Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Stock-Pile Update

 Someone asked me about how our stocking up plan is going. I am sorry, I cannot address who it was because no name was left in the comments. It has went so well! We are due for another stock up in less than three weeks, although I have given myself liberty to pick up stock up items out of the stock up budget, beginning last week. The items I am buying now out of stock up money is marked to be used only after this month. It has been nice to not have to go to Sam's Club or Aldi for a good, long while. This has saved us a lot of time, gas and labor. I have a whole less thinking to do too! There's less thinking of what to buy and what to cook. A basic menu is planned when we go for a big stock up trip. Our freezers are still full! I suppose since I allow a small amount, between $250 and $300 a month for sale items at local stores. With having much stocked up that we need, I can redirect our funds toward what is on sale. Before I couldn't do that as I needed those funds to supply our basic needs. My motto is to buy big while prices are low and never buy high. When something is on sale, for instance Cool Whip at $1 each, I buy 10 or more cartons and not 1-2 like I would before. If pork loin is on a rock bottom sale, I don't buy just 1 like I would before but 6 or so... enough to last 3 month's time. For the most part, I over estimated what we would need. Of course this is a blessing. I did under-estimate shredded cheddar cheese by about 2-3 pounds but over estimated the mozzerella by 5 pounds. I underestimated the mayonnaise by 1 jar. Sugar will be short by about 5 pounds. We will be over on a lot of things too; mozzerella cheese, bread flour, ramen noodles, pancake mix and syrup, oatmeal, canned fruit, tortillas....Of course this is fine as it's just less we'll need to buy this time. We spent between $900-$1000 last time. We're estimating $600 for the stock up budget this time with keeping our monthly spending at about $250. In the end, the average spending for each month will be about $515 for food and non-food. Not that we'd really need to spend that much to sustain ourselves but that it would cost that much to keep supplies up. We have ate better these last months than we have in a very long time. Before, at the end of each month we'd have to become very creative to put together meals until shopping day. With this plan, we allow enough money during the month to stock up on deals to keep a good supply and variety to our stockpile. We've only had beans once in the past 2 and a half months and I was inspired to cook those. It was not out of need. With garden season coming upon us, we will be eating much from that. I really estimate I won't be spending near as much as I am thinking now. So, we will see. I am excited to see how things are in a full year. It is true, that it takes money to make or save money. Being able to stock up on any item while on sale is much better than having to buy a smaller box/carton/can,etc. of something because that's all we can afford. Initially, you have to put money forward on it. It is well worth it, to have the food in the pantry and know that mostly the rest of the grocery funds can be devoted soley to sale items. When nothing is on sale, it's okay because we don't have to buy. We are stock with plenty. :D

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So sorry!!!! It was me, Heather. Thank you for posting this because I really am curious about how it's working. Ha.Ha. Guess I can use some of that kind of rest you were talking about earlier!

~Heather~

donna www.merryheartcrafts.com said...

Stocking up is such a good plan. We have always done this. It was how my mom trained me, I guess. We have always lived out from a town and so tried to keep what we needed on hand instead of making a trip. I know it really saves money in the long run. Enjoy your day and God bless.