How to Start your Stockpile and When the Sales Hit!

When people think of the word STOCKPILE they more often than not associate it with the image of storage rooms overflowing with toilet paper or 1000 tubes of toothpaste that you might see on shows such as Extreme Couponing. However, coupons are not necessary to build your stockpile!

First, let me preface this by saying I personally have couponed off and on for a few years. Is it worth the money saved to coupon? Yes! Does everyone have the time needed to coupon? No. For me, the latter was the case. So you might wonder well, if you don’t coupon how do you save big money on lots of products? Allow me to educate…

Every month of the year the grocery stores, dept stores and so forth have sales. Rock bottom sales if you will. The key is to hold off until those sales commence and then stock up. If you have coupons on those items then you would match it and really save, if not, you are still saving a chunk of change.  Also, check out the sale aisle at your local stores. Often times those products are being discontinued and the store is just trying to move them quickly and you can really get things for next to nothing. But let’s get back to the monthly sales…

Below I am giving you a list, by month, of sales that happen like clockwork each month of the year. If you will look at your ads on any of these months you will see these items on sale. So stock up! Build your stockpile as slow or as fast as you are able. For some that may mean a couple extra products each payday others may allow certain $ amount each pay day to go directly to the stockpile. I might keep an extra 20-40 on me just in case I see a special sale like I did this weekend. Christmas has just come and gone and Wal-Mart is trying to sell off the mass of Hams and Turkeys. Well, the hams were originally 1.98 a lb and reduced to just $1 per pound! And even better, the turkeys which were 1.19 a pound had been marked all the way down to .50 a pound. Needless to say I grabbed a couple of each and made the freezer happy. I knew that would be going on sale as you will see on my list below.

The list below will give you an idea of monthly sale/cycles at the grocery store and the items will be their lowest prices!

January
Post Christmas: Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Paper etc. on clearance. Also look for regular food Items packaged in Holiday packaging that will be on sale (refrigerated cookies, breads, crackers etc)

Super Bowl: Soda, Chips, Cheese, Sandwich items, Condiments, Crackers, Snack foods, Dips National Oatmeal Month: Most Quaker items will be on sale (not just oatmeal, look at Life cereal,Syrup etc)

Winter Health: Cold Medicines and Vitamins

Seasonal Items: Canned soups & Chili, Household Cleaners

February
National Canned Food Month: Canned Fruit & Veggies, Pie Fillings, Canned tuna & other meats

American Heart Month: Aspirin, Cholesterol Meds, Low Cholesterol “butter” spreads / sprays etc.

Chinese New Year: Soy Sauce, Crunchy noodles, Teriyaki Sauce, Ramen, Stir fry sauce, stir fry veggies, water chestnuts

National Hot Breakfast Month: Malt O Meal, Oatmeal, Eggo Waffles, Syrup, frozen potatoes

Valentines: Chocolate, Hershey’s, KY

Other: Dog Foods, Push on store brands

March
Frozen Food Month: All things frozen

Seasonal Items: Household Cleaners; Gardening supplies (occasionally earlier depending on where You live)

National Peanut Month: Peanut Butter, Peanuts

St Patrick’s Day: Potatoes, Corned Beef

Easter / Passover (sometimes not until April): Eggs, Ham, Horseradish, Spices, Sugar, Chocolate Chips, Coconut, Butter, Baking mixes, Marshmallows

April
Easter / Passover (If not in March): Eggs, Ham, Horseradish, Spices, Food coloring, Sugar, Chocolate Chips, Coconut, Butter, Baking mixes, Marshmallows

Daylight Savings: Batteries, Smoke / Carbon Monoxide detectors, Light Bulbs

Earth Day: Organic Foods, Energy Saver items, Eco-friendly items, Reusable Totes / Grocery Bags, Natural Cleaners

Post Easter: Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Paper etc. on clearance. Also look for regular food items packaged in Holiday packaging that will be on sale (refrigerated cookies, breads, crackers etc)

Other: Olive Oil, Popsicles (change of inventory this month), Kellogg’s Cereal, ConAgra Products

May
Memorial Day (Most will be on sale again in late June / Early July): Soda, Charcoal, Grilling Meats, Salad Dressing (often free with a coupon), Potato Chips, S’mores items, Dips, Grilling Meats, Hot Dogs, Hamburger Meat, Buns, Marinades, and Juice Drinks (like Capri Sun)

Allergy Meds: Alavert, Zyrtec, Claritin etc (and generics)

Paper Products: Plates, Utensils, Insect Repellant, Sunscreen

National Pet Week: Dog & cat food and treats

Cinco De Mayo: Salsa, tortillas, Taco seasonings

Other: General Mills Cereal

June
Stay away from full priced summer items early this month that were on sale last month (and next month) such as allergy meds, paper plates, sunscreen, insect repellant, BBQ items etc.

National Dairy Month: Eggs, Milk, Ice Cream, Cottage Cheese, Sliced / Shredded / Block Cheese, Cream Cheese, Butter, Yogurt, Sour Cream, Whipping Cream, Whipped Cream, Cool Whip, Drumsticks

Father’s Day / July 4th (end of June): BBQ items again: BBQ Sauce, Condiments, Grilling meat, Charcoal, Potato chips, Hamburger / Hot dog buns

National Headache Month: Aspirin, Sinus meds, Other Painkillers

July
National Ice Cream Month: Ice cream, Popsicles, Drumsticks etc.

More 4th of July BBQ Sales (Beginning of the month): Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup,Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
Back to School Sales (sometimes at the end of the month; sometimes not until Aug)

Lunch meat, Lunchables, Bread, Cold Cereal, Waffles, Lunchboxes, Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders, Granola bars, fruit snacks, pudding cups

August
Back to School (may continue into September through Labor Day): Lunch meat, Lunchables, Bread, Cold Cereal (especially Kellogg’s), Waffles, Lunchboxes, Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders, markers, Glue, paper Granola bars, fruit snacks, pudding cups

Clorox Classroom Cleanup: Sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizers
Seasonal Clearances: Insect Repellant, Sunscreen, charcoal

September
Diabetes Products: Bayer Glucose Meters, Glucerna Cereal

Tomato Products: Tomato Sauce /, paste / juice, spaghetti sauce, Canned tomatoes, tomato soup,ketchup occasionally

Other: Honey, Oral care (typically more at drug stores than grocery stores), condensed soups

October
Halloween: Candy, Fresh Pumpkin

Holiday Baking Sales (end of month especially, but wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas week for the best deals): Canned pumpkin, Evaporated Milk, Baking Chips

Daylight Savings: Batteries, Smoke / Carbon Monoxide detectors, Light Bulbs

Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month: Dog foods and treats

Other: National seafood month

November
Great American Smoke Out: Nicorette, Commit etc.

Post Halloween: Candy Clearances, Costumes etc. Also look for regular food items packaged in Holiday packaging that will be on sale (refrigerated cookies, breads, crackers etc)

Peanut Butter Month: Peanuts, Peanut Butter

Holiday Baking Sales: Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Coconut, Cake Mixes Canned Holiday Items: Soup, Broth

Thanksgiving Items: Turkey, Canned Pumpkin, Stovetop Stuffing, Boxed Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jell-O, Marshmallows

December
Christmas Dinner: Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Egg Nog, Deli Platters, Instant Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Jell-O, Marshmallows, Sour Cream Dips, Crackers, Chips, Soda, Ham, Turkey

Baking: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Chocolate Chips, Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, Muffin Mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream

Post Thanksgiving: Look for regular food items packaged in Holiday packaging that will be on sale (refrigerated cookies, breads, crackers etc)


Right after Christmas watch for Hams & Turkeys to be reduced to 50% off or more!

Stockpile! My New Year Goal.

Stockpiling is not hoarding. Hoarding is hoarding. What is the difference?

With the New Year looming I find myself thinking about savings, budgeting and getting ahead. Among these thoughts are stockpiling. I am very careful who I discuss my stockpile with for various reasons. Some people think to stockpile is to hoard and hoarding is not socially acceptable. Other people might see stockpiling as a means to a free meal for themselves or others. And then of course there is the fear of robbery. But I will tell you, stockpiling can literally be like a savings account in a bad situation.

So what is a stockpile? 
A stockpile is a supply of food, sundry items, and anything else you buy at the store on a regular basis. To stockpile is buying numerous of the same items at once, usually when they are at rock bottom prices so that you build a surplus. Some people use a 3 or 6 month rule. This means that they readily have 3 or 6 months of groceries, soap, shampoo, etc. on hand at all times. They save time and money from having to go to the store often and they can rest assured that they will not go hungry any time soon.

But WHY stockpile?
This is easy. Have you ever been low on groceries and a storm hits that leaves you stranded at home for days? Then when you finally dig out the store is bare because people wiped it out ahead of the storm and the trucks got stuck? I have. Its not a nice feeling.  Have you ever lost your job and had little to no savings? It’s at least 2 weeks before you get an unemployment check. What are you going to eat in the mean time?

Enter the stockpile!
Lost your job? No problem. Your stockpile is going to cover you until you can get back on your feet. Weather keeping you from getting to the store? No problem. Stockpile has you covered. Big bills hit all at once leaving little to no extra money for laundry soap or food? Go to the stockpile! The point is that a stockpile can be your saving grace. Find out when certain items go on sale for the lowest price and stock up. Perhaps take an extra $20 out of each paycheck and buy a few containers of laundry soap or chicken for the freezer. Plan ahead friends. You never know what life is going to throw your way. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared and it’s not hoarding so long as you are buying what you use and not letting it go to waste. You save money right? You save money in that emergency fund for “just in case” purposes. Well think that way about grocery and household items. Have them on hand you will be able to sleep a lot better at night.

My goal for the New Year is to create my stockpile to cover up to 1 year. Can you imagine not having to depend on the grocery store each week? I look forward to sharing with you pictures in the very near future. 

SNOW DAY!


At the moment it is 23 degrees with a wind chill of 13. There are a couple of inches of snow on the ground and ice on the side roads. Schools have been cancelled again which made for a very long 4 day weekend. Thankfully we had a Christmas party to go to yesterday which gave us a good reason to get out! I’m fortunate that I have earned time to be paid for my missed days unlike some of my other parent friends. 

What do you do when your school is closed and your day care follows the school schedule? In a small town with maxed out day care programs there are not a lot of options. This has always been a stress factor for me because I constantly worry about job security. Being the only provider for my family you can surely understand that!

Today is going to be cleaning and getting ready for Christmas followed by cookie baking this evening for our “snack day” at the office tomorrow. I pray the weather subsides and that one is back on go in the morning.


Here are some pictures of the kiddos enjoying the snow!




Kids Christmas Party!

Sunday my company hosted a Christmas party for kids. I had never been and so we were eagerly looking forward to it. It was a big hit! There was face painting, personalized ornament making, golf, a game like the SLINGO you see on the Price is Right, remote control car racing, balloon making, Santa and lots of candy.  The kids had a fantastic time and are still talking about it.

Our company really does a lot for its workers and their families. We have a huge family picnic in the summer followed by a pool party at the end of August. We will have an adult Christmas party next weekend which I am so looking forward to. It is hard to believe Christmas is right around the corner.

Here are the kids with their sweet face paintings from the party:


Christmas is Coming!

Thanksgiving is over and now Christmas season is officially on go! Many of us could be found shopping those crazy sales last night while others were up at the crack of dawn today.  Christmas has always been my very favorite time of year. A mixture of cold weather combined with baking and gift giving just make this season a hit. 

I am looking forward to doing lots of Christmas shopping and cookie baking in the next couple of weeks. As an added treat we were lucky to score 3 of over 54K tickets to the Christmas Train in Adair, OK that sold out in just under an hour and a half. I am praying that the weather will not ruin my surprise for my family. We have never been but it sure does look like a fantastic place for family. Currently, I am planning our Christmas dinner and Christmas Eve surprises. Can you feel my excitement? J


What are your plans for Christmas?  

Times Just Ticking By..

WOW! Has it really been that long since I have posted a blog? Looks like it has. Time just keeps ticking by so it seems.

Summer is in full swing and we are enjoying some nice weather! The temperatures are unusually cooler than normal and we actually had a couple tornado's that came the closest to our town than ever before in the 16 years I have lived here. I am wondering what we are in store for when winter hits!

The kiddos are in daycare and getting to take many field trips and really enjoying themselves. They go to a water park every week as well as other fun places.

I left OSU due to the department I was working in going through a phase out. I ended up getting on with a large company in my home town and was promoted in just 4 short months. My job has been a real blessing and the people I work with equally as awesome.

Currently, I am working on getting my daughters birthday party setup and looking forward to two weeks off at Christmas time! Good times ahead!

That's about it for now ya'll! We just had an amazing time with family at our house for 4th of July. Sure wish life would slow down a little...until next time...