Please explain...Spouses/Partners who don't like stockpiles?!

[jkljkl]

Food and other items expire after a period of time, and even if they are still safe to eat - they don't quite taste the same. Also, beauty products like lotion and shampoo can get riddled with bacteria or mold. I only stockpile items like candles. I will stock up on food products for the next 3-6 months, and that's about it.

[suestuff]

My DH thought I was completely nuts when I started this. We moved from a huge house in Colorado to a house about 1/2 the size in Texas. We don't have tons of extra space for stockpiling, no basement and most of our cabinets are full.

But, I just figured this thing out. I only started couponing in March or April of this year. It is amazing what I have gotten. My DD who is 16 just had her friend (foreign exchange student from Italy) over the last 2 days. I filled up 2 bags of makeup, H&B supplies and more for her. She was just so happy as her host family will not buy that stuff for her. And she has limited funds. She hugged me because she was so happy.

So I have a good supply and our family uses it, but I also give lots away. I took 2 huge boxes to family when we visited in the summer and I will do the same at Christmas.

It is not all free, but at rock bottom prices. I enjoy the giving so much. Oh and I did make a huge donation to a food bank and they loved getting the H&B stuff.

You can do this and not be a hoarder!

[KmmCo]

I build up a good stockpile every year by the time winter rolls around! DH is happy that he doesn't have to go to the store too. Last night it was minus 5 degrees when he got off work! My joints don't tolerate that kind of cold and it would have been him out shopping if I actually needed stuff.

We are fortunate that we have a big house (2500 sq feet) with a large basement laundry/storage room and an attached garage. I only keep sodas in the garage though because of the weather - I guess I could do canned goods too but I have plenty of room inside anyway.

My stockpile is not the clutter problem in our house - it is actually all of his "junk" anyway. The only stuff that I have too much of is books and craft stuff, but it is all stored a lot neater (in closets and organized boxes) than his "stuff" is.

I agree with suestuff - if it gets used or given to someone that can use it, then it is not hoarding. My food "inventory" gets properly rotated and I make it a point to cook more of something if I notice it is getting close to the expiration (like my case of stovetop stuffing that I still have from last winter - we have been eating it 2-3 times a week this last month - my son loves it with anything - pork, chicken, turkey, etc.).

[motherofmolly]

my husband at first kept saying i was "stealing". now he is fond of what i have and what i do.

besides stocking up on items that we will use in 4 month like noodles and rice..i like to stock up on items that will keep and we use alot of. chocolate syrup, ketchup and hidden valley ranch. tuna and canned items and items in jars that are sealed are big too.

shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. feminine items and toilet paper and paper towels. all items that one hates to pay full price on that are great to stockpile for nothing. laundry detergent, and cleaners too. all items that you get the most savings on.

my husband is happy now. he realizes the money that is saved. this savings can then go to savings or things that we need for the house or kids.

most have the opinion that these savings are not that great. but really it can be.

my husband now wants to barter with any extras i might get.

[~~Who,Me?~~]

I wouldn't say my hubby hates the stockpile, it's more of a love/hate relationship. Monday mornings--if he runs out of deodorant and is faced with either not wearing deodorant, or going to the basement to get some........he loves the stockpile.

The arguments we have are always over brands. There are just some things he really doesn't like, whereas while I have preferences, it doesn't bother me too much. He's just more likely to say "I really hate these paper towels" or "Can we please get something besides cheerios?"