Do you prefer to buy in bulk or one at a time? I'm a hoarder!

Are you a hoarder? - I'm not THIS bad!
@wotfpatty (2065)
United States
September 20, 2008 10:42pm CST
My husband and I couldn't be more different. I believe that we should stock up on things we need like cat and dog food, canned goods, and anything that is on sale for a good price. I will buy six tubes of toothpaste if it is on sale for a good price since we need it anyway and we save money. I prefer to buy our cat and dog food by the case. After all, they eat every day! Whenever there is a sale on things we use and it's a good one, I will stock up and my husband will go nuts. He goes to the store and buys FOUR cans of cat food and we have three cats. I keep asking him why he doesn't buy more at a time and he says we only need four cans for now. His motto is "for now". He buys enough "for now". I buy enough for...a while. Which are you? A bulk buyer, one who stocks up, or do you prefer to buy in small quantities more often? Granted space is an issue but I still think buying in quantity is a better deal and saves time. Your thoughts?
6 people like this
27 responses
• United States
21 Sep 08
Unless the price is just way too good, I usually only buy one of the items. However, if I tend to use an item a lot, then I will buy at least two at a time that way I don't have to make a trip all the time to buy what I need to buy. We buy more bagged cat and dog food but do buy the canned cat food by the case. That's just easiest cause they use a lot of it. Otherwise, we tend to buy only a few unless the deal is really too good to pass up.
2 people like this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
21 Sep 08
The other night, I wanted to buy a large bag of cat food. We have three cats and they always have dry food down. My husband didn't want to buy a big bag so we got this little one that was almost as expensive and lasted for less than a week. I don't get it! I like to see if I can save a lot by buying in bigger quantities plus, I prefer not to shop every few days like my husband seems to favor. You seem like a responsible shopper, somewhere in the middle between my and my husband's type. lol.
2 people like this
@Adelida2233 (1005)
• United States
21 Sep 08
I tend to stock up as well. Since I'm the one that does the majority of the shopping, I prefer to stock up on stuff that doesn't go bad so I don't have to run to the store ever 2 days to get stuff like cat food and Windex. I'm in an apartment at the moment, so space is definitely at a premium, but my boyfriend's learn to adapt to my stockpiling after learning how much I'm saving. One thing that really changed him was he ran out of shampoo and didn't write it on the list(so I didn't no to get it, but still had some stoked somewhere). Instead of him having to use mine(heaven forbid he smell like flowers), I just went and got one of his. He changed after that, as long as he can't see the stockpile it doesn't matter to him. If you haven't already, check out The Grocery Game. (www.thegrocerygame.com) It shows you how to match coupons to store sales so you can get more stuff for less money. Once he sees how much you're saving, you're good! :)
2 people like this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
21 Sep 08
Oh, thanks for that link! I will go and check out the site. I save a lot by buying when on sale or buying in bulk. I don't think my husband realizes how much I really do save. He sees it as me spending too much. It may be more at the time but less over time. I'm going to go now and check out the grocery game. :)
2 people like this
@annjilena (5618)
• United States
21 Sep 08
i like to buy in bulk but i can,t alway afford spending in bulk so i buy a single product judt to have at least something that i need i like buying bulk on food stalking up on can goods and household products it,s hard to get stalked up so buying in bulk is better if you can do it.
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Sep 08
If I find a good deal, then I can't pass it up. If you know that you are not going to find it anywhere else for that price why not go ahead and purchase it and save it for later. It's not cluttering, it's saving time and money. Who wants to be in the position where they just spent what they had one something and realize that they don't have a smaller item that they needed. I don't want to be in that position personally. And on top of that go back to the store to find the item that you didn't purchase on sale is now full price and you need two of them, yea it's not fun. Personally i want to spend the money when I have it for what I need or my family needs now or in the future and get it over with. Saves money later and now, either way you look at it smart move. Great discussion.
1 person likes this
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I like to buy in bulk, my husband on the other hand would buy one at a time. He always say we do not need all of that, but DUH, when you run out of the one that he wants to buy you have to buy it again. I am panicking right now because I am down to my last roll of paper towel. Paper towel, toilet paper, soap, coffee, coffee filter, aluminum foil, clear wrap, are items I always like to buy in bulk, and they are much cheaper than supermarket prices. I bought a big box of oxi clean, and it has lasted me so far for three months, and I have only used about one eighth of it. It only cost me $14.99, and if I were to buy it in the supermarket, it costs about $8.99 for a small container. As soon as I round up some money, I am going to restock.
1 person likes this
• India
21 Sep 08
buying in bulk also saves time..its easier better and more convinient..i cant go running to the departmental store for just abt everything..so HOARDING IS BETTER..!
@xbrendax (2662)
• United States
21 Sep 08
I would loooove to be a hoarded, but I got nothing to hoard with, I am always broke! ha ha ha!!
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
21 Sep 08
I prefer to buy one at a time instead of bulk. First of all because of lack of space to store things and because there will be more waste of food items. I notice that my son keeps opening the fridge and devours everything that is in sight. So I prefer that we buy items that we really need for that fortnight. My wife prefers that too. She goes shopping every fortnight. She says that she saves money that way.
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
21 Sep 08
OK, well I used to be like you and I would stock my cupboards up with things we needed and things that were on offer but I ended up having to throw most of it out plus, long term it was costing me a fortune. Now, I buy as I need, if it runs out I buy another one. As a result I am saving quite a lot of money a week, all of which is going to my holiday abroad next year!
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Sep 08
I grew up in a big family so it just comes naturally to me to want to buy Everything in bulk. Especially the big bundles of toilet paper, diapers and rice. I have a BJ's (wholesalers) membership but I dont use it as often as the grocery store because its just more convenient to me and sometimes even cheaper if you catch the right sale. Now that things are so unsure in the economy I might become a really time 'hoarder' buying up wheat products, rice, beans and cereal in bulk because these will especially rise in cost. My friend she is a real hoarder and her house is full of canned products, she even has pills for radioactive poisoning, Im not that bad--but she is so loveable. But some people HAVE to buy in bulk, i dont necessarily think your saving money and maybe it just IS a security issue.
@mikeysmom (2088)
• United States
21 Sep 08
i completely agree with you on this. however, i never have the money to stock up on anything so i just get what i can afford for the week. when things were better for us money wise i loved stocking up when there was a bargain. it gave me a sense of peace of mind knowing we had enough and that i got a good price for it too. i wish i could do this now especially when they have the can can sale at shop rite. you can really do well with stocking up then.
1 person likes this
@lazeebee (5461)
• Malaysia
21 Sep 08
There are only 2 of us, and we don't have any pets; so we can't buy too much food. My hubby always worry that we can't finish the food, and it would all go to waste. Even when I tell him that canned or dry food can be stored longer; he isn't too happy to buy in bulk. So if I am shopping alone, then I would buy these, especially if there is a good discount. However we will stock up on non-perishable goods, like toilet rolls, washing detergent, laundry detergent, soaps and so forth.
@lilcee (2703)
• United States
21 Sep 08
I'm a bulk buyer. I stock up on things like toilet paper, paper towels, etc. I have a pantry full of canned soups, cereal, snack bars and stuff like that. I hardly ever pay full price for things except for things that spoil like milk, eggs, bread etc. I watch for sales and use coupons. With the way prices are going up all the time, I buy things while they are on sale and get as many as I can.
1 person likes this
21 Sep 08
If it is dry goods then im fine and I wil stock up,but im not too good with a freezer lol and I find that I buy loads of so called bargains then put tem in the deep freeze and never use them,they are too much of a bargain to use,I know it sounds well daft but thats how it is lol,then I have to end up giving all of my bargains away as the freezer is too full,and my partner goes mental,and tells me im wasting money,which in a roundabout way is right.But we do stock up on toilet rolls and washing powder,and some canned foods,we have a cat so if we see cat food the canned cat food on offer then we buy in bulk,it does save a few pennies in the end.
• Philippines
21 Sep 08
I buy in bulk because it has discounts, and i don't have enough time to go stores everyday to buy what i need, in buying in bulk, i save time and money.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Sep 08
In a perfect world, I would have a pantry the size of a powder room. I am a hoarder when it comes to paper towels and toilet paper, and napkins. but when it comes to food, I am a "for now" person. I never know what I want to eat from week to week.So, I guess I am right in the middle.
1 person likes this
• China
21 Sep 08
Hi,dear friend, Thanks for the add and willing to be friends ..Thanks for reminding me that buying things in bulk when they are on sale.Actually I am a kind of person who only looks at the present rather than the future ,and I think this is not a good character for me,maybe I will have some change now.. Now I will consider to look around and see if there are any necessary things needed and on sale as well,I will buy them in bulk..haha
1 person likes this
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
23 Sep 08
If it is something that is on sale for a good price then I will knowing that I am saving so much money in the long run. As long as it is not something that will expire before I am able to use it.
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
21 Sep 08
I'll definitely stock up on goods on sale. I don't mind hoarding as long as it won't expire anytime soon and if I know that I'll be using it. in fact, over the weekend, my mom and I went to a big warehouse sale and bought 10 sets of pillowcases!!! They were buy one take one so we now have 20 new pillow cases hahahaha. I do like having variety though, so sometimes I get tired of using the same brand, the same scent, etc.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
21 Sep 08
I prefer bulk. Well, I am still single and I am only 21, so I dont have to argue with people if I bought something in bulk. I prefer bulk especially when the expiry date is way too far, and I think it is cheaper when you buy in bulk, you can save more than buying in pieces, if you are in a tight budget, I think per piece would be good.
1 person likes this