I love to shop in bulk (especially at Costco or in the bulk section at grocery stores). I like knowing that I won't run out for awhile (and thus save time), and many times I get a good deal by buying items in bulk.
However, as with any purchase, you need to compare the unit price to know whether buying in bulk is a good deal vs. buying an item individually. Plus, if you use coupons and are willing to shop the drugstores (and combine coupons and store loyalty rewards), you can get better deals on some items if you're willing to put in the work.
Here are 10 things that you should buy in bulk to save you not only time, but money as well:
Oats
If your family eats oatmeal, I definitely recommend browsing the bulk food aisle on your next shopping trip! I have found oatmeal in bulk for just $0.61 per pound as compared to the 32 ounce container that you typically find in the $3-$4 range. That’s more than a 50% savings!
Flour
If you do a lot of baking, you should definitely considering buying your flour in bulk. You will often save 40% or more!
Sugar
Even if you don’t bake a lot, sugar is great to buy in bulk. You will again, save 30% or more when buying this way and since many of us typically store sugar in canisters anyway, it doesn’t matter that you are going to bring it home in a plastic bag as opposed to the paper ones they are packaged in.
Rice
Rice is great to buy in bulk because it is much cheaper than the packaged variety, plus it lasts for an extraordinary amount of time, making it a great staple for everyday meals and emergency food source for those times that you are unable to get to the store.
Toilet Paper
There are several reasons to always buy toilet paper in bulk. First, it is almost always less expensive when bought in bulk. The average price of a roll of toilet paper can hover around $0.30 per single roll, but when bought in bulk, you can often find them in the $0.15-$0.20 per roll price range. Second, no one wants to run out of toilet paper and that in itself is a good reason to buy bulk.
You can order toilet paper in bulk from Amazon or get it from Costco (we personally use the Kirkland brand).
Dried Beans & Pasta
Similar to rice, dried pastas and beans take a very long time to go bad and they are great staples to keep on hand. Beans are incredibly cheap when bought in bulk, plus they are a really good protein source. Pasta goes with many different dishes, so when bought in bulk, you are never at a loss for a side dish for dinner!
Toothbrushes
If you have more than 1 or 2 people in your household, toothbrushes are a great item to buy in bulk. You can often find two packs of toothbrushes at your local retailer easy enough, but if you are shopping at a warehouse type store, you can buy 6-10 packs and save 50% or more!
Please note: you can often get good deals on toothbrushes at the drugstores if you're willing to play the drugstore game and combine coupons and loyalty rewards points.
Diapers
Did you know that the average baby uses over $1000 per year in diapers? Buying in bulk can often save up to 30% which translates into a $300 savings for your family this year alone!
Please note: this is another one where you can get good deals by shopping with coupons and loyalty points. Target often has some good gift card deals on diapers too. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can sign up for Amazon Mom and get some good deals on diapers by buying through Amazon.
Laundry and Dish Soap
Buying laundry and and dish soap in bulk is cheaper (often 20% or more), but the best thing I have found about this is that you make less trips to the store when you run out of these staples less often. Less trips to the store means more money in your pocket.
Light Bulbs
You always need light bulbs and if the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that the price of lightbulbs can jump quickly. Plus, light bulbs never go bad when stored properly (so as to not get broken). So if you find a sale on lightbulbs, definitely stock up!
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