Community Magazine August 2012

The Shaatra Files (shõ•trä) n . An outstanding homemaker [Arabic] File #233: Better Bulk Buying RACHEL DAYAN A fter several hours spent shoving, loading, and making seemingly endless trips from the car to the house, you may have wondered whether shopping in bulk was really worth the time and effort involved. It doesn’t really feel economical either, seeing as how you might not leave a warehouse store before spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.On the one hand, warehouse clubs may offer significant savings off supermarket prices when comparing per unit costs. But is a good price always a good deal? The tips here can help you decide when it pays to buy bulk – and how to keep more bulk in your own wallet. Join the Club Even with the card fee, households can often save money on intelligent warehouse club purchases. Can you find some items on sale cheaper? Possibly, but warehouse clubs offer consistently low prices so you can stock up on those items you need now instead of trying to chase down the next sale. Having your home fully stocked with basics also means you can avoid extra shopping trips every week, saving gas, potential parking tickets and, perhaps most importantly time. Some of the most consistent values in warehouse stores are for paper products, toiletries, toothbrushes, diapers, office supplies, cleaning products, cooking oil, yeast and spices, and canned or boxed goods like pasta and cereal. Of course, sales and specials at local stores, like Kosher Corner and Avenue S Supermarket, are also a great time to stock up and may even offer the added convenience of home delivery. Initially, the bulk purchases may seem expensive, but soon after you make the investment, you will see the returns with the money saved on your regular household purchases. For example, instead of constantly running to the pharmacy for diapers – and paying $15 for 27 – you’ll spend $30, but you’ll get 150 diapers! So it’s worth saving up to start your bulk fund because you can save a lot in the long run. Obviously, even a good deal can go bad if you end up paying high-rate credit card interest on the purchase over many months, so make sure you can pay off your huge shopping trip so you don’t wipe out your savings. Super-Sized Consumption Yes, when you buy bigger packages, the “per unit” price is generally cheaper. But when you buy the jumbo sized box of cookies, you turn bulk savings into bulk around your waistline. Unfortunately, buying big encourages overconsumption before the food goes stale or rots. And it’s not just with food. Big containers, even detergent, wipes or shampoo, tend to make you more generous with the measure. So consider if the theoretical savings are making you eat or use more of certain products than you would otherwise, and buy with caution. Waste Not Want Not The flip side of overconsumption is when you buy a case of mangos, or a huge box of cereal, and suddenly nobody is in the mood to eat it. Or you buy a triple pack of a beauty product, but after four months your friend recommends something better, and alas, you still have a years’ worth of product left in the closet. To avoid this situation, focus on only buying items that you frequently use, or that have a long shelf life. Many food products like canned beans and pasta can last a while, but some products, like brown rice and lemon juice, may give you only six months. Also, while the produce is usually high quality in club stores, you won’t find the best savings in that section, and even more so if you don’t eat every ounce. Shop Smart Don’t be lured into paying more because the item is fancier than what you usually buy, like buying “gourmet” string beans for $3 a pound when you usually spend a dollar for regular. Or plastic cups that are READER TIPS I kept a few receipts from Costco to see what I buy most often. Then I typed up a main list, and before I head to the store I check my closets and mark off what I need. This way I don’t have to keep calling home to ask, “Do I have any Windex?” D ana L. I found that buying bulk di pers through Amazon’s Subscribe & Save can be cheaper than driving to the warehouse club and having to schlep it all home. And it leaves me more room in my wagon for everything else. S. B. I have an app on my phone which alerts me to sale items in my local supermarkets, and when I see some good deals on items I always need, I head there and stock up. For added convenience, my sister and I take turns going there and we always buy the sales for each other (and keep a running account). S. A. 68 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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