Why I stockpile

There are 2 basic ways to coupon. 

You either look at the sales each week, match them up with your coupons and plan a menu around that.  This works well for people with limited storage space, or who don't have a large family to feed, or people who don't want to be seen as "the crazy lady who just bought 44 boxes of Kleenex".

Me?  I'm the crazy lady who just bought 44 boxes of Kleenex (and 16 jars of Skippy and 12 bottles of Vive, etc)....and that's perfectly fine with me.

So why do I stockpile?  What is the sense of buying 44 boxes of Kleenex or having 18 tubes of toothpaste under my bathroom sink?

Because it gives me freedom...the freedom to not have to worry about running out of something and actually having to <gasp!> PAY more than $.25 for a tube of Crest or more than $.80 for a box of name-brand cereal. 

No really good sales this week?  No problem!  I've got plenty of food in the house to get me through the week (aside from milk/bread/produce) and/or until the next great sale comes along.

My son's school or my MOMS Club is having a food drive?  Got that covered (and it gives me the option of donating more that I normally would, because I spent so little for what I have)!

My stockpile was built rather quickly over a period of 6 months.  When I started to get serious about my couponing, I typically bought 6-10 papers per week.  Does that sound insane?  To many it might, but when you consider that I was buying them at the Dollar Store, I was paying $6-10/week to save hundreds.

So here I am with a nice little stockpile (put it this way - one of my neighbors told me that if we ever get the call to use that plastic sheeting and duct tape that we all were convinced we needed about 7 years ago, he's coming straight to my house where the food is!) and no real need to shop for anything except milk/bread/produce/the occasional "odd item" for months.  Because we ate from the pantry/freezer this week, I got through the entire week only spending $11.79 out-of-pocket at the supermarket (including rolling a Catalina at Genuardi's to replenish some of the stockpile)

Does that mean that I won't be shopping?  No.  The whole purpose of having a stockpile is maintaining it.  But once your stockpile is established, you can wait for the best sales in order to replenish it and not be a slave to the supermarket circular.

44 boxes of Kleenex?  In July it may sound excessive (let's be honest- it sounds downright crazy!).  Right now we go through a box about every 3 weeks.  But as soon as the September/October allergies hit my house, followed by cold and flu season, we can go through a box in 2 days.  It's nice to know that I have that expense already "covered"...and at ⅕ of the price.

But let me make one thing perfectly clear...there is a difference between stockpiling and "hoarding". 

Hoarding is bad. 

Hoarding is when you have 44 boxes of Kleenex but still wipe your nose with your hand because you don't want to waste the Kleenex. 

Hoarding is when you go to the pantry several times a day just to admire your "stash", but won't pull out and make the $.20 box of Suddenly Salad (and the free mayo to make it with) because you only have 14 boxes left.

Hoarding is when you have 49 free bottles of shampoo but only wash your hair every 3 days because you don't want to "waste it".

Hoarding is when your best friend with 3 children who are driving her crazy complains that she HAS to drag her kids to the supermarket that day because they are completely out of toothpaste and you don't say "oh - don't worry - I have 18 tubes.  I'll give you one so that you don't have to go out tonight." (but be careful with this offer, because you don't want to be known as "the house where you can get all of your food/toiletries for free")

I am a strong advocate of building the stockpile.  Do I typically keep 44 boxes of Kleenex in the house or 16 jars of Skippy?  Of course not.  But I only stockpile those things that I know we will eventually need and use and that I can get for pennies.

And the freedom that it gives you is undeniable!