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How do I Build a Stockpile?

Are you interested in saving money from your families grocery budget?  If the answer is yes, then you are going to want to check out this article on how to build a stockpile.  We save thousands of dollars each year by stockpiling and we sharing our strategies with you.

How do I Build a Stockpile?

How do I Build a Stockpile?

You are going to change your way of thinking when shopping. Instead of making a list for what you need weekly you are going to start shopping for what you use in a 3 month period of time or longer depending on the shelf life of the items on your list. Some items won’t expire for a year or more so you can stockpile those items for a longer time. You are going to begin by purchasing and stockpiling items when they are on sale or hit “rock bottom”.

Building your stockpile will take a lot of hard work and dedication. If you feel overwhelmed that is normal, just keep going because the outcome is going to be worth it. After you have built your stockpile you are going to start saving hundreds of dollars a month, each and every month!

Your goal is to be able to shop from your stockpile weekly instead of from the grocery store. You will end up only purchasing perishable food weekly. Another way to save money is to freeze items that are at “rock bottom”.

Items to stockpile may include but are not limited to:

Toilet Paper Medicine Make-up Dishwasher Detergent Shave Gel
Razors Soap Cleaning Products Cereal Frozen Foods
Shower Gel Face Wash Deodorant Sponges Paper Towels
Conditioner Shampoo Water Snacks Canned Goods
Pet Supplies Soda Styling Products Toothpaste Toothbrushes
Mouthwash Ziploc Bags Pop Tarts Laundry Detergent Gum

Once you establish your stockpile you are going to really be able to start seeing the savings month after month.

Now how do you know when an item is at Rock Bottom?  You have to understand the sales cycle.

Think logically when it comes to understanding the sales cycle.  Products normally hit rock bottom at the time of the year they will be used or right before that season.  When an item is at rock bottom this is when you want to search for an available coupon to match to the sale price.  I personally advise you to purchase your coupon when it becomes available in the hopes that you you will find a great sale in the future as coupons are often hard to purchase the week they deal becomes available.  When an item is at rock bottom and you have a coupon to match this is when you stockpile.

In the past products have cycled like this.

November – Cough Medicine, Cold Medicine, Soup (Campbell’s), Jello, Oats (Quaker), Tissues

December – Carnation Milk, Baking ingredients, Wet Wipes

Summer – BBQ Sauce, Marinades, Condiments, Country Time Lemonade, Charcoal

July & August – Back to School Supplies

Also know that toilet paper and cereal cycle every 6 weeks.   So you want to watch the brand you use and purchase it when it is at it lowest price in the cycle.  Hopefully you have a coupon to match and when you do this is stockpile time!

Matching is comparing the sale ad with items that are at rock bottom to an available coupon.  It is important that you stockpile when an item is at rock bottom (70% off) and when you have a coupon.  Monitoring the sales cycle and/or keeping a price book will help you figure out when to stockpile a product.

In general brands will have a major sale 1-2 times a year.  Stores will offer special sales on those brands during that time.  For example Meijer will host a Lysol sale and Kroger will host a General Mills sale on average at least twice a year.  During this time coupons and catalina offers “normally” match making it a perfect time to stockpile on those products.  Both of which have a nice shelf life!

You can often get a good stockpile price on meat if your store offers a one day Meat sale.  In my area $1.99 lb is a good price for 93/7 ground beef.  When you find a managers special or sale price on meat even if it is near expiration bring it home and immediately prepare it for freezing.  This extends the shelf life of the meat and allows you to take advantage of the deal that you just found.  I suggest using the foodsaver to really protect and take advantage of those sales.

Also, Kroger marks down meat between 6-8 am every morning.  This is a good time to stockpile when you can find meat that is at a nice sale price plus markdown.  You do need to shop early to find markdowns though.  The early bird gets the worm.  Don’t hesitate to ask your local butcher at your store when they do meat markdowns!

I hope this helps you understand the sales cycle and prepares you for ordering coupons and what to stockpile during the year!  It takes at least 3 months to build a stockpile and before you see the major savings.  Stick with it because it is worth the time!

7 Days of Stockpiling Series:

Day 1 –Utilizing Coupon Clippers

Day 2 – Organizing Your Coupons

Day 3 – How Do I Build A Stockpile?

Day 4 – How To Be An Extreme Couponer

Day 5 – Overage

Day 6 – Utilizing the Freezer

Day 7 – Living in the “Land” of Doubles

Ways To Save:

 

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30 Comments

  1. Hi, I have a question…Can you stack a catalina coupon with a manufacturers coupon, or are they both considered manufacturer’s coupons?

  2. Any chance you could post some of your price book? Also do you know of any coupon bloggers in tbe Dallas/Fort Worth area? I really enjoy your blog and how you let us know when it is a good stockpile price. Thank you.

  3. Do you know of any coupon bloggers in or around East Tennessee . Most of the stores on some of the blogs are nowhere near me . I would love to find on with stores in my area. I love your blog and all the excellent information you share! Thanks!

    1. Where are you in East Tenn? My husband is from Rogersville, TN.

      What stores and I can look for a blogger for you.

      1. I live in Morristown. I go to Rogersville all the time. The only stores in my area are Walmart, Ingles, Food City, CVS, Walgreens, Family Dollar & Dollar General. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

        1. Misty – I would love to teach a class in Morristown or Rogersville next time I come to visit.

          We do a CVS/Walgreen’s matchup every week. We also highlight Family Dollar, Dollar General and Walmart deals every week.

          With the new Walmart coupon policy you should be able to do better there.

          https://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2011/03/walmarts-new-coupon-policy.html

          I am not sure of the Food City or Ingles policy and I don’t know any bloggers that cover those but I will keep looking. Do either store double coupons?

          1. Ingles doubles 3 coupons up to .50 for every $10 of your order. It’s the only store in my area that doubles. It would be great to be able to come to one of your classes! No one does anything like that around here.

          2. I’M glad to see I’m not the only one having trouble finding help with ingles food city food lion I live in whitesburg between morristown and rogersville tn.

            my problem is I am on fixs income only get one ck a month . so was wondering can you do a write up for people like me only can shop the first week of every month ?
            thanks eletha

  4. What is a “rock bottom” price to begin stockpiling an item? Is it 50% off, 75% off? Also, do you know a blogger in the Las Vegas area? Thank you! I love your site.

  5. I really love this website you learn so much.But it seems like it is so hard to stockpile here in Nashville Tn maybe you couldmaybe somebody could tell me when and what to stockpile.I have never heard of anybody doing that here Thanx

  6. Do you know of a blogger in the state of AZ? I live in Prescott and we have safeway, frys, smiths, albertsons, cvs, walgreens, target, walmart. I just found your site and I am in love with it. Thanks

  7. i’ve noticed that on the extreme coupon show they seem to make out better then i can. i have been couponing for about 7 years and still to this day can only get my food bill to a low of around 125.oo a week.i only buy items i have coupns for except my meat never ever get coupons for meat in my sunday papers. also i live in nj and shop at shoprite they double coupons but only to 1.00 for it its a .75 coupon im only getting a 1.00 .55 cent coupon doubled is only 1.00 and so on… and shoprite doesn’t allow you to use more then one coupon per item so if i have a shoprite coupon and a manafacture coupon i can only use one not both so this makes it hard to really get any great saving from any of my food stores when they all only go up to 1.00… i do the best at bj’s wholesale they allow you to stack there coupons with a manufacture coupon but if its a multi pack item i can use as many coupons as there is barcodes so toaster strudles for example they sell a 4 pack for 5.99 i use 4 coupons for .50 off one they don’t double so it gives me 2.oo off plus i use there 2.oo off bj’s coupon so i get 4 boxes for 1.99… i wish nj would have the same coupon policy’s as other states i want a true double coupon policy and would love a triple every once inawhile so how can i become a better coupon shopper in my state i would love some advise thanks so much jennifer

  8. my state also doesn’t allow overages so if its on sale for 1.25 and i have a 2.00 off coupon im only getting 1.25 unlike on the tv show

  9. I live in Tacoma Washington. Do you know of any bloggers in my area? I can use all the help I can get. Will you be coming out to the Washington area? I love you site, you learn so much.

  10. Hello, Im excited about your website. You mentioned Walmart’s new coupon policy. What is it? What benefits do you see now that Walmart has this policy? Also, I’m in Florence alabama. We have Food World. I think It used to to Souther Family Market and before that Winn dixie. Can you offer any advise on this chain? Thanks Penny

  11. We recently transferred to Bloomington/Normal, Il for a job relocation. I had the stores, papers/coupons, etc., down reasonably well in Ohio. Even with all the blogs I am struggling to do as well as I did a few months ago. Is there anyone from the Bloomington area successful and willing to correspond with me? [email protected]

  12. I live in cleveland ohio,I already use coupons but Im having a hard time really getting the max on savings.Its so confussing,the stockpiling,monitoring the store web sites,rockbottom prices.I have a giant eagle,marcs for food shopping.Any advise for me?

  13. Hi, I am new to couponing and am looking for a coupon buddy. Do you know of anyone who is in orange county, california?

  14. Hi I have been couponing sense April
    I have a toilet paper stockpile but that’s because
    I had a bunch of coupons and bought alot
    Of tissue for 49 cents I live in wilmington
    Nc looking for a coupon buddy on my area
    Here if you don’t get your Sunday paper
    Early they are gone and some will take just
    The inserts out. I was in Charlotte nc a few weeks
    Ago and they had so Many sun papers
    I asked if I could have the coupons they said
    No that the papers had to be intact when
    They were picked up!
    Also what is considered a rock bottom
    Price for an item I have yet to find a good
    Price on laundry detergent even with a coupon
    Thanks for lettinge post

  15. Hi,
    I wanted to leave a comment on this post. I have been couponing for about 20 or so years , but have only been really dedicated to it in the last year or so. And boy have I saved a lot of money. My family thought I was nutty at first when I brought home 40 or so packs of tuna and I think it was around 20 bottles of bbq sauce. Have also been known to get 20 bottles of dish liquid when it was on sale. I have coupons for just about everything I purchase and what vegetables we have we grow in our large garden. That has also added to some extra income for us. I am still absolutely amazed at the amount of money that can be saved if I just watch the sales , clip the coupons from the papers we have here and buy what coupons I can’t find. Ebay has been a great source ,as well as the Coupon Clippers .These are timesavers when you just don’t have it to give. Anyway I just wanted to say thank you for such a great newsletter. I look for it everyday in my email and don’t go to bed without reading it. I am really looking forward to the Black Friday deals and massive amounts of sales coming up later this year. Thanks again.

  16. i always wanted to be a cuponer and now i have fell in some hard ties can anyone explain how everything works and where i can get cupons

  17. What’s Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It positively helpful and it has helped me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & assist different users like its helped me. Good job.

  18. Looking for someone in the tricities area to teach me to extreme coupon. Will barter with Real Reflexology and Massage sessions.
    18 yr Lmt, Crt

  19. Can you help me find someone in Columbia South Carolina. I am a state troopers wife and i have been couponing for a while now and need some help how to be a little better at it

  20. Hi,
    I run a dog rescue. It fairly small and I am also ending up taking in cats (which was most definitely not planned and they are giving me a run for my money). I am trying to get a stock pile going, not only for the rescue but for me personally also. Is there any tips or coupons that you would recommend. I usually spend about $20 to $40 a week on the animals (not including vet bills.) coupon inch has come to mind to help lower that cost and help to take a step further into rescuing.

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