Save Money Buying in Bulk

Grocery prices continue to go up. For whatever reason, we are seeing a steady increase in the total at the registers. For those of us who budget a set amount for groceries each month and need to keep adjusting that amount, this can be annoyingly frustrating.

While not every area has a club store that sells mostly bulk items like Sam’s Club or Costco, some regular grocery stores have started to include bulk items to help you to save money over time by buying a larger amount of items at a lower cost per unit.

At first, your bill may be slightly higher while acquiring these bulk items, but you will see the savings as long as you ration the items over time the same as you would if you purchased them each week. How much you’ll actually save depends on the items that you have decided to buy in bulk, and the key is to purchase food items with a long shelf life or items that you regularly use that aren’t food items, such as paper towels or toilet paper.

Your meal staples should include items that you can easily purchase in bulk and spread out over a longer period of time, such as rice, dried beans, maple syrup, honey, most dry cereals, and frozen foods.

Fresh vegetables are great, but these can spoil quickly. Picking up frozen vegetables in bulk can last a long time and as long as you’re careful about how you store them once opened, you shouldn’t need to worry about freezer burn. Frozen items may not last quite as long as some items that require no refrigeration at all, but as long as you plan ahead, you shouldn’t have any trouble with this as an option to save some money.

As a bonus, some warehouse clubs offer other discounts aside from bulk groceries. These can include clothing, household equipment, gasoline, and more. You’ll end up saving even more on the things that you already are budgeting for simply by purchasing a membership at one of these clubs.

The bottom line is that while great savings are available, it’s not as simple as walking into a warehouse club, purchasing some items, and reaping the savings. You do need to be strategic about it and plan ahead so that what you’re purchasing is going to fit in well with your monthly meal planning and will last for as long as you will need it to last.