The battle of the bulk

"Mom, you buy lots of big things and put them into smaller things"

-Ella

the funnel, one of my biggest money saving devices

Things I purchase by the gallon or more that I put into smaller containers:

ranch dressing

ketchup

conditioner

hair gel

dish soap

hand soap

other bulk items that go into smaller containers:

minced onion

flour

sugar

brown sugar

powdered sugar

cinnamon

baking soda

baking powder

salt

I am sure there is more but that is all I can think of right now

Bulk purchasing can be tricky, you have to fight 'bulk consumption'.

It doesn't do you any good to use three times as much of something just because you bought three times as much of it. That is why there are some things I just won't buy too much of- because we'll just use too much of it - like potato chips (who needs those anyway?).

But when the price per unit is the lowest I can find, I buy a lot. Overtime this will ax your grocery budget. I buy more for other reasons too - One for food storage purposes and so I don't have to buy it again until the price is just as low or lower.

For ease of use I re-purpose old containers.

We have two Heinz ketchup bottles, one that holds Sam's club brand ketchup and one that holds sams club brand Ranch dressing. This is nice because the kids can't dump a giant pile of ranch for a few carrots - it just squirts out. I have a dawn dish soap container that is approximately four years old. Its held bulk janitorial supply dish soap from Sams club all that time.

I have hair gel in a cake decorating squirt bottle.

And all the conditioner bottles really have conditioner that I bought from Sally Beauty on sale intended for salons. One gallon for 6.49 plus my 15% off coupon. That is conditioner that's good quality for less than dollar store price.

One thing I am going to start doing is another trick from my favorite book. For the new year, I am writing with permanent marker and masking tape the date I open something or refill something and play a game with myself and see how long I can make it last. Dish soap will be a big hurdle for me I am a notorious waster of dish soap. Because if one drop is good three giant squirts is better. right???

so how do you fight waste in your home? Do you buy in large quantities when the price is right? got any tips on making that stuff last??