Buying in bulk is the golden rule of frugality, but you have to do it right to see the savings. You need to focus on items that are shelf-stable and used frequently in your weekly meal rotation. If you buy the right staples, you can drop your cost per serving to pennies. It also saves you from those last-minute emergency trips to the store that always cost too much. Here are the six items that you should never buy in small packages.
1. White Rice
White rice is effectively immortal if you store it in a cool and dry place away from sunlight. A small two-pound bag at the grocery store might cost you two or three dollars. However, a twenty-pound bag at an Asian market or warehouse club often costs less than fifteen. You will save massive amounts of money over the course of a year. It is the perfect filler for any budget meal you can imagine.
2. Dried Beans
Canned beans are convenient, but dried beans are where the real savings happen for your wallet. You can buy a twenty-pound bag of pinto or black beans for a fraction of the cost of cans. They do require a bit of soaking, but the texture is far superior to the mushy canned versions. Dried beans also have an indefinite shelf life if kept in airtight containers. They are the cheapest source of protein you can put in your pantry.
3. Rolled Oats
Those little packets of instant oatmeal are a complete rip-off when you look at the price per ounce. You should buy the large tub or the twenty-five-pound bag of old-fashioned rolled oats instead. Oats are incredibly versatile and can be used for breakfast, baking, or even as a meat extender. They hold up well in long-term storage without going rancid, as brown rice does. You are paying for the packaging, not the oats, when you buy the small boxes.
4. Popcorn Kernels
Microwave popcorn is expensive and filled with chemicals that you probably do not want to eat. A large bag of raw popcorn kernels costs pennies and makes a massive amount of snacks. You can pop them on the stove with a little oil or in a brown paper bag in the microwave. It is a healthy, whole-grain snack that costs almost nothing to make. You will never go back to the fake butter bags once you try this.
5. Salt and Spices
Buying those tiny glass jars of spices is one of the biggest markups in the entire grocery store. You should look for the bulk spice section or buy large bags at an ethnic market. A pound of salt or garlic powder costs roughly the same as a few ounces in a shaker jar. You can simply refill your existing jars and save a fortune. Spices do not spoil quickly if you keep them away from heat and moisture.
6. Honey
Real honey never spoils, which makes it the ultimate bulk purchase for your pantry. You can buy a large jug from a local beekeeper or Costco for a much lower unit price. If it crystallizes, you just have to warm it up to make it liquid again. It is a great natural sweetener that lasts forever on the shelf. You are wasting money every time you buy those cute little plastic bears.
The Bulk Win
Buying these six staples in bulk is the easiest way to lower your grocery bill immediately. You just need a few food-safe buckets or jars to keep everything organized. It turns your pantry into a mini grocery store that is always stocked. You will save money and reduce the amount of packaging waste you create. It is a win for your wallet and the planet.
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