These days stretching your money is fairly normal. It’s no wonder that bulk stores like Costco and Sam’s Club have seen a rise in profits. Why not buy 20 rolls of paper towels for what you’d normally pay for 15?
Next time you walk into your bulk buying destination know that there are some deals to scoop up and the others to pass over.
Non-perishable foods like canned soups, rice, pasta, and other canned goods are an option only if you’ll use it and have somewhere to store it. If your morning routine includes a bowl of cereal than buy 3 boxes, don’t buy it if you think it’ll sit in your pantry taking up space.
Skip buying bread unless you have enough room to freeze it. Unless you plan on making some fresh pies or eating the same vegetables over and over, skip the fresh produce. However, if you have enough space buying frozen vegetables and fruits could be a good substitute.
One strongly noted piece of advice, even from Equifax, is to be sure that it’s a good buy. Just because you have a membership card doesn’t mean you have to use it. Sometimes your local grocer could be selling meats at a lower price per pound; they could have buy one get one free sales, or could simply just have the item on sale.
Don’t forget about all the other stuff you can “buy” in bulk to save money. Gym memberships are sometimes less if you pay it in a lump sum at the start of your membership; you can also try to jump on a family member’s plan to get a lower monthly fee. If you’re a sports fan season tickets are actually less expensive than buying tickets as each game approaches, you could also see if your team offers package deals for a certain number of games (such as a 4-pack) instead of spending thousands on season tickets.
Buying in bulk can help you save money, but it can also make you more wasteful if you’re buying more than you need or plan to use. Yahoo! has also noted some other non-traditional items that you can buy in bulk to save money. Again, remember to do your research, make sure it’s a good deal, and that you’ll actually use it!
