Post by skincarekathy- (admin) on Jun 15, 2013 8:29:40 GMT -6
A stockpile is at simplest, a cache of stored necessary items. Ideally you want to buy your stockpile items at the lowest point in their price cycle. "Stockpile" as a couponing term is tied to the old "price book" method of shopping. In the olden days 
people would keep a paper notebook of prices by store so they could buy items they used regularly at their lowest price point, and they would buy enough to last them until that price point came back. So instead of paying $1.19 for a can of tuna because you need it, when you need tuna, you will go into your pantry and grab one of the 14 cans you bought when they were 59c. And you would know that in 3 months you will use 14 cans, and at the 3-month mark, the 59c price would be back. I don't keep a price book, but I do have a mental idea of the maximum I want to pay for something. Over time my mental ideas have had to change. The economy is very bad and sales / coupons are not that great. My "maximum" now is often the "generic" price for something. i.e. Suave bodywash is always $1 at Dollar General, so I won't pay more than $1 for bodywash. But I don't prefer Suave and neither do my men, so I focus some attention on getting deals for what they (and I) do prefer. That type of thing.
You need an area for your stockpile. My house is small, not much storage. My "stockpile" is in many locations. Under the bathroom sinks, I have a small hall coat closet turned into a pantry, my master bedroom walk in closet is 3/4 storage, the linen closet downstairs is storage, and I have only a bit in my garage.
Back when you could get many items for free with coupons, it was easy to stockpile. Now, it is more challenging, but with creativity, it can still be done. Part of the problem with stockpiling has always been buying/storing items you don't need because they were free/almost free. Since couponing has changed, this is not so much of a concern, but try not to stockpile items you don't need. It's a waste of money and space.
Let's all post in this area and help each other with topics on how/what to stockpile. If you are critically low on something and need brainstorming ideas, make a post about it. We can all help!
people would keep a paper notebook of prices by store so they could buy items they used regularly at their lowest price point, and they would buy enough to last them until that price point came back. So instead of paying $1.19 for a can of tuna because you need it, when you need tuna, you will go into your pantry and grab one of the 14 cans you bought when they were 59c. And you would know that in 3 months you will use 14 cans, and at the 3-month mark, the 59c price would be back. I don't keep a price book, but I do have a mental idea of the maximum I want to pay for something. Over time my mental ideas have had to change. The economy is very bad and sales / coupons are not that great. My "maximum" now is often the "generic" price for something. i.e. Suave bodywash is always $1 at Dollar General, so I won't pay more than $1 for bodywash. But I don't prefer Suave and neither do my men, so I focus some attention on getting deals for what they (and I) do prefer. That type of thing.You need an area for your stockpile. My house is small, not much storage. My "stockpile" is in many locations. Under the bathroom sinks, I have a small hall coat closet turned into a pantry, my master bedroom walk in closet is 3/4 storage, the linen closet downstairs is storage, and I have only a bit in my garage.
Back when you could get many items for free with coupons, it was easy to stockpile. Now, it is more challenging, but with creativity, it can still be done. Part of the problem with stockpiling has always been buying/storing items you don't need because they were free/almost free. Since couponing has changed, this is not so much of a concern, but try not to stockpile items you don't need. It's a waste of money and space.
Let's all post in this area and help each other with topics on how/what to stockpile. If you are critically low on something and need brainstorming ideas, make a post about it. We can all help!
