People usually struggle with deciding whether to buy in bulk. Often, bulk shopping has a better value, but that doesn’t really matter if you don’t have a large enough household to use what you buy before it spoils. I’ve seen a lot of people struggle with what to get (or not get) in bulk shopping, so I thought I’d do a break-down of the ups and downs of buying items in bulk – including an overview of which items are usually good to buy in bulk and which aren’t.
Some Of The Primary Positives Of Buying In Bulk
- It’s usually cheaper per unit or item. Obviously, if you need a lot of something, bulk buying wins the day. However, the price difference could be as small as a few cents per unit or item, or as much as several dollars per unit or item. Whether or not that is a major difference likely depends on the specific product and its availability near you.
- You’re prepared for the mini doomsdays. If you buy a lot of your products in bulk, when people are rushing out to stores during hurricane season or because of some other natural disaster, you won’t have to worry about competing for a limited supply. Buying in bulk makes it easier to prepare for the worst occasions and alleviates at least some of the headache that comes with it.
- You’ll have to go to the store less frequently, and you’ll be far less likely to shop impulsively. Buying in bulk makes it easy to schedule regular excursions to the store, instead of having to go at random days when you realize you’re out of one or two specific items. The less you go to the store, the less tempted to buy things you’ll be. Additionally, it saves on gas, and if you buy from bulk-only stores (like Costco) it will be much harder to find cheap individual items to buy (so you’re less likely to buy things you don’t need).
- Meal planning and preparation is made easier. If you like to plan your meals a week or more in advance, buying some of your merchandise in bulk can require less running back and forth to stores from week to week. On top of that, it can be easier to use bulk orders before expiration dates if you make plans for what you’ll use it for ahead of time.
Some Of The Cons Of Buying In Bulk
- You have to shell out all the cash at once. If it’s something you may use over several months, it could be easier to buy it in normal portions and spread that payment out (even if it is more expensive in the long run). Unfortunately, when you buy in bulk, you may have to spend a lot in one sitting in order to be set for months. This may not be an issue for every household, but there are many that are trying to pinch pennies – which may be a good reason to stop buying certain products in bulk.
- It’s harder to mix-and-match when you purchase things in bulk. If you buy a lot of some food item or shampoo, you’ll be stuck using that product until you run out of it or it goes bad – and of course, you want to use it before it goes bad.
- If a product has an expiration date, you may not be able to use it all before it expires. When purchasing perishable items in bulk, it’s important to be realistic about how much your household can use, and how fast it can use it. Anything that expires is essentially wasted money (but no, don’t beat yourself up – just buy less next time).
- If you go to a store specifically for buying in bulk, you’ll likely have to pay a membership fee to shop there. This isn’t necessarily horrible, since it usually isn’t that hard to make your money back. However, this does mean if you want to buy in bulk you’ll need to commit to doing so.
It Is Best To Get Items With A Long Shelf Life When Buying In Bulk
In general, avoid purchasing things that expire rapidly, or even in less than six months. Here are a few examples of items with a long shelf life:
- Rice
- Most basic cleaning supplies
- Toiletries
- Canned goods
- Diapers
- Feminine products
- Office supplies
- Batteries
- Laundry detergent and softener
- Garbage bags
- Toilet paper & paper towels
- Lint rollers (at least at the rate I use them)
- Air fresheners
- Sponges
- Aluminum foil & saran wrap
- Water
- Coffee filters
- Cereal
Again, remember to avoid buying any products that expire rapidly. The exceptions? Being able or planning to freeze it, planning for a large event, or just having a large household. Some of the common items you may want to avoid buying in bulk include:
- Eggs
- Meat
- Fresh fruits or vegetables
- Most dairy products
- Condiments
- Spices (yes, they go bad – faster than you think)
- Snacks – it may be best to avoid tempting yourself to overindulge
- Anything you haven’t tried or can’t use before it expires
A Few More Key Tips
Some of this goes without saying, but just in case you haven’t really bought items in bulk before I wanted to stress a few things. First, don’t buy something in bulk if you haven’t tried it before. It’s an unnecessary gamble, and it often has an unpleasant result. Second, make sure you have all the space you need at home to store your new purchases. If you haven’t prepared for it, buying in bulk can eat up a lot of your pantry space fast. Last, buying in bulk is the best time to use coupons and sales. This will help you save even more money, so make sure you pay attention to any discounts that are available.
Conclusion
So, if you want to buy in bulk, be sure you’re prepared and can use whatever it is you purchase before it goes bad. Don’t buy something just because there is an option to buy it in bulk either. Test it first and do the math to see if you’re actually saving money. While buying in bulk can help you cut costs, it does have a bit of a barrier for entry. If your budget is already maxed out, make sure you can afford the membership fees and the extra expenses in the short-term from buying in bulk.
What do you think? Do you prefer to buy in bulk? Let us know why or why not in the comments! For more content like this, and a free budgeting template and financial goals worksheet, be sure to sign up for the Bitter to Richer newsletter.
