Couponing-What Is a Stockpile?

The Krazy Coupon Lady's Stockpile

One question I've heard a lot recently is "What is a stockpile, and why do I need it?"

• A stockpile is a supply of goods or foods accumulated over time. It can be large (like Krazy Coupon Lady's shown above), or small. Most people fall into the small or medium category.
• A stockpile allows you to buy something in bulk at the lowest price possible, and not have to purchase it again for a long time.
• Having a stockpile saves you money and time. It cuts down on shopping trips, and eliminates the need to purchase staple items at full price because you "ran out."
• Stockpiles are an investment. Since the price of food has been constantly going up, the value of the items in your stockpile are going up as well. 
• In case of natural disaster or emergency, a stockpile can meet basic needs. This is a "what if" scenario, but it never hurts to prepare. After the deadly tornadoes earlier this year in Alabama and Joplin, MO, many people donated supplies from their stockpiles to the victims of these events.

What Should I Be Stockpiling, and How Do I Get Started?

• Start Small. Pick things up as you see deals. 
• When you find a rock bottom price on something you use often, pick up a few instead of just one. It depends what you use often in your home.
• A few examples: Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Canned Foods, Dried Pasta, Spaghetti Sauce, Dry Cereal, Juice, and Water are all things I will pick up extra quantities of when I see a great sale. I cannot, and will not, pay full price for these items. So, I pick up extra when they are cheap, so I don't have to buy again until the next time it's on sale. 
• You don't need a large area for a stockpile. You can store things in the garage, in a pantry, in an extra closet...I've even heard of people putting portions of their stockpile in plastic containers under their kid's bed. 

Having a Basic Stockpile Doesn't Make You a Hoarder Or an Extreme Couponer.

• Basic stockpiles just make sense. Why pay $1.50 for a box of pasta when you could have picked up five boxes at $0.50 last week? 
• You don't need a lot of extra money to start a stockpile. Since everything you're purchasing to put into your stockpile is at rock bottom price, you're actually saving yourself money by not having to purchase it at full price in the future.
• Yes, having 187 boxes of cereal, and 98 bags of chips in your garage is a little extreme. This is not what I'm advocating. But, having enough to last your family a couple months (which is how often the sales cycle), or until the product expires, is a frugal and commonsensical approach to taming your budget.