picture of pantry

Do you have a stockpile in your house? Do you find that as you coupon more and more, your cabinets and pantries are filled with more and more food? People that are new to couponing often look at me like I have two heads when I mention stockpiling. Once you grasp the concept of stockpiling and once you begin the process, it will become a word that you come to love! When you have a stockpile, you will no longer need to go to the grocery store to purchase every item that you need to make dinner. Instead, you will have many items (like pasta, rice, soups, canned goods, frozen meats, etc) in your home. When you run out of deodorant, you will not need to go to the drugstore to pay full price on a new stick. You will instead, have a few sticks stashed away that you can use. When you have guests staying at your house who forget to bring razors or toothbrushes, you will have the items they need. When you have friends or neighbors in need, you can put together a care package for them out of the items in your own house. You can, “shop your own stockpile” versus going to the store to pay full price.

Definition of Stockpiling: Stocking up on items that are at rock bottom prices so that you don’t have to pay full price ever again.

To create a stockpile, follow the steps below:

1) Remember that sales cycles are typically every 6 – 8 weeks. So – when you stockpile, you want to purchase enough of a rock bottom deal to last at least 6-8 weeks. And, if the item is not perishable, you should purchase enough to last 6-9 months if not more!

2) Rock Bottom Prices are from matching a great sale with a great coupon. If you have a Buy One Get One Free Sale and you use two manufacturer coupons, you are automatically saving over 50% on the two items you purchase.

3) Gather multiple coupons. Buy more than one newspaper every Sunday and print out more than one of internet coupons.
My favorite printable coupon websites:

• Coupons.com
• Smartsource.com
• Redplum.com
• Couponnetwork.com

4) Keep your stockpile organized. Organize your food by expiration date keeping the food with the shortest shelf life to the front so that you use it. Keep good inventory so you know exactly what you have, what you need and what you don’t need.

5) Know when to say when. Determine your families needs on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Do not become a hoarder. Do not let food go bad.

6) Give it away! These are tough financial times. What is better then to see a family in need and to give them overflowing bags of groceries – groceries you barely paid for from your own pantry!

photo of freezer

photo of linen closet

If you have a stockpile you would like to share with other Addicted to Saving readers, please email me your picture at addictedtosaving @ hotmail dot com (all one word). I will post your pictures for everyone to see!

Welcome to Addicted to Saving! My goal for you is to make your life easier as you save more money than ever before! To learn more about me, read my About Me page.
As you get started, read my tips below. And, follow my Addicted to Saving 101 series. We will get more in depth with each and every topic.

1) Set Goals. Are you looking to save money to put money towards bills? Debt? Savings? A vacation? Give yourself a goal – even if it is as small as having more money to cover your electric bill each month. As you save more and more money and you accomplish your set goals, you will feel such a sense of empowerment!

2) Start small. If you want to start saving money on your grocery and drugstore bills, I highly recommend that you pick one store. Learn that store’s policies and get familiar with the couponing process at that store. Once you master that store, add more stores. When I started I tried to take advantage of each and every deal available and when you do that, you will get overwhelmed and you may burn out.

3) Saving money should be a lifestyle. Couponing should not be a short-term fad where you save money for a couple of months and then go back to paying full price. When you make saving money saving money a lifelong process, you will reap the most benefits.

4) Have fun! Get excited when you score a really good deal. There was a deal where I was able to get feta cheese for free. I was already an “experienced” couponer but I can not tell you how happy that deal made me! Enjoy yourself as you learn that you really can get more for each dollar you spend!

5) Try new products. The more “non-negotiables” you have in your life, the more you will spend each week. For me, I’m a Heinz Ketchup girl. I don’t want any other brands of ketchup. So, I risk having to pay close to full price on ketchup if my stockpile runs low. I am pretty flexible on pretty much everything else I consume or use. Be willing to branch out and try new products. You will not only discover new brands and products that you enjoy, but you will be able to save more money as you take advantage of deals.

6) Follow the rules. I have provided you with extensive information on coupon policies and verbiage. Understand couponing ethics and don’t steer from them.

7) Get your family involved. If you shop with small children, make it a game for them to find blinkie coupons. Or give them the task of finding certain items that are on your grocery list. They will feel a sense of purpose and will begin to understand the importance of couponing at a young age!

8 )Utilize AddictedtoSaving.com. I spend countless hours each week typing up and posting store sales and coupon matchups, deals, freebies, and more. My website is a free tool for you to utilize and enjoy.

Hello everyone!  I’m going to be up on the Florida/Georgia border next month for an Addicted to Saving 101 class, so I’m really excited to meet you all!  See below for details.  The church seats about 150, so if you plan on coming out, please register early so we can get an accurate head count.

My goal for you is that you will become empowered as you begin to save more and more money each month.  I give an Addicted to Saving 101 class that will teach you the skills necessary to save 75%+ each month on your grocery bills.  Register yourself, your friends, your family, your neighbors, the more the merrier!  I look forward to meeting you!  Below is the class itinerary. 

Class Itinerary Includes:

• Introduction to couponing
• Introduction to coupon organization
• Changing how to view shopping
• Introduction to Publix
• How to save 75%+ each week at Publix
• How to save on “Healthy” Foods
• Introduction to stockpiling
• Using your savings as a ministry
• Introduction to CVS & Walgreens

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 Noon (class lasts 90 minutes with a question and answer session at the end)
Date:Saturday, October 8th
Location: Lee United Methodist Church, 246 SE County Road 255 Lee, Florida 32059
Cost: $5.00 per person – Payable at the door by either cash or check.  (When you go to register, the price will show as “FREE” so you will not have to pay online.  Instead, you will pay $5.00 per person at the door.)
Register: Please register so we can get an accurate headcount of how many people to expect.  Go HERE to register!

**If you live elsewhere and would like to contact me regarding scheduling Addicted to Saving 101 classes, please email me at addictedtosaving @ hotmail.com.  (All one word)

My goal for you is that you will become empowered as you begin to save more and more money each month. I give an Addicted to Saving 101 class that will teach you the skills necessary to save 75%+ each month on your grocery bills. Register yourself, your friends, your family, your neighbors, the more the merrier! I look forward to meeting you! Below is the class itinerary.

Class Itinerary Includes:

• Introduction to couponing
• Introduction to coupon organization
• Changing how to view shopping
• Introduction to Publix
• How to save 75%+ each week at Publix
• How to save on “Healthy” Foods
• Introduction to stockpiling
• Using your savings as a ministry
• Introduction to CVS & Walgreens

Time: 7:00 pm (class lasts 90 minutes with a question and answer session at the end)
Date: Tuesday September 27th
Location: Calvary Baptist Church, 110 N. McMullen Booth Rd, Clearwater, FL 33759 12685
Cost: $5.00 per person – Payable at the door by either cash or check. (When you go to register, the price will show as “FREE” so you will not have to pay online. Instead, you will pay $5.00 per person at the door.)
Register: Please register so we can get an accurate headcount of how many people to expect. Go HERE to register!

**If you live elsewhere and would like to contact me regarding scheduling Addicted to Saving 101 classes, please email me at addictedtosaving @ hotmail.com. (All one word)