How to Build a Pantry Stock Pile on a Tight Budget

Have you ever had one of those weeks where running to the grocery store is impossible? Maybe you have a thousand appointments to keep, sick kiddo, are under the weather yourself or the weather is keeping you indoors. Or maybe your paycheck didn't last quite as long as you needed it to. I'm not going to lie, that one has happened to me more than once and the only thing that kept me from showing up on Mom's doorstep around mealtime was my stock pile in the pantry and freezer. But when you live paycheck to paycheck like so many of us do, how can you build a stock pile when you might have a food budget of $50 or less each week? Same way you make ends meet every pay period: with a lot of planning...

...and maybe a few prayers and free donuts from the break room.

But don't worry! Building a stock pile will not require you to make huge sacrifices nor drop $100 out the gate. Now of course if you happen to have the funds to have one big shopping trip to create a stock pile, then by all means do! But if you are like me and a $2 change in your budget can mean the difference between coffee this week or going without, then these tips and tricks will help you start building a stock pile in no time.

How to Build a Pantry Stock Pile on a Tight Budget

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1. Look at Recent Receipts

Do you know exactly how often you purchase toilet paper, coffee, eggs, ground beef, or any of your staples and how much you pay for them? If so, AWESOME! You have the basic building blocks to start building your stock pile. If you don't, pull out your receipts for at least the last 2-8 weeks (depending on how long you keep them). If you don't have any old receipts, you can either work from memory or start with your next shopping trip. (In a few minutes I will tell you easy ways to keep your receipts that earn you cash back on your purchases, so missing receipts will be a thing of the past!)

Pull out a notepad or create a spreadsheet on your computer. Whatever floats your boat. Now write down everything you bought, how often you bought it, the average price you paid and if possible, the size bought. You should quickly recognize which items you frequently buy and how much you spend on them. If you notice you buy 10 cans of spaghetti sauce every month, you will definitely want to have a few cans of sauce in your stock pile.

2. Write Out Typical Meals/Recipes

Next, look at what you have bought and think about what you made with these items. Write out those meals along with about how many servings they each made. For instance, I make a tomato base sauce about once a week using a 24 oz can of crushed tomatoes, a 14 oz can of petite diced tomatoes, garlic and onions. I know I can get 1 spaghetti dinner for 2, chili for 2 and still have enough leftover for one more meal that I can freeze or use that week. (We eat spaghetti and/or chili weekly because we are creatures of habit. I'm working on this though.)

If you can't recall what you made, how much/how often you made it or if you just moved out on your own and have zero references, guess. Think about your favorite and go-to meals and write out those along with their basic ingredients. There is no shame if you can only make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and buy everything else premade. It might not be cost-effective or particularly healthy, but we have all been there. And you can stock pile your pantry with whatever you want, just make sure it's food you will eat.

3. Find Money in Your Food Budget

This one can take a little work, especially if you are already an avid bargain hunter, but there are a lot of options.

Quick Disclaimer - links with an asterisk (*) are referral links and if you sign-up for these apps using the link provided and then use them, I will receive a cash bonus.

For starters, those receipts? You should be scanning them into apps like Ibotta*, Checkout 51, or Receipt Hog. These apps are essentially free money. Ibotta* and Checkout 51 pay you cash for rebates you redeem by selecting the rebate, purchasing the item, scanning your receipt and product bar code. After you hit the base threshold, you can withdraw cash.(Ibotta* also has a referral program, so if your friends sign up using your link, you get a little bonus! Checkout 51 currently does not have a referral program.) Receipt Hog is even easier to use. You simply scan your receipts from pretty much any store and earn points which can be redeemed for gift cards or PayPal cash outs. (Receipt Hog used to have a referral system but currently do not.) No matter which app(s) you use, use them as often as possible and once you get a payout, put it towards your stock pile fund.

Next, find an extra 1-2% hidden in your regular food budget. How is it hidden, you ask? Maybe you make 3 shopping trips a week and spend $40 each time instead of $100 with one big shopping trip. Or maybe you buy k-cups instead of using a reusable cup and a bag of the same coffee. Or maybe you never shop sales or look to see if that bigger size is actually cheaper than 2 smaller sizes. It doesn't matter how you find the extra money- coupon clipping, in-store sales, buying a different brand, simply find it. (I know it seems hard at first, but you can do it if you are willing. It's not a forever thing, it's just until your stock pile it built.) Then use this 1-2% in one of two ways. Either put it in a separate cash stash or buy items for your stock pile right then. (If you are really lucky and your store is running a BOGO sale on something for your stock pile, stock up for free!)

Got spare change? Whether you pay for everything in cash like we do and end up with a jar of change that hurts like crazy when you stub your toe on it every few weeks or you budgeted $50 for groceries or fun money and only used $48.67, put that spare change into your stock pile fund. It's far better to save it for food than it is to spend it on new bujo stickers, no matter how glittery that sassy llama is...even if it sucks to admit it. (It kills me to even say that, but it's true.)

3. Save Whatever You Can for Future You

Remember above when I said I make a tomato sauce and usually have a bit leftover? That bit can go into a freezer bag and used later on. Ground beef you browned up but the only bit left is not quite enough for a taco? Save it. You can use for an individual bowl of chili or add to scrambled eggs or save until you have enough for a family sized meal. (Just be mindful of freezer and fridge shelf lives! Date it, try to use it up but toss if it gets old, gross or freezer burnt.) These little bits add up to future meals. Eggs can be frozen for scrambled eggs, cheese from a BOGO sale can be frozen as can milk, cream and butter. You can also save vegetable scraps and bones for making a hearty broth or re-grow certain veggies and herbs into more fresh food. Saving for your stock pile isn't just for money!

And lastly...

4. Replace What You Use

So this seems like an obvious tip, but I am tossing it out there. Once you start your stock pile, do not use it up without replacing it! What do I mean exactly? If you keep a stock pile of 2 tins of coffee and you bust into one, add coffee to your next shopping trip list. Your stock pile isn't made to be depleted without being refreshed. This is especially true if you need the stock pile for leaner days and not just the random night of not wanting to go to the store. Don't think of replacing the item as a special purchase as you use it regularly enough to require a stock pile. You would have to purchase it anyways if you did not have a stock pile. Now you simply get to purchase it at a later date when you can more easily afford to.

I've barely scratched the surface of ways you can start building a stock pile in your pantry and freezer. For more tips, check out my Budgeting posts.

Until next time my lovelies!

-M

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