What I stockpile

I thought it would be fun to see what items I stockpile.  For me I only stockpile what I find really cheap or in rare cases know that I'm going to run out of quickly.  Here are my strategies and items that I stockpile.

Items

• Tomato Sauce (these are often on sale for about 33 cents at Walgreens and sometimes I have a manufacturer coupon which makes them close to free)
• Ketchup (I request manufacturere coupons, double the coupon when this goes on sale.  I pay usually less than a dollar for 40 oz)
• Cereal (use coupons coupled with a sale.  I usually pay around $1 a box for name-brand cereal)
• Canned Fruit (stock up around holidays)
• Canned Veggies (stock up around holidays)
• Candy (buy after a holiday for the next holiday)
• Mustard (I'll double a coupon and buy in summer time)
• Hot Sauce (usually use a coupon and double up with a sale)
• Soda (only when there's a dirt cheap sale.  Last year we were buy 12 packs for under $2.  Haven't seen that sale for a while)
• Crackers (usually stack store and manufacturer coupon for about $1 to $1.50 a box)
• Popcorn (we buy a huge bag for just a few bucks and it lasts us almost a year.  And we eat a lot of popcorn)
• Bulk Meat (we buy a quarter cow and half hog each year.  I follow sales for chicken and stock up.  I also find buying whole chickens on sale are much cheaper than cut-up chicken parts)
• Pickles (I usually double a coupon and match it up with a sale)
• Olives (I buy store brand)
• Bread (I buy at a Sara Lee outlet store.  I usually get a loaf of bread for 99 cents and buns for 89 cents each.  I usually keep an extra of each in the freezer)
• Butter (I buy when it's on sale for under $1. I will buy a couple extra and freeze them.  Butter freezes really well.)
• Mayo (I buy with double coupon and a sale)
• Salad dressing (I buy with double coupon and a sale)
• Pasta (I usually just buy it when it's on sale. My price point is less than $1 for 1 pound.)
• Flour and Sugar (stock up around holidays and when it's on sale.  I will buy store brand, too.)

Non-food items

• Kleenex or tissues (I'll use a coupon or buy store brand)
• TP (My price point is $5 for 12 pack double roll.  I work really hard to watch sales and find coupons to go below my price point)
• Deoderant (I recently found my husband's deoderant for $1 at the grocery store.  It normally is close to $4.  Keep an eye out when you least expect it.)
• Toothpaste (We're pretty particular when it comes to toothpaste.  Mine rarely goes on sale, but ocassionally Walgreens will have a BOGO and I usually can pair that with a coupon)
• Diapers (Actually, we are using Pull-Ups now.  Just watch for the sale and never buy without a coupons.)
• Soap (I buy with coupons and match up with sales.  I use a recipe to refill foam soap containers that saves us tons of money on soap)
• Paper Towel (It's tough to find a good deal on this one.  Watch for a sale and use a coupon.  My goal is $1 for a double roll -hard to do)

Strategies
1. I like to use double coupons about once a month.  Our store's policy is a minimum purchase of $25 (before coupons) and they will double any manufacturer coupon up to $1.  So in a given trip I can get a maximum of $10 in coupons savings.  But that grocery store is known for be a little higher than the locally owned store that I stock up at for most items.  The local store is on average 10 cents to $1 cheaper on most items, but will only take one Internet coupon per purchase.  Although they do have coupons available throughout the store.
2. Reading blogs.  That's a given.  I love Deal Seeking Mom and Money Saving Mom
3. E-mailing manufacturers.  I've mentioned this before.  Simply write to the manufacturers of you favorite brands letting them know you enjoy their products.  Often they will send money-saving coupons in return.
4. Watching sales and know what items I buy normally go on sale.  This is a given, too.  Sometimes it can be a lot of work, but the sales do come around again.  I tend to watch for patterns.
5. Having a price point I won't go over.
6. Join product testing sites such as Proctor and Gamble's Vocalpoint, General Mill's Psst and Kraft's First Taste.  I get awesome products to try all the time.  Plus they send out great coupons to share.
7. Stock up around and after holidays.  Baking goods and canned vegetables can be found really cheap around the holidays.  Usually my stock up will get me through to the next holiday.
8. Use manufacturer and store coupons. Stacking coupons is a great way to get items for next to nothing.
9.  Once you have a nice stockpile, you can just pick up one of an item here and there when on sale  instead of buying a large number.  Plus you have what you need to plan a nice menu plan for the week or month.