The economy is in the gutter, job security is nonexistent, gas prices are through the roof- what’s next? The price of food is not far behind. With trips to the grocery store getting more and more expensive, you’re probably wondering how many more hits your bank account can take. Here’s a suggestion- buy more.

Buying in bulk may be the saving grace your family budget needs- it can save you hundreds of dollars a year in grocery bills. In fact, if you take the time to add up the individual costs of the same items at your local grocery store, you’ll discover that you received more than one of those items for free from your bulk purchase last month.

At first, it may be hard to adjust to spending more money on groceries, but the additional items you’re buying will save you from future purchases of the exact same items you’ll need next month anyway. If your budget just won’t support spending more right away, ease yourself (and your budget) into it. Start with one or two items, and gradually increase your bulk purchasing over time.

Buying items in caseload quantities is a smart shopping strategy, especially when it comes to items your family uses frequently such as toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues. Even meat can be bought in bulk, especially if you have a freestanding freezer or a large freezer portion of your refrigerator. Let’s break it down- the more meat you buy, the less you are paying per pound. Simply separate the meat you aren’t using in the next few days into meal-size portions and store them in the freezer. Voila- you have enough meat (and therefore, dinners) for the entire month!

Even if you go to the grocery store prepared and focused, determined to stick to your list, you inevitably end up purchasing extra items that weren’t on the list. Add up these additional purchases over the three, four, or five subsequent trips to the grocery store, and you’ve spent a significant amount of unbudgeted money on items you never needed in the first place! If you buy in bulk, you eliminate those extra trips to the grocery store and keep your budget in check.

But buying in bulk does more than save you money- it can reduce stress, conserve gas, and save you time, which is a precious commodity. The days of having disposable income are long gone, but buying in bulk will leave more money in your family budget that you can put towards savings or other necessities.

Posted in Home Budget

Related Articles: