Comments on: You can’t Save Money by Buying in Bulk

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:25:17 +0000

You can save money by only buying what you use.

It is logical to buy in bulk what you use in bulk. And what you use sparingly? Either buy it singly, or purchase with a group and split it.

In any case, the key is to only buy what you need. Costco is well engineered to help people leave the store with things they don’t need. That’s why their best-selling item is at the very back of the store - so every person who is there to buy 36 rolls of toilet paper is forced to see every other “bargain” they could add to their cart. But in the end, what you don’t need is never a bargain.

By: Cricket

Cricket — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:40:06 +0000

@Rebecca - Definitely! I canned 20 jars of my own home-grown tomatoes last summer. I used to buy packaged / wrapped meat in bulk once a month from a local butcher. Right now my budget for groceries is such that I can’t spend very much on just one thing - and, I now live in the city. I’m finding out now that I can still save *just as much* by buying fresh, I just have to watch for meat-counter deals all the time and check out alternative markets. I can’t wait for the city’s farmer’s market to start up. At first, I felt “guilty” because I didn’t think it could be done, you know, the guilt of NOT buying and re-packaging. I think I wanted people who read this post to realize it CAN be done, you can still save money if you can’t afford to buy a lot of something at once. The deals come, every week. I feel anxiety when, after years of buying in bulk on a good deal, I spot a great deal and can’t afford to “stock up”. Now I’m feeling better, after having had to spend way less, I’m actually eating just as good, for just as cheap, and I’m not getting anything in bulk. For some just starting out trying to be “more frugal” it’s a good thing to know, it takes some of the pressure off. There are so many factors involved! How often you can go to the markets, what your re-packaging and canning skills and supplies are, how much time you have, and if you have the shelf and freezer space. I have no storage, a small freezer, and I live very close to the shops / markets I can walk to or take the bus. My life is a complete opposite as it was, when I lived in the ‘burbs or out in the country, had garage and basement shelving systems, a large garden, my own laying flock of chickens, a giant chest freezer. I’m enjoying the city for what it has to offer - and am finding out for the first time, it’s totally possible to be just as frugal! I can’t save money at Costco, though. I just can’t. I stay far away, haha! Sorry I just realized this is so long it could be a whole new entire post. Oh well. I’m very wordy - thanks so much for adding your tips, Rebecca!!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:13:51 +0000

We do buy our meat in bulk when it is on sale and use the Seal-a-Meal to re-package it. (even if this means stopping more than once a week as we are driving by) We also buy vegetables in bulk from the farmers market in the summer and freeze it for the winter. Last seasons corn on the cob is a sweet and juicy as the day it was put up last fall and no freezer burn what-so-ever!

Then there is always our own little garden.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:44:08 +0000

I just stumbled across this post from The Well Fed Network, and I wanted to say, “Right on!” If only the masses would realize that they don’t need all the *stuff* from Costco and Sam’s Club–that eating fresh can also be cheap, if you keep an eye out for good deals and use coupons.