There are several ways to consider buying in bulk.
For some it means buying products in bulk bins.
You grab a bag and fill it with however much you need.
Another way to buy in bulk is to wait until an item, whether generic in bins or branded in a container, goes on sale and buy lots of it.
Bulk buying also means looking for the largest container of the item you want to buy, assuming that it will make good financial sense.
In general, buying items in bulk does make sense.
Bulk foods are often cheaper because suppliers don't spend money on fancy packaging.
Often they have no brand recognition, which means companies haven't spent a lot of money on advertising.
That cost savings is then passed on to you.
But you might want to ask yourself a few questions before you buy in bulk.
How does the price of bulk compare to name brand products? If your bulk item is cheaper than the name brand, than it is worth buying at least the same amount as you normally would.
But try to compare the shelf lives of the bulk and brand items.
That is, does your item have a date stamped on it that indicates that it should be used by a certain date? If you buy vanilla extract in bulk and it has a one-year shelf life and you never bake, then is the bulk item truly a bargain? Do you want to use up your pantry space on large quantities of items you seldom use? Look closely at the item you are buying.
Read the label.
Yes, you have always bought a particular brand, because you like the taste.
Now, before stocking up, is the time to look at what you've been eating.
If the food is full of the nasty three items used by food processors to add flavor (sugar, salt, fat), then maybe you should rethink buying that item in bulk.
Maybe eating all that inexpensive food isn't all that great of a deal in the long term.
Perhaps you should factor in the future cost of the medicine (insulin, blood pressure pills, etc.
) before you pat yourself on the back for making such a wise financial choice.
Sometimes stores want to turn over inventory that has been sitting a bit too long.
You can often find a product in a small container that is cheaper per ounce than a bulk item in a larger container.
A particular salsa that I like tends to go bad if I buy it in bulk and don't use it up in a few weeks.
Lately, smaller jars have been on sale.
In this case I buy the smaller jar, but shop for it more frequently.
Don't assume that the large bottle or can will always be cheaper than a smaller amount of the same item.
Likewise, don't be fooled by marketing ploys that get you to buy a name brand because you recognize it and its flavor.
You can buy an item, such as generic canned beans or tomato sauce, and save yourself some money by spicing those items to your taste.
Often generic items have fewer additives and preservatives.
Many grocery stores will do the math for you on the price label if you look for it.
It will give you a price per ounce for all types of applesauce, for example.
It is then up to you to decide which is the best deal.
Again, do your body a favor and read the label.
Is it worth spending a little more to avoid the sugar, salt and fats? If you have the space and the items you need have a long shelf life, then by all means stock up on them, especially if they are on sale.
But if you have a coupon that encourages you to buy large quantities of a name brand, look to see if another brand contains the same ingredients, but is less expensive even after considering the discounted cost with the coupon.
In a world with instant answers at our fingertips, it still makes sense to pause and consider the pros and cons of buying in bulk, when you do your grocery shopping.
We all have a tendency to take the easy way out, but it often comes down to your life style.
Is ignorance truly blissful or does knowledge give you more power? Try to tip the scale toward the latter.
For some it means buying products in bulk bins.
You grab a bag and fill it with however much you need.
Another way to buy in bulk is to wait until an item, whether generic in bins or branded in a container, goes on sale and buy lots of it.
Bulk buying also means looking for the largest container of the item you want to buy, assuming that it will make good financial sense.
In general, buying items in bulk does make sense.
Bulk foods are often cheaper because suppliers don't spend money on fancy packaging.
Often they have no brand recognition, which means companies haven't spent a lot of money on advertising.
That cost savings is then passed on to you.
But you might want to ask yourself a few questions before you buy in bulk.
How does the price of bulk compare to name brand products? If your bulk item is cheaper than the name brand, than it is worth buying at least the same amount as you normally would.
But try to compare the shelf lives of the bulk and brand items.
That is, does your item have a date stamped on it that indicates that it should be used by a certain date? If you buy vanilla extract in bulk and it has a one-year shelf life and you never bake, then is the bulk item truly a bargain? Do you want to use up your pantry space on large quantities of items you seldom use? Look closely at the item you are buying.
Read the label.
Yes, you have always bought a particular brand, because you like the taste.
Now, before stocking up, is the time to look at what you've been eating.
If the food is full of the nasty three items used by food processors to add flavor (sugar, salt, fat), then maybe you should rethink buying that item in bulk.
Maybe eating all that inexpensive food isn't all that great of a deal in the long term.
Perhaps you should factor in the future cost of the medicine (insulin, blood pressure pills, etc.
) before you pat yourself on the back for making such a wise financial choice.
Sometimes stores want to turn over inventory that has been sitting a bit too long.
You can often find a product in a small container that is cheaper per ounce than a bulk item in a larger container.
A particular salsa that I like tends to go bad if I buy it in bulk and don't use it up in a few weeks.
Lately, smaller jars have been on sale.
In this case I buy the smaller jar, but shop for it more frequently.
Don't assume that the large bottle or can will always be cheaper than a smaller amount of the same item.
Likewise, don't be fooled by marketing ploys that get you to buy a name brand because you recognize it and its flavor.
You can buy an item, such as generic canned beans or tomato sauce, and save yourself some money by spicing those items to your taste.
Often generic items have fewer additives and preservatives.
Many grocery stores will do the math for you on the price label if you look for it.
It will give you a price per ounce for all types of applesauce, for example.
It is then up to you to decide which is the best deal.
Again, do your body a favor and read the label.
Is it worth spending a little more to avoid the sugar, salt and fats? If you have the space and the items you need have a long shelf life, then by all means stock up on them, especially if they are on sale.
But if you have a coupon that encourages you to buy large quantities of a name brand, look to see if another brand contains the same ingredients, but is less expensive even after considering the discounted cost with the coupon.
In a world with instant answers at our fingertips, it still makes sense to pause and consider the pros and cons of buying in bulk, when you do your grocery shopping.
We all have a tendency to take the easy way out, but it often comes down to your life style.
Is ignorance truly blissful or does knowledge give you more power? Try to tip the scale toward the latter.