Successful Stockpiling

I get asked all the time, what do I stockpile, and if I thought that I was on the line of hoarding.  Well my answer to the second part of that question is easy.  No.  In my opinion, hoarding is very different from stockpiling.  I thought about that for a while, and came up with this list of differences between stockpilers, and hoarders

Stockpilers:

1. Have a defined list of what items they stockpile.
2. Tend to donate large amounts of items they know they wont be using. Why did they buy them in the first place?  Most likely the items were free after coupons, a moneymaker, or literally pennies on the dollar.  By doing so, receipts for these items now become a tax deduction.
3. Stockpilers, generally know where and what items they have on hand.  Granted some items do slip through the cracks, but hey no one is perfect.
4. Walking into the house of a Stockpiler, you wouldn't know that they have stockpiles of items they use.
5. Stockpilers have no emotional attachment to the items they have on hand.

Hoarders:

1. Hoarders buy items to comfort themselves, whereas stockpilers, get a "High" from walking out of a store with freebies.
2. Cannot let go of items that they do not use, are broken, or have gone past their expiration date, they do not donate items, and even though they say what if someone needs this one day, will still not be able to let go of an item.
3. Hoarders have piles and piles of items in every room, and often times no longer realize what they have.
4. You know when you walk into a hoarder's house. 
5. Have an emotional attachment to any and all things they have. 

Let's face it, with gas bouncing around $3 per gallon, and everyday items going up in price, and down in size, everyone has some type of stockpile.  Some of us, more than others, because we have learned the secret on how to do this effectively. 

Successful stockpilers know what and how much their family uses in a given amount of time.  We also know that items that have close expiration dates are not the items to stockpile, such as bananas... impossible to stockpile.  So what do you start with?  Start with a handful of items that you can track.  Such as toilet paper.  Now toilet paper is a big and bulky item to stockpile.  You first need to ask yourself where will you put the items you stockpile, then ask yourself, how much do I need or want to stockpile?  Everyone's answers will be different.  Some people can dedicate an extra room to their stockpiles, others, have only a closet or two, while still others have an entire basement or attic that they have easy access to.  I have several available closets, and a large laundry room that I am able to dedicate to our stockpile. 

To figure out how much you want to stockpile, after you have your space dedicated, simply count how many rolls of toilet paper your family uses within one week's time.  So let's say your family uses 3 rolls in a single week.  That means that a 12 roll package will last you just about a month.  So 6 - 12 roll packages will give you a 6 month stockpile.  Now rock bottom sales run in cycles, generally every 12 to 16 weeks, items go back on sale. 

What other kinds of items do you stock up on?  Well here are some ideas:

Health & Beauty Products:
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, hair spray, shampoo, conditioner, mousse, soap, deodorant, body washes, feminine products, lotions, razors, shaving gel, and moisturizers. 

Household Items:
Toilet paper, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dish soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, stain removers, Paper towels, paper plates, napkins, plastic tableware, garbage bags, storage bags, and storage containers.

Food Items:
Coffee, Pasta, soup, rice, cereal, snacks, nuts, syrup, tomato sauce, and bottles juices.

Now, of course your list will vary, depending on what your family uses.  If you are not "Brand Loyal" you will have more sales to choose from.  If you are "Brand Loyal", you will most likely want a larger supply of the items that you are loyal too.  Be careful when stockpiling items, you will want to make sure your expiration dates are within your ability to use, before they expire.

Items that you must take notice to be aware of expiration dates:
Foods, any and all is pretty much a given, over the counter medications, and cosmetics.

Stockpiles do not grow overnight, and will take you some time to build.  It's not something you want to do all at once.  How do you start?  With a single item I tell most people.  Set aside a few dollars each week to dedicate to your stockpile fund.  I say only a few dollars, as you will only want to stockpile items that are on sale at rock bottom prices each week.  You don't want to go out and spend $100 on toilet paper if it's not on sale, this defeats the whole purpose. 

Rock bottom prices?  How do you know if an item is at it's rock bottom price?  This takes a bit of math skills.  Hint: most cell phones have a calculator now a days, so doing the math has become much, MUCH easier!  I don't know what rock bottom prices are in other parts of the country, but here in the northeast here are some examples of Rock Bottom or what I like to call "Stock Up Pricing"

Coffee: Less than 16¢ per ounce
Soup: 50¢ or less per can
Pasta: 77¢ or less per box
Deodorant: 99¢ or less
Toothpaste: FREE
Toothbrushes: 99¢ or less for battery operated ones, 25¢ or less for manual
Body wash: FREE
Floss: FREE
Cough drops: 50¢ or less per bag
Toilet Paper: less than 45¢ per roll or $5.40 for a 12 roll package
Cleaning Supplies: Less than 99¢ per bottle
Laundry Detergent: less than 9¢ per ounce or $8.99 for 100 ounces
Shampoo or Conditioner: Less than 99¢ per bottle
Razors: FREE - $1.99 for the "Good" ones