A stockpile isn’t just about emergencies. Sure, it’s wonderful to be prepared for the unexpected, but there’s more to a great stockpile than preparedness. When you take the time to stock up on your favorite items when they go on sale, you can save a lot of money.
There are other items that may not be your favorite but are necessities – laundry detergent, for example. You should also consider stockpiling these items when you see a good sale if you want to save some serious cash.
Let’s take a closer look at what I feel are the top five items to stockpile to save money.
Stockpile These 5 Items to Save the Most Money
1. Meat
Without a doubt, meat is one of the best items to stockpile to save money. Meat is very expensive. Whenever I see chicken breast or tenderloins on sale for $2.29 a pound, I stock up. Why pay close to $5 per pound when you don’t have to?
The same goes for ground beef? In order to save money, I purchase the largest package of 93% lean to get the best price. I then vacuum seal what I don’t need right then and freeze it.
Speaking of which, I highly recommend purchasing a vacuum sealer. It’s honestly one of the best investments I’ve made when it came to kitchen appliances. It has saved us so much money over the years.
2. Fuel
This one is tricky. There are people who rush out and purchase more than necessary when fuel prices drop substantially. This is the worst thing you can do.
Remember back in economics when you were taught about supply and demand? This mass hysteria to get fuel at rock bottom prices simply drives the price back up.
Instead, fill your tank up and maybe grab an extra five gallons for your lawnmower. Now, heating fuel is something I recommend stockpiling. If you use propane or natural gas, by all means, get a fill-up when there’s a good price.
3. Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener
Some of my favorite items to stockpile are laundry detergent and fabric softener. Laundry detergent is much easier to find on sale than fabric softener.
I only stockpile when the price is $1 or less per bottle for laundry detergent. The only exception is if I can find my favorite brand for $2 or less.
You’ll never have to pay retail again if you buy a couple of bottles here and there when there’s a good sale. Fabric softener doesn’t go on sale as often. When it goes on sale, I recommend buying as much as possible and using coupons to get the price as low as possible.
4. Favorite Brands
We all have those brands that we simply can’t live without. Why pay retail for them? Watch for sales and look for coupons. You can even contact the company to let them know how much you love their products, and they may send you some coupons. You don’t have to spend a fortune to be brand loyal.
5. Subscriptions and Gift Cards
Last, but not least, I recommend stockpiling subscriptions and gift cards. What this means is if your family uses a service that requires a subscription, check to see if it’s cheaper to pay for a year-long subscription rather than one month at a time.
Gift cards are also a good stockpile item. You will often see gift cards on sale for 20% off at your favorite big box stores. If you find gift cards for the restaurants your family enjoys, why not get in on the deal? You’ll have an upfront investment but save 20% every time you dine out. If you use coupons when dining out, you’ll save even more.
You may be wondering why I didn’t mention things like shampoo, toothpaste, and other health and beauty items. The reason is you can almost always find these items on sale. I wanted this article to focus on items that don’t go on sale as often. I hope this encourages you to start a stockpile to save money. After all, why pay more than you have to?