Reader Question: You repeatedly remind readers not to clear shelves but you also talk extensively about building a large stockpile and shopping from our pantry. How can I create a large stockpile without buying mass quantities when the price is a stock up price?
Excellent question! To understand the answer you must first understand the difference between extreme buying and extreme saving. Saving money on an extreme level doesn’t necessarily mean you have to purchase on an extreme level. If you only buy 1 box of brownies and 1 box of pasta and get both items free, you have saved money on an extreme level! And you have not have purchased anywhere near what one would consider an extreme amount.
So how will that 1 box of pasta and 1 box of brownies fill your pantry? It won’t! But let’s say you buy 2 or 3 of each item during one shopping trip and 2 or 3 of each item the next shopping trip. I bake brownies once a month. I now have a 6 month supply in my pantry after 2 shopping trips!
Suddenly your measly shopping trip full of extreme savings but not extreme buying is making more sense and seeming more doable! A few small shopping trips like the one mentioned above and you will slowly see your pantry shelves filled. Not overnight. Building a stockpile takes time and patience.
It is hard to see the shopping trips on Extreme Couponing and not want to go duplicate them to fill your pantry to the brim in one trip to the store. But like we’ve said and like the actual couponers on the show will attest to, that’s not reality. Most of the stockpiles you see featured on Extreme Couponing took a lot of time to build. Years even.
I’ve been couponing for years and my pantry looks nothing like the ones shown. But I also have no need for a pantry like that. I have 2 small children and a husband to feed. For those who have many more mouths to feed, the way I shop might not be realistic. For instance, if you bake 2 pans of brownies a week you would need to place an order to have enough brownie mix in your pantry to last you a year. For my family, that is not necessary.
My stockpile is small, but sufficient for us. I know what we will use and I know what I like having on hand. I also know that if I miss a sale, we’ll most likely see another in a few months. I shop small and consistently. And that is enough for me. I am an extreme saver, which makes me an extreme couponer. But I am not an extreme buyer. And my pantry is still full! You know what they say: slow and steady wins the race!!
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