Stockpiling

I have said it before and I will say it again! I would not coupon if I couldn’t get multiple items at a time. This is why we tell you to get 4-6 copies of the paper.

What is stockpiling?  When I first heard the term, I immediately pictured the show on A&E about hoarders.  Well, let me tell you that Stockpiling and Hoarding are two entirely different things. By Stockpiling while something is at a ROCK BOTTOM price, you won’t have to pay full price when you have to have it. This will eliminate running to the store when you are out of something, and will cut out those impulse buys.

How do I recognize a stock-up price?

After 6 months, you’ll be shocked how many prices you’ll know off hand (time to go on The Price is Right)!  Often, coupon virgins have not been paying attention to prices, which makes it hard to know when a sale price is red hot or lukewarm.  When do you buy and when do you wait in hopes of a better final price?  Here’s an example I have shared a few times: When I first started couponing I found toothpaste for $1/tube. I thought I was going to die! I was shocked that I had found such a screaming’ deal! 0. Little did I know that toothpaste is under $0.50 ALL THE TIME, often completely free!

You need to build a price list.  Whether you write it down, or keep it in your head (like me), try to begin paying attention to the prices of the foods you buy most often.

Here is an Example of my List (these are my stock up prices):

Cheese $3.99/2lb
Ground Beef $1.75/lb
Chicken $1.67/lb
Milk $1.89/gallon (whole)- I freeze my milk if it’s lower than this and I want to really stock up
Cleaning Supplies (lysol wipes, bathroom and kitchen cleaners, ect) $0.50 or less
Toothpaste/brushes FREE
Cereal $0.75 per box or less  ( NEVER pay more than a 1.00)
Brownie and Cookie Mixes Less than $0.50 or less
Dish Soap $0.25
Cheap Toilet Paper FREE
Kotex Pads FREE - don't use these but they are almost always free
Johnson Buddies FREE
Granola Bars $0.50
Chinet Paper Plates $0.50
Bisquick $0.90
Fruit Snacks $0.50 or less
Good Deodorant $0.5o
Cheap Deodorant FREE
Men’s Body Wash $0.50 or less

Shirk your Brand Loyalty!

It’s Best to Not be Brand Specific. Your couponing efforts will be much more successful if you can buy whatever brand is cheapest. Everyone is allowed to stay brand loyal to a few items– you don’t have to give up everything you love, but try to be open to trying other name brands! My husband refuses to use anything but the nicest thickest softest Charmin Toilet Paper- so when I find that Cheap- I go KRAZY because I don’t see it at a rock bottom price very often.

Stockpiling Method:

My stockpile evolved naturally over about 3 months as I shopped the sales every week.  Some people like to control what’s in their stockpile a bit more closely.  One method that seems to work well is this:  Create a list of the 12 meals you cook most frequently, then write all the ingredients for all of those meals in one big list.  Keep that list handy and as you build your stockpile, cross of the items on your list as you go.

There are a few concepts to understand in order to really master stockpiling:

1)  Sales cycles are typically every 6 – 8 weeks.  For some items, the cycles are long, some are shorter, but on average 6-8 weeks is a great time frame.  So – when you stockpile, you want to purchase enough of a rock bottom deal to last at least 6-8 weeks.  And, if the item is not perishable, you should purchase enough to last 6-9 months if not more!

2)  In order to successfully stockpile, you need to match a great sale with a great coupon.  Rock bottom prices mean that essentially the item can’t get any cheaper – either the item is FREE, a MM (moneymaker), or discounted down to at least 75% off.

3)  In order to buy multiple quantities of one item, you will need multiple coupons.  This means buying more than one newspaper every Sunday and printing out more than one copy of internet coupons.  There are other ways to gather coupons.

4)  Keep your stockpile organized so you know what you have.  In your pantry, organize your food by expiration date keeping the food with the shortest shelf life to the front so that you use it.  Keep good inventory so you know exactly what you have, what you need and what you don’t need.  If you have 12 boxes of pasta, you have the luxury of ignoring rock bottom pasta sales until your stockpile dwindles down.

5)  Once you have established a sufficient stockpile, only shop the rock bottom sales.  You will now have the luxury to ignore average sales and focus only on rock bottom and freebies!

6)  Know when to say when.  Determine your families needs on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.  There is no reason to have 6 years worth of pasta just because it was a great deal!  Stockpiling can transition into hoarding if you have more of an item than you could ever use.  Or, if you are constantly throwing away food that has gone bad. 

7)  Give it away!  These are tough financial times.  What is better then to see a family in need and to give them overflowing bags of groceries – groceries from your own pantry!

\FEB072011

New $1.00/1 Pull-Ups Wipes Coupon, Plus Walmart Scenario!

This coupon is HOT!
$1.00/1 -Pull-Ups Flushable Wipes – (pull-ups.com)

To get this coupon scroll down past the Pull-Up Training Pants coupons.. The wipes coupon is on the same page, just further down!

Use it at Walmart for this deal:

Pull-Ups Flushable Wipes, $1.64 
$1.00/1 -Pull-Ups Flushable Wipes – (pull-ups.com)
Final Price: $0.64

 

WALGREENS

I found the Peppermint Mocha Coffee-mate on clearance at my store for just $1.24! There was a ton of it too. If you find the same at your store, use the $1/1 coupon to get Coffee-mate for just $.24!

BUY

1 – Peppermint Mocha Coffee-mate $1.24
-$1/1 Coffee-mate 15oz+ PRINT
= JUST $.24 EACH!

Other coupons for this deal are…
-$.75/1 Coffee-mate Liquid or Powder PRINT
-$1/3 Coffee-mate Liquid or Powder PRINT
-$1/2 Nestle Coffee-Mate Liquid Creamer, Any – 01-30-11 RP x4/30

Clearance varies from store to store but if you drink Coffee-mate you might want to bring your coupons with you on your next trip just in case!

Here are some of my favorite printable coupons this week!

$1.00/1 – Planters Almonds, 4.75-6 oz – (facebook.com)

$1.00/1 – Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles – (jimmydean.com)

$1.00/1 – Johnsonville Italian Sausage – (coupons2.smartsource.com)

$1.00/1 – Kettle Brand Baked Potato Chips, 4 oz – (resolutions2011.com)

$1.00/1 – General Mills Total Cereal – (bricks.coupons.com)

$0.55/1 – Aunt Millie’s Healthy Goodness Bread – (auntmillies.com)

$2.00/1 – Curel Hand Cuticle Therapy Cream or Foot Cream – (curel.com)

$2.00/1 – BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers, 8 ct or larger – (facebook.com)

$3.00/2 – Nair Products – (naircare.com)

$2.00/1 – Triple Paste – (bricks.coupons.com)

A Great recipe I found for Valentines

Valentine's Thins

prep time

20 min

total time

35 min

makes

18 servings

photo by: 

kraft

what you need

36 RITZ Crackers with Whole Wheat

1 pkg.  (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

36 berry-shaped gummy candies (about 2/3 cup or 4 oz.)

2 squares  BAKER'S White Chocolate, chopped

make it

DIP crackers in melted semi-sweet chocolate, turning to completely coat each cracker. Carefully scrape off excess chocolate.

PLACE in single layer on waxed paper-covered baking sheets. Immediately top with candies.

MICROWAVE white chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until melted, stirring after 30 sec. Drizzle over berry-topped crackers. Refrigerate 15 min. or until firm.

kraft kitchens tips

SPECIAL EXTRA

Substitute other gummy candy shapes.

NOTE

If the chocolate coating on the crackers becomes firm before you are ready to top the crackers with the candies, add a dab of leftover melted chocolate to the bottom of each candy before placing on cracker to secure it to the cracker.