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What is actually worth buying in bulk

Tip 2010, filed under food shopping tips.

The short answer

Dry goods, tins, cleaning products and loo roll, if you have somewhere dry to keep them. Almost nothing perishable, and nothing you have not already proved you use.

  • Worth it: rice, pasta, flour, oats, tinned tomatoes and pulses, washing powder, loo roll, bin bags, pet food.
  • Not worth it: anything perishable, anything you have not bought twice already, anything that needs storage you do not have.
  • Check the unit price. The big pack is not automatically cheaper and frequently is not.
  • Store it properly. Dry, dark, sealed, off the floor, away from anything that can chew through it.
What will ruin it

Buying in bulk to save money only works if the money was going to be spent anyway. Spending sixty pounds today to save four over six months is a cash flow decision, not a saving, and it matters if money is tight.

Why it works

Bulk pricing works because it shifts storage and cash flow onto you. That is a genuine saving when you have the space and the money, and an expensive habit when you do not.

Tipking is general household information, not professional advice. Test anything on a hidden patch first. Full disclaimer.

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