Nov 4, 2012

10 Things You Should Buy In Bulk...

People will buy anything that is one to a customer... 

Reading the news I came across a very interesting article and one I agree with.  If you have the space and you can afford to do so, definitely buy these in bulk.  In the long run you save a lot of money, time and all that extra carrying.  Plus these are items that somehow we always manage to be short on.  the thing about bulk buying is that you really have to be committed t it.

You can buy in bulk just about anywhere, but the best bulk deals are to be found at warehouse club stores that require annual membership fees. (Costco and Sam’s Club, for instance, will cost you $55 and $50 per year, respectively.)  Well worth the cost!

Toilet Paper
T.P. meets the main criteria for bulk-buying: It doesn’t go bad, you’re always going to need it and you use it all the time. Just make sure you have room for it in your house.
Bottled Beverages

Bottled water is not always the greenest choice, but if you find yourself needing to quench the thirst of a large group, going for bottled in multi packs always makes sense.  At even larger quantities the savings will be greater, of course. Just make sure you’re capable of carrying the water bottle pack to and from your car.

Diapers
For parents with little babies you can never have enough of these.  All my sisters bought diapers in bulk and they never regretted this.
Buying a 100-pack of diapers might sound daunting – in addition to the logistics of fitting it in your car and then finding room in your house, it also reminds you that you’ll be changing 100 diapers in the coming weeks. Still, doing it this way will save you money until you can get the kid potty-trained.


Dog Food and Treats
Many pet owners agree that when they buy their doggie treats they they go big. How big? Try a 14-pound box of large Milk-Bone treats at Sam’s Club, which can be had for around $10 and which they say is enough to last two dogs for half a year. Just be careful that you don’t buy dog food with an imminent expiration date.

Gum

When people talk about buying in bulk, they probably think of hilariously oversized jars of food and towers of toilet paper. They probably wouldn’t think of joining Costco to get good deals on gum. But if you’re already a member, you like to chew gum and you have a favorite brand, it’s worth buying it in bulk.

"At Wal-Mart, if you grab gum from the checkout it’s $1; at Sam’s Club in bulk, it’s 84 cents,” says Perez.
Just make sure you consider how often you chew gum – yes, even gum has an expiration date.


Laundry Detergent

Just yesterday I went to the grocery store and their was a buy one get one free laundry detergent.  Needless to say I bough 2 and got 2 free.  Total savings over $25.  Of course you do have to keep in mind storage capacity in your home. Remember if the container says  you that you can get 240 loads, you should get 240 loads.


Meat
Normally perishable goods should be avoided at the bulk store, unless you’re feeding one of those enormous families that they make reality shows about. But one notable exception is meat, which tends to freeze well. If you eat meat on a regular basis, it makes sense to find it when it’s on sale, buy a ton and put it in the freezer – but be careful to seal and freeze it properly, and don’t fool yourself into thinking that it will last forever in there.  I do this all the time.  I do find good deals in our Winn Dixie and Publix supermarket.  There is always a sale of buy one get one free.  That's when I do my bulk buying. The trick is to open that package of chicken breasts, separate them into meal-size portions and store them individually in Ziploc bags. You can defrost them as you need them, without any need for resealing or refreezing.

Storage Items

Costco madness

When you buy all that meat, you’ll need something to store it in. The shopping experts at FatWallet.com point out that it’s good to buy storage products like foil, freezer bags and Tupperware in bulk.

As with anything you buy in bulk, just consider your usage. If you use Tupperware sparingly and tend to wash and reuse it, you probably don’t need to take up space in your kitchen with a dozen plastic containers. If, on the other hand, you freeze a lot of bulk meat, you’ll get a lot of use out of buying a ton of freezer bags.

Personal Care Items
It’s not just clothes that need washing. Rather than buy three-packs of bar soap at the drugstore, get a block of a dozen or more bars at Costco. The FatWallet experts likewise recommend shampoo, toothpaste and razors for your next trip to the warehouse club store.
And don’t forget deodorant – hey, it’s not like you’re going to stop stinking anytime soon. House says that her husband just picked up a six-pack of deodorant, which she says should last him at least a year.



                                                 Paper Plates and Plastic Forks
With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, you might want to keep an eye out for deals on the paper plates and cups you’ll need to throw a good  gathering.  While you’re at it, get plastic cutlery and napkins, too. If you don’t use them all, there’s always next summer. Just ask my parents.  They have just about everything in bulk.  As my dad says you never know who will stop in for a visit.  Always good to be prepared.  That they always are.

Have fun shopping all.....

We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything, than when we are at play..... 

~Nadiya~