Bulking Up

buying-in-bulk

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Does stocking up at price clubs really save money — or is it all just a waste?

With TV shows and blogs devoted to extreme couponing and buying in bulk, many consumers are wondering if they really can make ends meet by buying industrial-sized packs of toilet paper.

Bulk Buying

122 million
Combined membership at three largest warehouse clubs, Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s
Despite their drawbacks, warehouse clubs are popular.
Basic membership fees
Sam’s Club $40
BJ’s $50
Costco $55

So, Is it Worthwhile?

Yes …
$2,395
Annual savings for average family that spends $150 a week at price clubs
31%
How much less warehouse prices are compared to other stores
… And no
Average amount of items in store
Costco 4,000
Sam’s 4,900
BJ’s 7,200
Supermarket 50,000
Wal-Mart 100,000

Making it Work

Successful bulk shopping depends largely on what you buy. Here are the smartest (and dumbest) bulk club purchases you can make:
Buy
Alcohol
35% savings on hard liquor
25% savings on beer
Meat
25% savings on ground beef (assuming you have freezer space)
Cereal
50% savings
Spices
78% (assuming you use it before it spoils)
Batteries and light bulbs
63% savings
Toilet paper and paper towels
43% savings
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
35% savings
Don’t buy
Soda
Promotions can often be found at non-bulk stores with good deals toward the middle of the month.
Condiments
Unless splitting amongst a huge household, these items usually expire before they can be consumed.
Bleach
It degrades after six months, so unless you do a ton of bleaching, it’s not usually beneficial.
Brown rice
It typically expires in six months compared to white rice – which can last up to 30 years.
Beauty products
The shelf life is often six months to one year and unless you’re a makeup artist, it’ll probably go unused.

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SOURCES:
http://money.msn.com
http://www.consumerreports.org
http://www.dailyfinance.com
http://www.learnvest.com
http://www.npr.org
http://www.controlnroll.com
http://money.howstuffworks.com
http://www.cnbc.com
http://www.costco.com
http://www.samsclub.com
http://www.bjs.com