Prepping is a great excuse for stockpiling food and goods we commonly use is when they go on sale. Because we prep, I can justify buying a larger quantity than I normally would. By stocking up when an item is discounted, I save money in the long run. You can, too..
Here’s an example I spotted last week on Amazon.com. Twelve cans of Hormel natural white chicken chili with beans for 24 percent off. That’s $28.99, or $2.41 per can. If I walked into Walmart and picked up a can, it would be $3.18, or 77 cents more. When I buy a case of 12, I am saving $9.25 and I am putting food we like in my prepper pantry. I call that a win/win. Plus, if there is a price increase in the next year, I won’t get stuck paying it. If you go to the Mountain House website, their March sale is 50 percent off, a huge savings.
We also buy in bulk, both at Sam’s Club and local stores. Even when shopping online, you can save if you buy in case lots. Sure, our store room gets pretty full when you have 36 rolls of paper towels and 48 boxes of Kleenex, but that’s why we have a store room instead of a spare bedroom.
Low-Cost Ammunition
Food is the most frequent item I save money on, although I try to fill my spare gas cans when the price has dropped. Right now, gas can go from close to $2.80 down to less than $2.50 depending on which side of the state line I buy it on.
I also save money on ammo, and I track prices on several online retailers. On more than one occasion in March, I’ve had the opportunity to buy 115 grain FMJs, which I use for practice but also stockpile just in case, for $10.95 for a box of 50. That’s 22 cents a round, the lowest its been for years When Obama was president, .22LR from CCI cost more than that!
Palmetto Armory was selling their 77 grain 5.56 for just $9.99 a box, or 50 cents per round, as a St. Patrick’s Day special. That’s a damn good price for this premium bullet. I’ve recently seen 55 grain 5.56 for $399 for 1,000 rounds, or 40 cents per round. That’s not as good as buying a 1,000-round case for $299 back fifteen or twenty years ago, but it is a good price these days, especially when it is from a top-tier manufacturer.
Bargaining
Don’t be afraid to bargain or ask for a volume discount, especially if you are paying cash. This might not work at a big box store, but many of our rural businesses are family owned. The other day, one had an item for sale near the register for $3. I asked if they would take $10 for four, and they readily agreed. Now granted, saving 50 cents per item is not a big deal, but it is a 17 percent discount. That adds up.
When I make an offer, the other party sometimes says, “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.” Maybe they don’t have permission, or maybe they know they can’t go that low. I just take it in stride. Sometimes they make a counter offer, and I usually accept that. I’m not trying to nickel and dime them to death, and a compromise still means I saved more than I would if I paid list price.
Careful Shopping
There are hundreds of blogs and YouTube channels on how to save money on your grocery shopping. Use whatever approach works for you, but don’t make the mistake of buying things you won’t use. For example, we picked up some Crest toothpaste on sale. Well, I’m not a fan of Crest and prefer Arm & Hammer. In a long-term disaster when there is no toothpaste to be had, or if we experience hyperinflation and a tube costs $35, I’ll use the Crest. For now, however, I’m going to buy another tube of Arm & Hammer when this one runs out.
One problem with couponing is people buy things they don’t need just so they can save money. Well, it isn’t a savings if it is a product no one in your family uses. For example, you won’t see me buying extra broccoli just because it is on sale.
Sharing the Benefits
Back when I was in a prepper group, we would buy things in bulk to save money. This included a pallet of empty 5-gallon pails, lids, Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. Then we got together a couple times a year and had a food storage party. By working together, the job of packing up ten or twelve 5-gallon pails each went quickly. We also shared ideas and reports of where to buy food for storage. In one case, a fellow with a Ford F-250 went to a grain mill in another city and picked up 50-pound bags of wheat and oats. Individuals placed their own orders, but he saved us all the trouble of going there by making just the 100-mile round trip and picking up everyone’s order.
When I shot competitively, shooters would often get together and place bulk orders for buy ammo or reloading components and have them delivered to one guy who owned a building with a loading dock. This would not only allow us to get volume pricing and have them shipped on a pallet, but we could split the cost of the hazardous material shipping surcharge.
Start a Business
An unheralded way to save is to start a small business and then get wholesale pricing. For example, when the family who owns the local hardware had to make repairs to their house after Hurricane Helene struck, they paid a contractor for the work but insisted on buying all the materials themselves. Because they had the business relationships to buy lumber and building materials at wholesale, they saved money.
If you own horses, for example, why not offer boarding, if you have the space? Then you can buy feed in bulk and spread out your vet and farrier costs. Not only can you make a profit on the feed you resell, but you will save money on the feed your animals eat. I know a guy who does this and the local feed mill throws in free delivery because of his high volume. Likewise, if you want to raise beef cows or goats, raise a few for yourself and get paid to a raise few for someone else who wants fresh meat. As long as you have the pasture, it’s not much more work to care for eight goats than it is to raise four or six.
Once you have a small business, hire an accountant and have him help you identify other ways to save, such as having the business pay for your cell phone or buying your next pickup truck. I am convinced the secret to beating the IRS is to have a small business and let it pay for your legitimate business expenses, all of which are tax deductible.
Otherwise, just keep shopping the sales and stocking up. You can’ have too much food when the SHTF.
