How to Create Your Stockpile of Food |

 

Envious of Other’s Stock Piles of food?

Take a Real good look at some of them. And you’ll be surprised at how different your needs are from theirs.  

Diapers? Perhaps you don’t have kids in Diapers.

Bars of Soap? Perhaps you only buy liquid 

Laundry Detergent? Perhaps you can only use one brand due to allergy. 

Buying too much is every Stockpile person problem: Till you figure out truly how much you use. 

Rule of thumb: Not to over purchase. 

We over-estimate how much we actually use in any given time frame. So if you start small work way big, you’ll have saved tons more money than the person that starts off big, and sits on stuff long enough to have to throw it out.

Also, another issue is purchasing at a bad time in the sales cycle.

Herbal Essences; Best buy at $2.00 Not the casual $2.50 sale.  example.

And until you learn the “BEST BUYS”, you will always buy at Not the best price, and your stockpile is not the savings it should be.

If you find yourself in a hurry to get a stockpile built, you will find yourself regretting a lot of purchases.  Ask anyone with one, and I’m sure they have a least 1 or two items, they regret spending that dollar amount on.

Cheetah has a Rule of 12 in her home. She builds her stockpiles of items by 12, and then she uses them till she gets down to 3 of that item, and then she starts to purchase her way back to 12. 

This is a great way to start. But you may even find 12 is too many for your family or you may find not enough.  But being on the Regret side of “I should have bought more when it was on sale for $2.00 ” is better than the I Bought too many and it is in the garbage.  Because once it’s in the garbage that’s money out of your pocket Not once but twice as bad. 

There will always be another sale!

You are better off “START SMALL ” Work your way “BIG”.

I think starting out should be in rules of 6, till you get the hang of pricing and sale cycles.  And to see how much of a product your family actually uses. Chances are you overbuy for your stockpile.  And I do agree with Cheetah with the rules of thumb for Cleaning Supplies.

Pain Relievers:  Perhaps you are like me and rarely use these.  No one in my house rarely sick, or have headaches. So a bottle lasts us a very long time.  So for our family( 3 ) bottles would do us a full year, maybe even longer.  These things have expiry dates, so watch carefully upon purchasing. The rule of 12 would not work for my household.

I currently have 4 in my stockpile, and 2 in my medicine cabinet. I have too much for my needs.

Vitamins – If you take daily – Figure out how many are in your favourite brand and figure out how many would do you for 6 months.

I myself only have 1 Bottle of Vitamin C and tons of Melatonin of what we use lots of. I currently have 6 bottles on the go. Zero in my stockpile.  There is always a decent sale when I run low.  I don’t feel the need to stockpile this one. but we have 3 bathrooms, and a second home in the summer.  I keep one in our suitcase, and I have the disposable kind in my purse.  Once I get low down to 1 bottle, I’ll worry about finding a sale, and purchase 3 more.

Laundry – How many loads do you do a week?  Then 3-6 months worth sitting on your shelf. Or the Cheetah Rule of 12 would work as well.  You may find yourself with a full year worth, but it’s not going to go bad.

I have 6 things of laundry soap in my stockpile and One large jug on the go, and I have Arm & Hammer laundry pods as well on the go. This for me is the most I’ve had.  These 6 things of laundry soap is equivalent to 6 months’ worth, as I have 1 large jug as well in my stockpile.

Cleaning wipes: 70 /wipes per container.  So count how many you pull out for a week: And times by 6 months. These do dry out by sitting, so be careful not to buy too many.

Other Cleaners won’t go bad so you can stock up years worth with no issues.  The 12 Rule of cheetahs would work.

Toilet Paper/Paper Towel: Go to  town if you want as these won’t go bad by sitting for long periods

I currently have about 80 individual rolls of toilet paper, and 12 rolls of paper towel.

Deodorant:  I would start at 6 per male/Female – and see how many how long it takes to dwindle down to 2. In my house, the rule of 12 does not work for men but does more so for the girls.  The deodorant does EXPIRE.

Shampoo/conditioner –  Depends on long/short hair – I figure one bottle per person per month ( medium hair) So I would start with 6 of each and see how long it takes you to dwindle down to 2 bottles.

Body Wash 1 Bottle per person every 4 – 8 weeks. So you could start with 6 and see how long it takes to go through 4 of them.

I counted in mine: I have 13!

Razors/shaving cream – Buy till your heart’s content: But I would start out with a stockpile of 6 packs of disposable razors till I got the hang of pricing of your favourite kinds.  Or purchase the refills. And then work your way up.

Cereal – Watch Expiry dates – Most ones I have in my cupboard have a 6-month expiry date.  I only buy extras of the cereal that is everyone’s favourite.  I will buy the odd box of something different to try,  I have 4 box’s in my cupboard, and 4 in my stockpile.  Cereal is always on sale every 3-4 months anyhow.

Salad Dressing – Long Expiry dates – but I don’t suggest stocking up on this one unless you are absolutely sure you’ll use them. This is one item I always seem to throw out of my fridge before I finished. I’m bad for buying a new kind to try, and then not loving it enough to finish the bottle.   And only stock up on true kinds you will use.

Condiments: Long Expiry dates, but consider how many you use in a year’s time.  You may use Ketchup a lot more than mustard or relish.

Peanut Butter/Cheese Whiz: Long Expiry dates of 6 months So purchase  3-6 months worth when on good sale price.

School Snacks – watch expiry dates – Only buy abundances when you have kids/teenagers/ or if you pack a lunch yourself daily.  And if your stockpiling, just make sure you can eat that many within the expiry date.

Crackers: I would not buy more than 3 of any kind, to start,  then work your way to finding out how many your family actually eats.

Juice: When purchasing dig to the back of the row to find the longest expiry dates.  I recently just threw out 3  V8 fusions. Once again I estimated wrong on how often my daughter actually drinks this stuff.

Canned Food – Usually has long expiry dates  – but still pay attention to those.  I found Alfredo sauce on sale this week and was going to buy 12 of them until I looked at the expiry date ( which was this month)  so I only bought a few.

Soup – Buy 3-6 months worth when you find a good deal.

Freezer Meals – Usually has long expiry dates: so still watch as you don’t want freezer burnt stuff.  The rule of 12 would be fine.