What to Buy at Warehouse Stores

If you want to get the most from your warehouse membership, here is what to buy at warehouse stores.

Shopping at warehouse stores like Sam’s Club or Costco allows you to easily stock up on items your family uses. If you know what to purchase and what not to purchase you can save a good amount of money. You can create a stockpile for the month or 1-year. The choice is completely up to you! Shopping at warehouse clubs and stocking up is also a great idea for those that want to save money without using coupons. This post will give you an idea of what you should buy at warehouse stores and what you should avoid buying.

Keep in mind that this is just a guide. You should only purchase items your family will use before the expiration date.

What to Buy at Warehouse Stores

What to Buy:

Toilet Paper: Toilet paper is great to stock up on since you are always going to need it! Toilet paper doesn’t have an expiration date and you can almost bet your family is going to use it all up. I also like stocking up on toilet paper because there aren’t always great deals to be had for toilet paper with coupons.

Personal Hygiene Items: Purchasing personal hygiene products at a warehouse store is perfect since they normally don’t have an expiration date. Some of the most common items purchased are shampoo, body soap, shavers, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Baby Supplies: Stocking up on diapers, wipes, baby soaps and sometimes formula is a great idea! Knowing you have these things on hand will ensure you are always prepared and never without diapers or wipes. Purchasing formula in bulk is okay to do if you are going to use it all before it expires. Formula is very expensive so make sure you are not buying more than what you need.

Cereal and Snacks: If you have a house full of kids then you know quickly they can go through a box of cereal or snack items. Cereal and other snacks can add up very quickly. If possible try to purchase these items in bulk as this will prevent you from grocery shopping every week and always finding your pantry empty.

Meat: If you are willing to take the time to package meat in airtight bags then stocking up on meat is a good idea. Meat is expensive at traditional grocery stores so when possible take advantage of warehouse prices. These prices will often be less expensive than a grocery store.

What to Avoid Buying:

Fruits & Vegetables: Do not purchase fruits and vegetables in bulk if you do not plan on canning or dehydrating them. If you are just buying apples for your family of four to snack on you are probably better off purchasing them from the grocery store.

Condiments: Items like mayonnaise, mustard, barbecue sauce and other condiments are not recommended purchases. Once you open up these items they have to be kept in the fridge and will possibly expire before you use it all up. If for some reason you use a lot of condiments in a quick amount of time then by all means stock up.

Nuts: Nuts typically only have a 1 to 2 month shelf life. If your family doesn’t eat a lot of nuts it’s probably best to not purchase these in bulk unless you plan on freezing the extra nuts.

Bread: Unless you are going to freeze the bread, I would avoid purchasing in large quantities. Bread has a very short shelf-life and buying in bulk could mean wasting a lot of money.

To help you make your bulk buying decisions, here is a list of foods that freeze well.

What items do you typically purchase in bulk? Are there items you stay away from buying in bulk?