Starting your Stockpile

There are things that no matter who we are, we need. Toothpaste, soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner and razors. These are some of the basics that we use on a daily basis. These are also items that will not go bad and can be found cheap or even free.

If you read the ads on Sundays you will notice many drugstores offer incentives for you to purchase certain items there.

Walgreens will offer Register Rewards (or Jingle Cash). These can be used at Jewel or Walgreens and are considered a manufacturer coupon. A typical deal may be, buy Colgate Total for $2.99 and get $3.00 register reward. This deal can be sweetened by coupons, because you can use both a manufacturer and a store coupon. I recently had a $1/1 manufacturer coupon and a $1/1 store coupon for the Colgate. I paid $.99 and got back $3 register reward so I made money on the deal. For Walgreens you need to remember to have an item for each coupon you want to use. So in the above example I needed to add another item to be able to use both coupons. I will generally pick up something cheap like one of something priced 5/$1.  You also cannot have two Colgate totals in your order and expect 2 register rewards. If you want to buy multiples of an item, do separate transactions. Finally, I would not pay for my next Colgate total with the register reward from the first one, I wouldn't get the new register reward most of the time.

CVS has Extra Care Bucks, these are like CVS cash. A typical deal may be buy 1 Herbal essence conditioner at $3.99 get $3.99 ECB. CVS will sometimes have limits that allow you to get multiples of an item in one order and still receive the ECB. You can also use the ECB from the Herbal Essence to pay for the new one and still get the new ECB.

Rite Aid is also another that offers some great deals with money back. Hip2save has a great write up on these here.

Use these sales to stock up on these every day essentials. The purpose is to buy low. I tend to use most of my Register Rewards at Jewel, though I will occasionally use them at Walgreens for things that rarely go on sale (like Mentholatum). Sometimes, when I am well stocked (like I am now) I will also get some wants that I would not normally buy.

Stockpiles of food work a very similar way. Shop the sales, stock up on loss leaders (items on extreme discount to draw you in the store). Go to multiple stores, and use both store and manufacturer coupons. Jewel and Dominicks (Safeway to you east coasters) do Catalina deals. These are deals that require you to buy a certain dollar amount or number of participating products and then will give you a coupon (catalina) off your next order. (Example buy $30 of PG products get $10 OYNO, this is not active sale just an example).

In the beginning you will spend a little more while you are building your stockpile, but before you know it you will be saving big time. I have shaved 50-75% off what I used to spend and I am buying the same things I did before.

***Disclaimer*** There is a fine line between having a stockpile and being a hoarder. Be mindful of what you have. Don't feel like you have to hit every sale. Finally, donate extras! You will find family, friends, food banks and charitable organizations are happy to get all the extras that you want to get rid of.