RazzWorks

Look at the deal on paper towels! Looks fantastic right? But is it? Find out what are the best items to buy in bulk and how to know if it really is a great deal.

Shopping can be a complicated chore. However, I’m going to help you understand bulk buying so you can always make the best financial decisions when you’re shopping for your household. We’ll start with some basic do’s and don’ts and then I’ll give you a list of the best items to consider buying in bulk.

The #1 rule I use in all my shopping is “Always check for the lowest unit price.” This can usually be found on the shelf tag. Be sure the unit prices you are comparing use the same units i.e. grams, ounces, liters, or gallons otherwise you’ll have to do some calculating of your own to get a true comparison.

It’s a good idea to know the prices of items you buy regularly. This can be alot to remember so I recommend keeping a pricebook to record the lowest prices of items you buy often. This can be a simple notebook with one item per page listing the item, store where it was found, the date (very important), and the unit price. You may also want to write down the size of the package/jar and the brand so you can find it again in the future.

I don’t often use coupons but if you have them for items you would normally buy anyway, or will use, and it makes the end cost the cheapest then by all means use them. In my experience coupons are often for brand name items and smaller sizes so I rarely find them useful when bulk buying.

Another important rule of bulk buying is to only buy as much as you can use before an item expires. There is no point in getting a great deal on 50 pounds of potatoes if half of them will rot before you can use them. Canning or freezing is a great idea to use bulk produce if you find a super deal and can’t consume it all fresh.

Now for the biggest “don’t”. Don’t assume a bulk item is a good deal just because it’s bulk. I have run into cases where that wasn’t so. Luckily for me the store I was shopping in had a rule that if a small package had a lower unit price than the bulk version of that exact product you got the bulk package free. I scored some baking supplies this way one Christmas and was quite pleased with my free item. The store was also glad to have this mistake pointed out to them and quickly updated the prices.

It’s always good to be aware of rules like this wherever you shop. Many stores will match a lower price from their competitors if you bring in the flyer which can save you time and money in running all over town to get the best prices.

My only other tidbit of advice is to make sure you have space to store your bulk purchases before you commit to them. You may have to get creative and use spaces not normally used for storing these things. Think under beds or other furniture, garage or shed, basement, or anywhere you might be able to put up extra shelving like over doors, bathroom cabinets, or the toilet.

Now on to my list of best items to buy in bulk:

• Beans
• White rice
• Nuts
• Oats
• Flour
• Baking Supplies (sugar, Vanilla Extract, Spices)
• Pasta
• Cereal
• Pet Food
• Pasta Sauce
• Canned Goods
• Condiments
• School/work Lunch Supplies
• Butter
• Cheese
• Meats (if you have freezer space)
• Vegetables and Fruits (only what you’ll use, can, or freeze)
• Vitamins
• Paper Products
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Toiletries (soap, shaving needs, etc.)
• Batteries
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Diapers and Wipes
• Light Bulbs
• Cleaners
• Laundry and Dish Soap
• Trash Bags
• School and Office Supplies

Items such as nuts, butter, and cheese should be frozen to keep best. Of course, this list makes it look as though you could buy everything you ever buy in bulk but that wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea. Unless you have a huge garage or basement with tons of storage space bulk buying should be limited to those items you get the most savings on. Say 10% or more.

Good luck with your bulk buying. I hope some of these suggestions have been helpful to you. Tell me in the comments about your best bulk buying savings and any creative ways you’ve found to store bulk purchases.

Roze