwindling so I really have to stop. I always felt I should be generous with all the good deals I got and shared them with my family members, but now I'm realizing that I need to stop this. Plus if there ever was a disaster of any kind I would probably be the only one in my family that even has a stockpile, so I had better let them buy their own things now so I can keep my stockpile growing. It's just hard for me to turn them away when I have 5 of an item that I got for free or little money and they will have to go pay full price for 1 because they ran out.

I have tried and tried to get my other family members on board with couponing, bargain shopping and stockpiling, and they just will not take the time to do it. I showed them the great deals I was getting in the hope that it would be incentive for them to try to get good deals too. But it didn't work, instead now they come to me and say "Can I buy some things from you since you probably got a really good deal...better than I could get I'm sure." And at that point I say "Oh...just take what you need." I was happy to help them out in the beginning, but now I really must stop but it's hard since they know I have this stockpile now. :hectic1:

[sewnmom]

I enjoyed reading the other posts - think I got some ideas from them! thanks.

I do some OAMC - I do my own thing and precook ground beef (I boil it then bag in the freeze) for quick meals. I also precook chicken and bag all meats into meal sized bags. I usually have about three months worth of meat on hand and then about a months of meals (my own oamc - we dont do casseroles much - but precooked meats, fajita kits, gyro kits, etc). I buy superpretzels, pierogies, pizzas, italian ice, etc when cheap or free. I buy as many as I have coupons and stock up. I leave a note as to what they can have and what is for a meal for the family.

I have a few sets of shelves in my basement for overflow pantry. I have about 60 bottles of ranch dressing which my kids LOVE. I also have hot sauce, mustard, pickles, soups, coffee, pasta (about 40 lbs in air tight containers), spaghetti sauce, soda, water, paper products (mostly plates, cups and napkins), sports drinks.

In my pantry I am always stocked with things my four teens can eat and make themselves (and hopefully clean up after themselves - WAIT - this is reality what was I thinking?). There are mac and cheese, chinese noodles, soups, raviolis, cookie mix packets, veggies.
I have all the things in the pantry I need for making meals. I buy multiple when on sale even if we dont need it if it is cheap or free. I put in the overflow pantry and bring up when needed.

I stock cereal and granola bar type items. I usually have ten boxes of cereal at any given time and ten boxes of snacks. I usually have about six boxes of crackers. We go through a lot of crackers and cheese.

In my fridge I usually have a pound of pepperoni, six pounds of cheese, 2 or 3 lunchmeats (love those hillshire farms ones on sale with a coupon!), cookie dough, tortillas, veggies and fruits.

I have been into couponing since January. I have built my stockpile (what I would say is the overflow) to the point that I spend about 1/2 of what I used to spend a month on food while building the stockpile. That to me is a great savings. I am not in the grocery store every other day getting something. I have not had an 80 dollar trip in two months. The most I have spent in one trip lately was 28.00. That was for meats I found marked down and other items with coupons. It was 90 dollars of food (not counting the discount on the meats). I figure we could eat from home for about 3months. If we were STUCK there it would be 3. IF we got out and didnt just sit around eating it would longer! My kids can EAT (they are all very slim and active!)

ON the HBA front, I have an old fashioned chamber maid closet that has three huge deep drawers. They are full of stuff. I have been using my stash to make graduation baskets for graduates. I found some really nice electronic picture frame keychains on clearance and alarm clocks to add into them. I dont think we would need toothpaste for the next several years. We have enough deodorant for several years. I get it when it is free or cheap. I limit myself to 25 a week at Walgreens and CVS (total for both). I roll forward what I dont use one week so that is 100 a month. Some months I am at 50 some 75.

I am spending WAY less than I was before. I was going over receipts the other day. I used to spend about 200 every other week between several stores and then do GFS or Sams club and spend 75 or 80 there twice a month. I go to sam's once a month now maybe and usually only for bagged flour, oil and things I dont have coups for.I look for meat markdowns. I figure I went from maybe 600 a month to about 200 in groceries and HBA. I buy a lot of my groceries at the drug stores now (especially staples) when they are a good deal (ragu .27 a jar at wags recently - got 32 of them).

[goldielocks]

Ideally, I'd like 6 months worth of items, lots to sell at flea markets every couple of months, and plenty to donate to people in need.

[GirlNeedsIt]

If you asked me that about 3 years ago, there would have came a complete diffrent answer out of my mouth(keyboard)......it would be anything I get for free or great deal with . I ended up with lots of items, that I don't like... ...or even use......., so most either were given away or donated..... Then I finally found this site ......, plus a few other sites about Food Storage and Stockpiling, which made me re-think what and how, I like to do this, from now on ......

So for my goal

to have enough for at least 1 year (both None or Food items), which I could stretch to last a little longer .....so when I do go shopping and see one of the items, I use or need, plus having a coupon, I'll get it ......
I also live in an area where at any time, you would need to live without the ability to go to the store, power and such ......