It’s common knowledge now that purchasing in bulk can often save you money. Big retailers like Costco rely on that, and while sometimes even their bulk purchases end up being more expensive, most of the time it’s definitely worth your effort to lug that 45 pound bag of flour home. This principle, however, can also apply to various other areas of your financial life. Most companies would rather have the guarantee of your business over a longer period of time rather than a single high initial cost. So how can you take advantage of that knowledge in order to save yourself some cash? Here’s three ways.
Movie Package vs Single Order
Do you find that you rent a lot of movies? The majority of major cable providers have movie ordering options. If you find that you rent one or two movies every month, consider instead purchasing a whole movie package. Sometimes it’s cheaper to get it straight from your teleco, and sometimes it’s better to go with an external option like Netflix. Just remember to cancel the service when you’ve watched everything that you want. For example, if you find you watch a lot of movies, then get Netflix for 3 or 4 months. Watch everything you’re interested in during that time, then quit. In 6 months, try them out again. That way you can get the best of the content without paying for it year round. As Netflix adds and changes their selection over time, you’ll still be able to get the best of what’s available.
Clothing
It’s amazing to me how much money people will pay for simple items of clothing. Socks, underwear, and undershirts can all get really pricey when you shop at the right places. Sure, they may be of the “highest quality”, but a lot of these items of clothing are going to be the first that wear down anyways. I can definitely understand getting that favorite pair of socks, or that perfect bra for special occasions, but spending a ton of money on daily use items doesn’t make sense to me. Bulk packs from Winners/Wal-Mart will save you money over purchasing individual items. Try a few different brands until you find the one that fits you the best, then purchase them whenever they are on sale. Bonus tip to make your clothes last longer: undershirts should be worn under your more expensive dress shirts/etc, even in warmer weather. Your sweat, which is inevitable, is best soaked up by the less expensive shirt and not by the expensive hand crafted cotton.
Subscriptions
Do you have any magazine subscriptions? How long are you subscribed for? Purchasing magazine subscriptions – especially to multiple titles at the same time, can save you tons of cash. So if you know that you want to get a lot of magazines in the mail, or if you like having them to bring to your office, then consider purchasing magazine subscriptions in bulk. Also, changing the length of time you’re subscribed for (6 months – 1 year – 3 years) can also drastically change the per issue cost. Other subscriptions, like to various online sites (dropbox, streaming websites, etc) also provide discounts the longer you subscribe for.
How else do you take advantage of “buying in bulk”?
Alternative Bulk Purchases,
I disagree about the underwear part. For underpants, this may be true, but not for bras. Having a comfortable, supportive, well-fitting one can make all the difference in how you feel during the day (especially for more ‘well endowed’ women). You may be able to find this in a cheaper bra, but if not, it’s worth the extra cash to be more comfortable and supported all day, and they usually look better too.
And with socks, I find if you go with the really cheap ones, they wear out much faster. I still buy the cheaper multi-packs, but stick to brands like Hanes or Fruit of the Loom. A couple of times I’ve tried to save money buying off brands, and have regretted it each time. One time in particular I bought my boyfriend a large pack of off brand socks for very cheap (either walmart or superstore, don’t remember) and some of them had holes after only one wearing. And they all were toast in the first month or so. The extra few dollars to upgrade to a name brand is worth it for me because they last so much longer. And for those who work outside in winter, it can be worth it to spend more on warmer, thicker socks to keep the tootsies warm.
Usually splitting a cart at Costco with a friend will allow you both to reap the benefits but you have to know what you’re looking for. The big box stores know that many shoppers don’t look closely at prices in bulk. The “buy 4 for $__” sometimes is more expensive than buying a single one. As a shopper you must be aware of this and as bulk buying continues to grow in popularity I would think store will try this more and more. Great article.
James
I saved a lot of money by buying discount group movie tickets. Also, I found buying and renewing subscriptions online saved me money as well. There are a lot of websites that discount magazine subscriptions.
I think that Redbox is cheaper than Netflix, simply because if you have Netflix, then you’re motivated to watch a movie every day.
Netflix – they let you start/stop membership any time. Easy to alternate months to only run the membership every other month.
Of course it wold be wrong to get the DVD, rip a copy, send it right back, and after getting the top 12 or so, putting the account on hold. I’m sure some people do it though.
I agree to Kathleen> I think that Redbox is cheaper than Netflix, simply because if you have Netflix, then you’re motivated to watch a movie every day.
$20 for a pair of top-quality wool socks (like Darn Tough) and you have a pair that will last you a lifetime. We have gotten rid of all of my husband’s cheap socks and are replacing them with a few Darn Tough socks. Definitely, definitely worth the price even if they cost twice as much. To be honest – he works outside all year and has even worn through a pair of those, but they’ll replace them for free. Won’t get that with cheap Walmart socks.