Are you the one who manages your monthly finances and is responsible for buying groceries and food items for yourself and your family? Then you must have wondered if buying groceries and food items in bulk would save you any money!

Well, you could certainly get an answer to that! All you need to do is take some of your time and go through this post.

Bulk purchases might be very overwhelming – particularly if you want to stay within your spending plan. Before actually walking into the wholesale food store, you should have a proper game plan. So, here we have something prepared for everyone who has ever wondered about buying items in bulk! Let us begin.

Tips to Shop at a Wholesale Store

When you walk into a wholesale food store, you might find numerous things that might look tempting. Even though it may be appealing to pick up the 80- ounce Jar of mayonnaise, ask yourself would you use that?

 It is wasteful to buy in large quantities if it is merely going to end up in your trash can. So try to consider selecting items that you and your family are going to eat.

You can contact Canadian food suppliers which are more convenient when you are shopping for groceries and food to compare the costs of various products from various brands, but it is especially important when you are buying in bulk.

Calculating the price-per-unit is quite essential here. However, what does “price per unit” actually mean? Don’t sweat over it! It’s just a little bit of basic maths. You only need to calculate how much you are paying for each item that you purchase.

You can very quickly do the maths like:

Price of the entire item / Amount or number of items purchased = Price per unit

If you are not so good with doing the math in your head, you can quickly use your phone to figure it out.

What items should you consider buying in bulk?

Although it might not be relevant for every scenario, generally speaking, there are several things that people can expect to get a better deal than the market price.

Do not give in to the urge to buy everything that you look at or in fear of returning past the checkout counter empty-handed. Instead, think through to “get your money’s worth” before you start putting items on your cart at the wholesale food store. Do not overspend your budget!

Below is a list of items that you must consider purchasing in bulk-

  • Toiletries like sanitary pads, tampons, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, etc.
  • Items needed for dental care such as dental floss or toothbrush.
  • Rice
  • Canned items
  • Paper towels and kitchen napkins
  • AA and AAA a batteries
  • Breakfast cereal
  • Chewing gum
  • Dry pulses, seeds, beans, etc.

What Items Should Never be Bought in Bulk?

Even though you might get great deals when bulk shopping, buying everything in bulk quantities may not be the most innovative idea. Some items are just simply unnecessary or over the top for your house as well as your budget.

And sure, we will continue to stress this once again: DO NOT purchase items in large quantities if you are not going to use them- especially things that will go bad after a few days. It is usually a significant gamble to shop for perishable products in bulk quantities.

There is a high chance that these items will spoil before you get to eat them all. Getting 20 avocados for just only $4 is a great deal. But what purpose would it serve if it all goes bad before you could even taste them?

So, spare yourself from the pain of throwing away the food and skip purchasing items like:

  • Dairy products (except cheese)
  • Fruits
  • Any item that will perish easily
  • Spices
  • Veggies
  • Condiments like mustard or mayonnaise

Points to keep in mind before buying in bulk

Shopping at a wholesale food store could be exciting. But before you end up clearing out the shelves, you must consider asking yourself the following questions:

  • Will you be able to eat all of it before it goes bad?
  • Do you have sufficient room in your freezer or cupboards to store the items?
  • Is the price per unit less than the market price?
  • Is it within your budget?
  • Do you need it?

Apart from all these points, you must also consider that all these wholesale food stores need you to pay for a yearly membership. That alone can cost you about 45 to 60 dollars or more per year.

Does Bulk Shopping Save you any Money?

Yes, it does. Although, it is dependable on what you choose to buy.

If you purchase things that you regularly, you might save a lot of money. It might not look much when you calculate your monthly budget. But if you estimate your entire yearly saving, then you will surely see the difference.

With proper strategic shopping and budgeting, you might end up saving hundreds of dollars every year.

Despite everything, even if you choose not to purchase in bulk, you should always try to strategize and plan before you spend your hard-earned dollars on food, grocery, and other items.

So, take out a few more minutes of your day and sketch out a budget and shopping list before going out for groceries the next time.