10 Items You Should Never Pay For

More and more people are stopping me while I am loading my truck up with my groceries, and sending me emails, all asking me the same question...  "How can I start my own stockpile, on just a few dollars a week"?    On several occasions, I have gotten into lengthy conversations in the middle of a parking lot trying to explain a little about why, here in Rhode Island, you won't be finding me or anyone else for that matter walking into the grocery store purchase $1100.00 worth of groceries and only pay $42.00, but you will find me making daily trips to the local stores to grab those freebies, or making multiple transactions with my girls and husband.

Start small.  Believe it or not, once you make up your mind to begin a stockpile, it will grow, and grow quickly at that.  Begin with the items that you can find for free each week.  What's free?  Here's a list of items that can be found for free most often.

Toothpaste:  Toothpaste can be found free just about every week out of the year.  You'll be able to build your stockpile quickly if you're not loyal to just a single brand.

Floss:  The makers of Reach, are extremely generous with their coupons, and can be found several times a year in the Sunday inserts, or online.  These often go on sale for $1.00, and the coupons are usually $1.00 off 1 package.  Making these free many times throughout the year.

Body Wash:  Many brands of body wash run drug store specials throughout the year, and can often be found free after ExtraCare Buck offers, Up Rewards, or Register Rewards offers.  They may be priced at $5.99, and give you $5 back in drug store rewards, and stacked with an available coupon for $1.00 off 1, you can consider these free.   

Toothbrushes:  Again, the makers of Reach are generous with their coupons, and if you're not brand loyal, you'll be able to find the Reach brand toothbrushes on sale several times throughout the year, usually making them free after coupon, or free after coupon and drug store reward.

Deodorant:  Deodorant can be found quite often for free with a coupon and sale, not quite as often as toothpaste, but still more often than say sunscreen.

Razors:  Yes razors can be found often for free, again many times with a drug store reward deal, and stacked with a coupon.  I always tell people to check the razor sales, not the cartridges.  Packages of cartridges very rarely can be found for free, however the starter packages usually contain the razor handle and one or two blades.  Now Disposable razors can be found free or literally pennies on the dollar many weeks out of the year. 

Gum:  Gum can be found free at least once a month at, at least one drug store. 

Cough Drops:  You may not find cough drops on sale every week, however at least twice a year, you will be able to find cough drops on sale, and with an available coupon, you can score dozens of bags of cough drops for free.  Enough to get you through to the next big cough drop sale. 

Hair Elastics:  These go on sale for free several times throughout the year, so by stocking up on them when they are free, you'll never have to run out and buy them when they aren't free. 

Computer Paper:  These generally go on sale two months out of the year, July & August.  You sometimes can find them on sale during other months, but I wouldn't hold my breath.  By stocking up during the months they are on sale, I know I don't have to think about running out of paper for the rest of the year. 

Now these items aren't free every week, but if you stock up even just a few of these when they are on sale, you'll have enough to get through until the next free sale.  Knowing how much you'll need takes a little practice, but definitely worth it.


There you have it, 10 items you should never, ever pay for.  Never.