If you are smart about it, there is nothing wrong with it!

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Bekah
Co-founder and CEO of the NOVITZKE FAMILY INC.

I stockpile what I KNOW we use. I know what I cook with...example..I like to use alot of pasta sauces in my recipes..plus we eat alot of chicken so I'm always using chicken broth in recipes. My daughter also eats the sugar-free, fruit flavored applesauce cups...so I make sure we have lots of those on hand. Also things like deoderant, shampoo, soap, etc...it lasts forever!

I have a HUGE pantry which I call, "my personal mini-mart." It took my about a year of consistently buying extra when I went to the store. I also shop "in season." Condiments are on sale and there are coupons for them in the summer. Baking supplies are on sale and there are coupons for them in the winter! So I shop for the year.

My husband lost his job recently...It was a great job..in fact his company moved us to PA just the previous year. So when we found out that his job position was going to be relocated for Maryland...we were floored! I mean we had just bought a house here because of them! So my husband started the job search. That was in Sept. and he just barely started another "dream-job!" But in those months....he was soooo grateful that we had enough food for other supplies for us(I also stock up on my baby supplies which can get really expensive). We only had to buy fresh fruit, veggies, dairy, and the occasional meat each week. Now I'm working on rotating and rebuilding what we used.

When I was little, my father lost his job..I remember it well and I remember a couple years where we had NOTHING. So I learned that life is unpredictable and you just NEVER know what can happen...so prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

My job as a wife and mother is to take the income and manage it. My husband may earn most of the money, but without me...it wouldn't be stretched as far as it is. I take my responsibility VERY SERIOUSLY. My family's quality of life depends on it!

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Bekah
Co-founder and CEO of the NOVITZKE FAMILY INC.

I tend to stockpile on things that are one sale, or clearance, and I have a coupon to apply to the purchase. I buy non-perishables, shampoo, TP, canned goods. If there's too much, we can always donate to food pantry to help others.

I like to be able to have enough on hand for the weeks that we are tight on money, that seems to work best for us. But you do have to be careful that you don't go overboard too!

I have stockpiled for years. Now that the kids are all grown I have down sized my stockpile to just one items of everything we use all the time. I took along time to adjust to the new way and still sometimes when I see a great deal at the store I still grab three of that item instead of just one.

My DH is just now getting use to the idea that there is always a back up item in the pantry.

THere has been times when the kids come over and go shopping in the basement because they are short on food for the week. I'm happy that I can help them.

Now I need to declutter the house that is my goal for this year. and paint.

I need to stockpile more. This would save me trips (gas) to the store. But if stock to much of the wrong things my kids will waste. So I have to be carefull what items I do keep. Candy

I think stockpiling definitely makes my life easier. I keep extra on hand of the things my dh uses a lot (especially if I don't use them) because he never tells me until he is absolutely out and then its an extra trip to the store, and we live pretty far from the store. Plus I can buy additional things when I find a good sale or coupon so I'm saving money there. There have been plenty of times I was glad to have extra food on hand.

My stockpiles come in handy most often in the winter...we often get unexpected bad weather and having a stockpile means I don't have to run out and fight the crowds to get supplies.

The trick is to keep your stockpiles organized and rotate them so you don't have things that are going to expire on you. And only buy things you know you'll use. Just because Ramen noodles are on super sale doesn't mean you should buy them if they are just going to sit there and go to waste.

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Proud mommy to adorable Kinsley

I have a shelving unit in the basement where I stock pile things like canned goods, toilet paper, non perishables....I only buy stock up items if they are on really good sales. I keep a list on the frig of things that I run out of or things that I am down to one item of....I also have a plastic bin that I put school supplies in that I catch on sale for the following school year....this all contributes to my simple living because I don't have to worry about food or staples for my family....now stockpiling shoes or purses.....that might be a whole different thread!!!

The main thing that I stockpile are meats for my freezer (when they go on sale) and baby stuff, especially diapers. In fact, I buy these in bulk...I just have to be careful not to buy too many of one size...he tends to grow out of them really quickly!

Growing up my mom bought things on sale, with a coupon and a rebate. We had a grocery store in our basement (one separate room for stockpiling). It was great. We never ran out of things and when I got older and learned that my dad had lost his job we never went without food/necessities.

I stockpile. I buy with coupons and sales. I buy pasta sauce, canned fruit/veggies/pasta. I can always make a meal. Also, tissues/TP/soap/toothpaste never go bad so we have enough.

I keep a list of what I have enough of so I do not buy and what I need so I can keep an eye out for it.

This does make my life easier because sometimes I do not shop for weeks except for fresh fruit/veggies and milk