Buying large quantities is for some intimidating. I think that buying a larger quantity helps the household run more smoothly on several fronts. 1) A large quantity in one jar decreases clutter. For example one 90 ounce dish washing soap under the sink and one on the shelf is all that we need to store for a year or more. For a smaller family, one jar of dish washing soap in one purchase is sufficient. 2) Buying in bulk allows easier tracking because the total number of containers is smaller: 100 - 15 oz cans of tomato sauce versus 14 number 10 cans. Rotation and inventory is manageable. 3) Bulk prices save money most of the time. I was tickled to find the toilet paper on sale took 3 rolls and was 19 cents more per 450 sheets that the one roll at Sam's. I don't have to start buying 4 rolls at a time to save money. I can keep buying 40 rolls at a time only once a month. (I suspect this is not always the case and coupons may further reduce the cost.) $) There are fewer items on the grocery list so shopping is easier.
Breakfast fried eggs and toast
Lunch: apples oranges, fresh bread and margarine
Dinner: grilled cheese fresh apples and oranges.
Bulk buying can be both good and bad. If you have a large family you can utilize the bulk purchases. If you are single or a couple it can be a real disaster and create more waste than savings. People have to use their heads. All unperishable items are good in bulk if a person has the room for storage. When we start talking about food in #10 cans it can be a totally different story. A #10 can of tomato sauce or paste would last me for YEARS. Once it is open I would be faced with a way to store it. Whether in the freezer or dehydrated it would cost more electricity, more packaging and/or freezer space that should be used for bulk meat and poultry products etc. In the end it would be no bargain at any price. This also goes for the #10 cans of dehydrated eggs and things like that because people with small families just can't utilize that big an amount in a reasonable amount of time. While one can here and there could be feasible it would be a real problem if everything was in the bulk size can needing to be split and re-stored in another way. It would be a good idea to not get carried away until a person sees how it will work for them personally.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! Find the quantities that work for your family but don't be afraid to try a bulk item because you don't know what to do with it. Find out some alternative uses or if feasible co-opt and divide the product so the price savings can be realized without the large quantity. It takes a concerted effort for our family to use a number 10 can of crushed tomatoes. I have to 1) serve spaghetti or lasagna 2) a pizza, and 3) then make some tomato soup or add the last 3 cups into a soup within a 10 day period before an open can will mold. I like having the imperative to use a No. 10 can because it gives me an idea of something I can cook and then I am less tempted to go out for dinner.
ReplyDeleteHi crystal,I'm reading your blogs from australia,and really enjoy them.I had serious withdrawal symptoms when you took a break lol.how is your husband and children coping with this second challenge? Has the dog lost any more weight? lol.
ReplyDeleteplease may I have your pastry recipe, thanks.
I do buy many things in bulk, particularly staples, but another way I buy "in bulk" is that I buy LOTS of something when I find it on sale. That way, I have gradually built of a supply of nearly everything we typically use and most of my grocery purchases are for fresh things. And since we are blessed with goats and a garden, even the fresh purchases are minimal. It is a good idea to keep a little notebook with prices of what you normally buy from the store you frequent, and update them periodically, then you can tell if things are really on sale or not.
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