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Thread: Not buying something unless I need it

  1. #1
    Senior Member Sad Eyed Lady's Avatar
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    Not buying something unless I need it

    A few months ago I got into the mode of "not buying something unless I need it" quite by accident. But then I went on with it and learned a lot. I don't remember how it actually started, probably at the grocery thinking "I need so & so" and then following that thinking with "no, I still have some. I will wait until I need it". Well this took on a life of its own and became very freeing. For example, down to my last roll of paper towels, but since I use very little in the way of paper towels I decided to wait until I was out and actually NEEDED them. I applied this to almost everything, (except cat food - have to stay stocked up there!), and found out how very little I really need. I know with staples this flies in the face of those who stock up during a sale, and I can see the merit in that, but something about this is freeing as I said and when applied across all purchases, (except cat food), it was an eye opener to me. I have never been one to "stock up" anyway. DH did that, and since his passing I have been adjusting to doing things the way I need to do them and not how they have always been done. This fits me. I can see what I have, don't have to cram in and store a lot of stuff, and when I am down to the last of something it goes on the list. Any other "not till I need it" people here?
    "Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in the midnight choir, I have tried in my way to be free." Leonard Cohen

  2. #2
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    Just started this as well. I was the one who stocked up when on sale. Lately, I cleaned out my upright freezer and found things from last year that I have to eat up. Taught me a lesson that I needed. I had batteries stored that I checked at Easter and they had expired in 2012 and burst in the container. Won't buy any until absolutely necessary. And so on....
    It was a family joke about the amount of toilet tissue that I had to have on hand. i once ran out 10,000 years ago and said never again. That won't change.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  3. #3
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    If I find a something that I use on a regular basis, I know I will use it and it is on sale then I will buy it as I feel it is an unwise use of my money to wait and pay full price, i.e. dog food, chicken feed, coffee. I don’t go crazy, I buy commonly used items frequently enough to know when it will be on sale again so I don’t feel that I need to ‘stock up’.


    I waited one time until I needed dog food and paid $10.00 more that I would have should I have bought it on sale the week before. I think it a matter of balance.

  4. #4
    Yppej
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    Businesses do this all the time - just in time inventory. It lets you earn more interest or avoid paying it.

  5. #5
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    I have been stuck too many times to not have multiples of staples on hand. Broken car, illness, especially kids, hungry family members in crisis, storms, etc -(we were once snowed in for a week. In Ohio.) I don't go crazy with it, don't have a year's supply or anything like that, but enough staples to live on for at least a week or feed an unexpected bunch of people, without electric if necessary. I believe on erring on the side of "a little more than enough". I hate running out of anything. The store is not close and I don't like going to it on weekends, which is when I'm most likely to cook. I shop almost always at Aldi and roadside produce stands in season, though, so buying on sale isn't something I deal with much. Cat food comes in the mail, from Amazon points, as to get the brand I buy here requires a trip to WallyWorld, and I don't venture there often. But I agree there's a trade off in terms of storage space and money tied up. Everyone's "enough" is different!

    I don't stock up on things I can easily do without - paper towels, for example. We have plenty of rags for spills and fabric napkins for table use. I try to stay up on tissues, but we all have handkerchiefs if need be, and we always have TP, which can be used for tissue also....

  6. #6
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    Definitely "not until I need it" for a lot if things (shoes, clothes for work) but I try to stay ahead on food since we are both on an island and in an earthquake zone.

    I really like running out of things, though... gives me a sense of whether or not we actually need them.

  7. #7
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    I took this to heart yesterday when ordering small notebook for my purse to record spending. I could have saved a dollar by ordering a two pack but decided to just order one for now.
    Thanks for an interesting topic. Am trying to change from being a stocker to being "less prepared" as I have sort of a fortress mentality, unfortunately.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tybee View Post
    I took this to heart yesterday when ordering small notebook for my purse to record spending. I could have saved a dollar by ordering a two pack but decided to just order one for now.
    Thanks for an interesting topic. Am trying to change from being a stocker to being "less prepared" as I have sort of a fortress mentality, unfortunately.
    FYI... These are great at Dollar Tree or the dollar store for only $1! Time is sometimes a factor too, I know.

  9. #9
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    I hate stocking up. I dont want a package of 500 coffee filters, I want a package of 20. I dontwant 200 Q Tips, I want 50.

  10. #10
    Moderator Float On's Avatar
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    I use to be a coupon/stocker. I got tired of tripping over things and things falling off shelves because who needs 35 cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes at one time? And yes...toothpaste does go bad! For the the last few years it's been "use it up then replace it". Shopping is easier - one bag at a time instead of a truck load of bags to carry into the house and squirrel away.
    Float On: My "Happy Place" is on my little kayak in the coves of Table Rock Lake.

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