Want to Save $1000 This Year? DAY FOUR: Stockpiling

Welcome to Day Four in your quest to save $1000 this year! If you have missed any of the previous posts you can catch up here. Today we are going to discuss Stockpiling.

Stockpiling does not have to mean overflowing cupboards, secret basement stashes and 1000 solid air fresheners that your family doesn't even use. Stockpiling to me means having extras of items that I know my family will use on hand in case we run out and there isn't a sale. Nothing makes me crazier than running out of toilet paper on a non-sale week or having to pay $1.99 or more for bbq sauce!!!! Toilet paper is something we are going to use (along with apple juice, bbq sauce, ketchup, pasta, tomato sauce, cereal, toothpaste and shampoo) so I don't mind buying extra when there is a good sale and/or coupon.

I allot an extra $5/week to buy a stock up item (more if my budget allows it). If there are no items that I feel are stockpile worthy that week then I carry the $5 over to the next week. In case you are wondering my stockpile items for this week (May 4-10) was apple juice on sale for 89cents a can at Canadian Tire. Next week if apple juice is a reasonable price somewhere I will still buy a can (as it is part of my usual weekly list) but when the weeks arrive when NO WHERE has a sale I won't have to pick it up, I will pull from my stockpile instead. If toilet paper was on sale and I would normally buy it then if that is my stockpile items for the week then I would buy an additional package (or two). Yes I spend $5 a week but I figure that the savings are at least that per week vs. not stockpiling those items. With a little practice and paying attention you will soon come to learn how many of an item your family typically uses per month (another great reason to save those receipts) and start to factor that into your weekly grocery/stockpile budget.

$5/week x 52= $260 in savings a year

Don't forget to rotate your stockpiled items (cans included) putting most recent purchases at the back and pulling older ones forward to be used first. There's no sense in having extras on hand if they are just going to go past expiry and have to be thrown out. Stay tuned later today for my weekly Top 10 Deals Around Town and I'll let you know what my stockpile item(s) is this week.

Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4=  $892/year

 ***Todays Assignment: Finish off your grocery list adding a stockpile item if your budget allows***