Do you stockpile? Do you want to stockpile but don’t know what is a good stock up price? Do you sometimes buy stuff then realize you already have 20 of those items in your stockpile and really didn’t need any more? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I have a spreadsheet that can help with any of these problems.
Modifiable Stock Up Price List and Stockpile Inventory Sheet
This spreadsheet is an all-in-one deal. Everything is grouped by category and sorted alphabetically. If you already have a stockpile,just fill in the current quantity so you know what you have. There are a couple reasons to know how what you have. First, other members of your household may say you are out of something when in reality, you have 5-10 of the item and they just didn’t see it when they first looked. Second, it helps you determine what you need to buy each week. If an item is at rock bottom price, just look at your spreadsheet so you know how many you need. It doesn’t make any sense to over-buy unless you plan to donate, of course.
Next, you will see a “date of sale” column. This is for you to keep track of sales cycles for your stores. After time you will see how often an item will be at rock bottom price. Some items are always on sale and do not require large quantities to be stockpiled (ie: toothbrushes and toothpaste). Then, there are other items such as dishwasher tabs and fabric softener that are only rock bottom price about once a year.
The next column is “desired quantity”. Over time, you learn how many of each item your family needs. My desired quantity is probably not the same as yours. All families are different and have different needs. If you have three girls in your family your will need far more feminine hygiene products versus a one girl household.
Last, we have the stock up price. Everyone’s stock up price is going to differ slightly. This really depends on what part of the country you live in and what stores you have available to shop. I mainly shop Meijer, CVS and Target and live in a relatively low cost of living area. If you live in a big city such as Chicago (or in California), products tend to be more expensive. Fewer stores are doubling coupons, and you may not be able to get items as cheap as I can OR you may be able to get them cheaper.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
This spreadsheet is set up as a Google document. Once you open it, go to “file” in the upper left hand corner then down to “download as”. You can download it in many different formats including an Excel spreadsheet or an Open document format which can be used with Open Office which is a free open source software that is basically the same thing as MS Office. You can also select “make a copy” under the “file” tab and create a copy in your Google documents if you wish. Once you save a copy you can then add, change or remove whatever you would like.
Grab yourself a clipboard and keep this handy where you keep your stockpile. When you use an item change the quantity you have on hand then you will always have your stockpile inventory right at your finger tips. It is essential to NOT over purchase items. Food is only good for so long and letting food expire is a waste of money and completely defeats the point of a frugal lifestyle.
I did not go into meats, produce or dairy for multiple reasons. It is hard to stock up on produce and dairy, and I personally do not purchase beef or pork frequently. Meat tends to be an item where prices constantly fluctuate and the price varies greatly depending on where you live. As for produce items, I tend to purchase what is in-season to get the best prices.
As you can see from the list there are some things that I do not stockpile such as chocolate chips, baking supplies and lots of junk food. I do not purchase these items frequently so I do not stockpile them. It’s not that I don’t buy them, I do, but I don’t buy them often. And, I have the mentality of “if I don’t buy it, we can’t eat it”!
If you would like something added to the list please leave a comment and I will add it and track down a stock up price for you. Happy stockpiling everyone!
Modifiable Stock Up Price List and Stockpile Inventory Sheet
This is really ingenious, and I appreciate you sharing it! Bargains, here I come!!!
That’s awesome just what I needed Thanks!
I would like to see tea bags, mayonnaise. Thank you so much for doing this.
Thank you very much for this information. I have a small stock pile and can’t wait for it to get bigger.
I have used a chart like your’s to compare normal prices and when things are a bargain. unfortunately we don’t have coupons and food is very expensive in Australia.