Do you frequent Sam’s Club or Costco? There’s actually another reason to go besides the free samples! (Even though that’s usually the best part.) 🙂

Buying in bulk is a great way to save some money. It’s a little more expensive initially, but when you purchase bulk non-perishable items and things you use regularly, it is beneficial to your budget in the long run. My usual bulk purchases include coffee, chicken breasts, vitamins, toilet paper, and protein bars. Here are some things you should buy in bulk:

things you should buy in bulk

Paper towels and toilet paper.

These obviously don’t expire, so when you find a great deal on them, buy in bulk!

Cereal.

If your family’s go-to breakfast is cereal, you can certainly save money buying in bulk.

Plastic wrap, aluminum foil, plastic snack bags.

These are great to buy in bulk to have handy for a long time, especially if you have a convenient place to store them.

Hygiene products.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other hygiene products are great to stock up on when you find a great deal.

Bottled drinks.

If you regularly drink bottled water, Vitamin Water, Fuze, etc., you can definitely get some savings buying in bulk instead of each bottle individually.

Detergent and cleaning supplies.

Again, when you find a great deal it’s a really good idea to stock up. But then again, you can’t say you ran out of supplies as an excuse not to clean 🙂 Another way to save even more is to make your own cleaners. Some of my favorites are homemade dusting spray and furniture polish and homemade carpet freshener.

Meat.

Meat is expensive, but you can save money by purchasing family packs of chicken breasts, or large packages of ground beef. To make sure the meat doesn’t spoil, freeze it if you are not going to use it immediately.

Another option I’m looking into is Amazon Subscribe & Save. Still doing the math on this one, but I have heard great things about it. I’d love to hear if you have any experience with it!

Overall, the real key to saving money by buying in bulk is this: Do the Math! Figure out the cost per ounce, item, etc.

Here are some examples…

(These are completely made up off the top of my head, they only serve to show an example of how this can play out.)

Scenario #1:

Breakfast cereal – 10 oz box at Wal-Mart – $2.58

Cost per ounce: about 26 cents

Same cereal – 40oz bulk box at Sam’s Club – $7.50

Cost per ounce: about 19 cents

That’s a 7-cent difference per ounce – every little bit adds up! In this scenario I’d buy in bulk – as long as I make sure it stay fresh by always sealing the bag and closing the box! If you end up tossing half of it, you’re not saving money 🙂

Scenario #2:

Toothpaste: 6oz tube at Wal-Mart – $2.97 + $0.50 coupon = $1.47 (41 cents per ounce)

Toothpaste: Box of 4 6oz tubes at Sam’s Club – $10.50 (44 cents per ounce)

In this case I’d go with buying at Wal-Mart with coupons!

To sum it all up, as long as you check for coupons and do the math, buying in bulk can save you some money!

What items do you purchase in bulk?

Want to save even more money?? Amazon Subscribe and Save is a GREAT way to save on househould items, food, and more. There’s usually some coupons available that make things even better prices! You have to be a Prime member to get these benefits but it’s totally worth it! Check it out here. (affiliate link)

You might also enjoy:

Financial Habits to Start Right Now  How to Make Your Planner More Effective

 

Create a budget that works! Implementing these 7 tips one at a time will help you build a better budget and set yourself up for financial success.  Financial Habits to Start Right Now

Free Planning Bundle