Coffee With Collin: Stockpile Organization
This week’s Coffee with Collin is all about stockpiling. Although many of you may expect that I have a huge stockpile of all the deals that I have snagged in the last few years, you may be surprised to learn that my stockpile is actually rather small and is all contained within my pantry, under my bed, and on a shelf in my garage. I also love to donate items and share my excess with friends, family and neighbors!
**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.
So how about you? Where do you stockpile all your goodies? Do you have any creative ways to store items? Please share with us in the comments below.
thanks so much for your tips. I love the containers under the bed and the big basket idea..
I do not have enough to fill an entire room like some hahaha, and since i am a 31 consultant i use a bunch of there organizing totes and cubes to organize my bathroom stockpile nder my sink, my cleaning supplies stock in my utility room and my food items in my very tiny pantry 🙂 i would attach pics but not sure how to do that.
Shoot me an email with your pics (collin@hip2save(dot)com)
Thanks! 🙂
wanna see these!
Love, love 31 🙂
Thanks so much for your stockpile. I often donate things to my family. I also send my brother & his family down a box of stuff every few months. I just fill up one of the $11.95 boxes with goodies. I also donate most of my travel size items to the hospital’s. I also gives lots of stuff to other family.
To organize I just got a 5 tier shelf and set it up in my garage. I agree that it helps to see what you have so you can know when your running low on something.
I fill up one of those boxes for my brother too. He is in the Military an lives on base. He has troubles sometimes finding certain type things. But he loves getting the box off goodies each month. It helps him save up for when he can get time off to be able to come home. 🙂
I never thought of donating the travel size items to the hospitals. I’ll have to call our local hospital and V A Hospital to see if they accept them. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Another great use for your travel size items is to donate to a battered womens shelter. They give every woman coming in a bag of personal products, so smaller sized items are wonderful for them.
I recently returned from Afghanistan and it was always nice to get the “good” stuff from home so I use my extra deals to return the favor by sending care packages to friends who are there now.
Thanks so much for your service to keep us all safe Amy! I have 8 men & women who I send stuff to every couple of weeks. They all love it and my kids always make sure they write a letter or make them a card. It’s not much, but it makes our family feel good to know that we are putting smiles on those brave men & womens faces.
Hi Collin!
I am a working single mother of three gorgeous small children! I have found that since becoming a Mom I have switched from buying the “extras” for myself to buying diapers and wipes for them! Since I have been introduced to your site, only about a month ago, I have been able to buy myself some nice body washes, fancy face washes and even some pretty pricey make-up! It had been so long since I had bought myself these things, it feels amazing to use all my new goodies! Thank you so very much!!!
Thanks Collin and all the great folks here @ H2S. I love this site and I recommend it to everyone I know or meet. I’m not really a stock piler I guess. When I find a good deal, I buy 1 for everyone in my house (4) and that way, I won’t go overboard or clear a shelf. I’m ALWAYS recycling things, from my wardrobe (I shop at yard sales, Goodwill and Salvation Army), to giving craft stuff to my teacher friends, to donating food every month to a local food bank or the boy scouts in our area. I “think” I may have 3 months worth of stuff at any given time. Thank you for your video series. You are changing thousands of lives for the better! 😀
As for my free stuff…It all goes into 4 brightly covered boxes and my friends & family all know they are welcome to take whatever they would like from those boxes. I like it to be in a box so then hubby won’t get after me for having “stuff” all over the house 😉
I hear ya!
I love your interior style. Could we take a glimpse into your kids rooms one day to see how you organize kids toys and stuff?
Great video idea! I’ll see what I can do! 🙂
This would be great!! I used to live on base housing too (Mid Way Park to be exact) & I would be interested in how you organize everything. My closet is organized but it looks like a toy store. LOL!!
Ditto! Many of us including me don’t have a lot of space so these are great tips. I am always struggling with all the kids toys, clothes, books etc. so i’d also be very interested.
LOL – i am so there with an abundance of stuff… who needs 30 bottles of mens body wash!!! or 23 fusion razor…
i use and old chest of drawers to put my surplus in. the chest is stored in my utility room.
my husband has since told me i can only get the items that are totally free of money makers.
however on another note, i do donate items to a friend who is part of a group “navy moms”, they send care packages over seas.
on thing, i stocked up on the scrubbing bubbles power spray bathtub cleaner. have the starter kit and the refills… no wonder it was cheap or free…. i hate the stuff…. it works but not to my liking
You know my husband works outside and showers like 2 times a day and has to scrub – so we need 30 bottles of bodywash or else I have to get more all the time! lol – he also uses the gel deoderant because he gets rashes with the stick kind – and he goes through a tube a week – so again, having 30 deoderants on hand really helps save time for my family. But, like I said – he works outside and gets dirty and he hates feeling dirty or smelly. lol – so yes, some people do need that much on hand. However, I only buy more when we are running low and riteaid will let me put in an order so not to “wipe out” shelves.
Thanks for being real and transparent! Great topic!!!
I would also add that our church has recently begun working with an urban elementary school and 40% of the janitorial budget was cut this year so they have been in dire need of things like kleenex, hand sanitizer, bandaids, the teachers are buying their own paper and the school has put in showers because some kids are from poor homes that may not have hot or running water so the school is even providing laundering and showers and requested donations of travel size shower supplies. This is a great way to help the community because what kid can learn when they are worried about being bullied because the haven’t been able to shower…. etc. So if you are looking for another venue to donate, consider your local schools.
Thanks again Collin!
This makes me remember a story my Dad told me about attending a school (must have been in the late 50’s) where everyone was required to shower first thing when they got to school. In our schools, that would be absolute chaos.
I know some schools have programs where the kids earn points for good behavior, grades etc. Then there’s a “school store” for the kids to spend their points on little toys and treats. A friend of mine that helps organize a school store in our area said that lots of the kids buy shampoo, toothpaste and other essentials because they don’t have them at home. She’s even had kids buy toothbrushes so that they have their own and don’t have to share with their siblings. 🙁
Collin … are you dishwasher-washing your pans??? NO!!! They look like it … poor pans. 🙁
Otherwise … I love that you are not encouraging “extreme” behavior!
Seriously Nata-Leigh?? You’re criticizing Collin for dishwasher-washing her pans??!! NO!!! Do you know how much time and energy she spends on this site to save You money? Not to mention taking care of her little ones. Maybe she doesn’t have as much “free” time as you. Seriously…is criticism necessary? (and of all people…towards Collin?)
LOL! i agree elisabeth, don’t come to my house I throw everything in the dishwasher……..WE should be building each other up not down!!!!!
I don’t think she was criticizing her at all. I have the same pans that Collin has and if you put them in the dish washer, the outside becomes “spotted” because of the strength of the soap. I should know, because mine look just like Colins 😉 The pans may not look the greatest, but they still work wonderful and I learned a lesson next time I buy a new set.
I too learned the hard way and when I bought a new set I started handwashing them instead of putting them in the dishwasher. I think she was offering a tip & didn’t mean to come off offensive…
What can I say… I Heart my dishwasher! 😉
a tip to get off those water stains is to put about a teaspoon of dish washing soap (like dawn I found to be best) in the dishwasher and takes them right out. I love my dishwasher too
My pans that are dishwasher safe are my husband’s FAVORITE for me to use because he does the dishes each night, and puts EVERYTHING in that he can. I don’t care – I’m not the one doing the dishes. 🙂
lol – I am just plain lazy – with 3 kids (2 under 3 and a ten yr old that has congnitive thinking struggles) and a husband who really wears me out with his lack of organizing – the pans are the last of my worries; 😉
OH and I Love the pan and lid organizer you have there!! I always try to keep my pand organized with the lids on them all nice where they go – and my family jsut throws them around and doesn’t put them neatly in there when they put dishes away – so totally loving that hanging thing. I think I may get me one!
are you seriously commenting on her pans? she was kind enough to “open her home” for us and your comments might make her feel bad…….sorry for collin
I was thinking that too! Man, I could not invite thousands of people to see the inside of my home, whether or not I dishwash my pans would probably be the smallest “offense” people would notice, Thanks for sharing Collin!!! I too dishwash all my pots and pans, my motto is “If it doesn’t survive the dishwasher, I didn’t want it anyways”
(lol, ok with a few exceptions).
You guys, I am pretty sure she meant it as a joke. Relax. 🙂
I’m recently slowly back on track of coupons again after the disaster in my country. And now I do very little coupons compared to the past I used to do. I realized that my stockpile started overwhelming me. I store them in so many bins and put them in a room upstairs b/c our garage is half broken so can’t store anything there.
I love to shop itself, so love to get deals as well. But I feel maybe 2-3 month supply is enough for us. I wish I could store more like 6-12 month, but we don’t have enough space and don’t really need that much.
We have too many stuff at home now, so I’m trying to slim them down. I should buy what really need, not just I want. Tough for me though..
I agree with you, Karin. I’m also getting back on my feet of couponing recently. After spent too long time to organized and got very frustrated, I knew I had to do something better. So now, I try to focus on what I would seriously need, not just because something is great deal. Or if I get awesome deal (like I got some FREE shaver set (reg.$8) after coupons recently), then I can share with someone who need it. It always someone will appreciate your thought to them. I’ll having garage sale soon and would love to get rid off tons of unwanted stuff then if I get more space (really hope so), I might think again for what is the best way to do for stockpile for my house then.
I started thinking what really need for us. Our stockpile is not getting huge anymore. Maybe I need to buy a little more toilet papers & paper towels when they are on sale b/c we have only 3 package left. Before I start coupons, I was really into shopping for baby clothes.lol So I need to go through my bins of baby clothes and give them to my hubby’s co-worker who has a baby boy. I’m happy to be able to help others by favorite clothes. 🙂
I made a few hundred dollars at my last garage sale selling items from my stockpile (said pile was totally out of control)! People really felt like they were getting a bargain with $1 name brand toothpaste. They had no idea Walgreens had already “paid” me a dollar to take that toothpaste home. I packed up the leftovers and donated them to a local women’s shelter. And started all over again, but with the goal of only a modest stockpile!
Good for you – in my area several people put out their CVS items at garage sales, but they try to sell them at LEAST at full retail price… and they keep dragging out boxes and boxes of the same stuff every year, getting dustier and ickier… bleah! =)
Thanks Collin always informative. We’re military too, and my husband has only one rule. I can’t have more stuff than I can use before we move. I estimate how much of something we use especially body wash and we usually know about our move date. Once I hit that number I stop. Since we move every 2 years it keeps my stockpile pretty low. On food I stick to a 1-2 month supply. I really appreciate that you showed that not everyone is a hoarder just because they coupon. I have found due to recent media attention that I spend alot of time defending to people that just because I coupon doesn’t mean I have 40 bottles of something. Thanks everyone else for your comments about ways to get rid of extras. I just gave my mother in law 3 bags of groceries since my closet was getting a little full. She really appreciated the Gain dryer sheets!
Its interesting to read the comments and to interpret from them what some people consider a large or a small stockpile. Seeing Collin’s, I would consider that to be large based on what I usually have stockpiled these days. However, there was a day when I had a lot more. Its funny, when I lived in a smaller house we had more of a stockpile than we do now that I have a large house with plenty of room to store things. However, shortly after we moved I became ill and just didn’t have the energy for shopping. That stockpile saved us many times when I just couldn’t stand up long enough to go shopping. Now I am trying to find a happy medium between what we have now and what we had before.
I’ve been at this for over 3 years now and I have discovered that some sales just *don’t* come around again. If you find a product you love and there is an amazing deal, stock up. Many new products have awesome coupons and sales that you won’t find again when the product has been around a while. I don’t mean buy 100 bottles of lotion just because you love it and get it free, be realistic. I buy for about 6 months to a year at a time because there are some things that in 3 years I have only saw one fabulous deal on. Sure, every week there are body wash and tooth paste and deodorant deals but if you use a specific (sometimes obscure) brand and are loyal to that then take advantage of the deals you find and make sure you have enough to last a while!
Ok! I feel better about our small house now, because we have more storage space. 😉 Now I just need to get mine as cute looking as yours is! Thanks for showing us your stockpile and that by “stockpile” it doesn’t have to be extreme in any way, shape or form. 🙂 The only thing I buy loads of when I can get cheap is toilet paper. One can never have too much toilet paper! 😀
great video, i am starting up a coupon class soon and all your ideas are very helpful
A coupon class?
teaching others how to coupon and save money…….
I should do a coupon class. How do you get started on one? Do you do a Power Point?
Collin thank you so much for sharing your tips…I have been following you for about a year and a half now and I am known as a crazy couponer in my circle of friends and family..LOL. But just as you were saying you can get obessed with it….I remind myself daily, my relationships are more important and I give alot of my stuff away to the point where my husband complains about it… (he is the one that thought I was waisting my time doing coupons in the first place)I am so happy I have been blessed with more than enough and I can share…May God bless you and your family always…Dot
That was very informative! Thanks for the ideas. The under-the-bed idea and the basket idea are two things I will especially use. I’m just starting up a house so organization ideas help me figure out how to run my household! 🙂 I am also just starting couponing, and my couponing friends told me to come to your site. They were right about that! I love your site. Thank you for everything. You make this all so much more manageable.
Love your site! I too recommend it to everyone who is interested in deal shopping!
Collin,
I log onto your site probably 5 times a day. I’m usually quiet and don’t say much but just wanted you to know how much you’re appreciated. I love your videos. You’re just so darn cute! I love that you’re a real human being with a fun personality, energetic approach, and an organized thinker. I think we could be buds if you lived in Nashville! ;o) I became a part-time worker a year ago to spend more time at home with my little one and your site has really helped our budget!! Thank you, thank you, and thank you <3
Well, if I’m ever in the Nashville area we’ll have to get together… maybe do a little deal shopping! 🙂
That would be so much fun!! It’s funny b/c if you would have asked me 2 years ago if a couponing trip to the store sounded like fun I would have looked at you like you were nuts, haha! Now, I dream about it at night…literally. Yes, if you ever come to Nashville shoot me an e-mail!! It’s such a fun city!
Thanks for the Monday afternoon reality check.
I really enjoyed this video and its message.
I live in a 2-story house (but not huge) circa 1980’s before they started giving over all the square footage to the bonus room concept (many are not built over the garage but actually steal space from other rooms)
I could potentially go crazy stockpiling with all the closets, shelves, pantries, etc in here. We have 3 linen closets, 2 pantries, a HUGE coat closet, walk-in closets in all bedrooms, an upstairs hallway closet, shelves in the laundry and huge vanities in the bathrooms (the black holes for health and beauty products). I knew before starting this that my husband would not abide me taking over the garage, LOL. It’s always been for cars and “garage stuff.”
I actually never went “wild” because I have to pay taxes on even free stuff-8.25% on food and 9.25% on prepared food/other goods. It’s a pretty fair tax burden considering we don’t have personal property tax or income tax–BUT it makes me hesitate before just bringing stuff home. If I get a “free” item worth $1 I will still be paying over .09 for it. Added up, if it’s not something you “need” it’s still spending money unnecessarily.
I’ve also never wanted to use coupons on trial sizes to get them free. I have a little issue about over packaging when I don’t have a real need for lots of tiny packaged items. Plus, it’s annoying as all get out to try to get that last ounce out!
These days, when I “bargain shop” I take out a set amount of cash and when it’s gone, no more bargain hunting for say, 2 weeks! On occasion I have wanted to run down to Walgreen’s to get a super deal and scrounged around for the change to pay for it. It makes it too easy to ignore the real cost when using a debit card.
I am looking forward to the annual post office food drive so I can clean out the food pantries a bit. I probably only have a few bags worth than can be considered “overstock” but it seems hardly anyone participates.
I will say my husband has never said a word about how many “deals” I bring in. I think it’s because he’s never had to trip over it, had it fall on his head out of a closet or had me ask him for more grocery money because I overbought on a deal and ignored our “needs.”
He also finally realized on his own that he needs to stay home from the grocery. He would blow the budget (even with me using coupons). I can come out of a store spending $50 where he would spend $150.
Thanks Collin! I was watching the secret millionaire last night and there was a man he found who made hygiene kits with travel sized products and distributed them. The whole time I was thinking about how easy it would be for couponers to make hygiene kits and take them to shelters. It really was helping so many people. I went right to my stockpile to see what I had that I could do that with and I had everything it would take to make several kits. Thanks so much for all you do. You have taught me how to save so much and I am able to help others with it too.
I saw that episode too! I also thought of all the sample/trial size stuff we get for free and how great it would be to share that with others.
I saw it too and I must say I cried. I wish I could have big impacts. People who like to give know how I feel, it just feels so darn good and your not happy unless you are helping and giving. Some people are just so darn amazing. Not the millionaire people who haven’t got a clue until they do this show, hopefully they all stay on the getting involved and learning to give. I believe when you give from the heart, no attachments, conditions, and never ever bring it up to that person or others (especially others that know the one you helped), It comes back to you when you least expect it. I’m sorry but I do believe in Karma. And good Karma has come my way more than i could count or remember. I think it’s great you went right away to do it too. 🙂
Collin, I love th real-ness of your videos. My favorite, the worscestershire sauce (yes, I had to look up how to spell it, LOL!)! I don’t know how to say that dang word either, HAHA! So needless to say, I thought this part of the clip was pretty cute 🙂 Anyway, I live in base housing as well… and man oh man…. our house is nothing compared to yours! I love your decorating you did with the place! Especially your bed spread… oooo! Okay anyway, enough that…! Thanks for the video, I like what you did with the personal care items under the bed. As I stated previously, we live in base housing as well and are very limited on space! So this is a wonderful idea! Thanks so much!
I am convinced it is impossible to say that word without sounding intoxicated. 😉
I LOVED this video!…The worst…wurt..worsh…How do I say that? Completely cracked me up. You are just too funny and helpful for words.
I use a toddler size shoe box to store different kinds of snacks in the car. It is the perfect size to keep packs of crackers and the snack size ziplocks together and to keep them from getting lost or smashed. It’s a life saver when we’re out of the house longer than I had planned and are hungry, lots of $$ saved from buying convenience items or not-so-healthy fast food snacks!
love this idea! For some reason I never thought to use a shoe box, but that would help to keep the snacks from getting squished! We travel a lot…so eating in the car saves us time and money! 🙂
Hi Collin,
I’m glad to see your not a hoarder, I love good deals too and probably have a very similar stockpile. I’ve been couponing for a few years now and so I’m comfortable knowing that there are deals around ever corner.
We always try to donate as much as possible too, Some of the blogger’s that have been on tv lately probably have more than they’ll every use. Thanks for reminding us it’s ok to skip deals when you don’t need them!
Off topic from other comments, but I noticed the bag you mentioned you got from target was one I also signed up for and it has not arrived yet…did anyone else get their target travel beauty sized bag with samples yet? I went on vacation for two weeks and the only thing waiting was the waterpik neti bottle. I am worried the post man sabotaged me lol. I was expecting a secret deoderant, the target bag and something else that I cannot remember right now.
My mom, sis & I all received our Target bags last week. Maybe yours will come soon!
I haven’t gotten my bag, either or the neti bottle. I don’t think I’ve been “sabotaged” but for some reason, a lot of my freebies tend to arrive on the same day, although they are from different offers, different manufacturers, etc. Maybe the way my post office sorts this class of mail? Like they are not required to deliver it on a certain schedule??
I am looking forward to the Target bag, especially the coupons.
Haven’t gotten my bag yet either (We’re in OR), but my daughter did (in FL).
I haven’t received my bag yet here in Missouri…
I live in Texas…haven’t gotten mine either…but will certainly be excited when it shows up! Here’s to hoping it’s SOON!
Kentucky and I got mine!
Got mine 3/24 in SC
I love your under-the-bed storage idea and basket-for-travel-items idea. Right now I have all my travel/sample size items in a box in the closet and they NEVER get used. I have the perfect basket and plan on using your idea TODAY. 🙂 You have officially freed up a precious spot in my linen closet! Thanks!
I was watching your video, and at the cleaner section of the video, my 5 y/o says “now thats impressive” LOL I just had to share!!! Thank for everything Collin 🙂 blessings
Too cute! 🙂
I’m so jealous of your pantry! I have sliding doors on my pantry and I’d so love to do the shoe organizer for my stuff! I just toss it in the pantry and it gets lost at times! lol Single bars need a place to go….Anyone have any ideas on what to do with that?
I tried to get a container, but they are all 12 inches long and my pantry shelves are like 10 inches, I can’t have anything sticking out or the door will hit it and I don’t want anything that would be too long on the shelf as it would take up too much space! lol
Love the basket idea, but I don’t have a guess bathroom! I need to come up with an idea that works for us too. I have it all in the bathroom closet and it looks messy, but it’s organized…..really! lol
Container idea is great! My sister does that and well, since I have the space in my bathroom, I don’t do under the bed, but if I had to, I’d do that
I am not sure what type of container you are looking for your pantry, but containers in general come in a lot of sizes. Generic plastic ones especially, but even the fancy baskets come in all kinds of sizes now a days. If you live near a World Market try looking for small baskets there. My travel sized items, which are very few because quite frankly they just irritate me, are in a shower organizer in my shower…it has a suction cups and hands on the wall of the shower. Again, I have about eight travel items. The deodorants just sit on the shelf with my regular sized stuff.
I use the collapsible bins for my single items or snack bars/cereal bars. They fit in my cabinet nicely. You can get different height sizes in those. I just open the boxes and empty them out into the bins since it takes up less room that lots of boxes.
Off topic…does anyone know what happened to the post about Kellogg’s cereal and gas cards? I was going to come back to get the details on it and now it’s gone.
Hi Sandy,
Sorry for the confusion. I removed this post as the fine print actually stated that the offer could not be published without Kellogg’s written permission.
Thanks for replying Collin! I was able to find it on Kellogg’s site now.
Where did you find it on the Kelloggs site? Can you post the link (if that is allowed)? If not, can you email the link to me? wood dot online at verizon dot net. Thanks!!
I love the idea of the bins under your bed! How convenient! I was thinking of copying that idea to store my samples and travel-size items, but was trying to decide how to do it without spending too much on the bins. I decided to use empty baby wipes containers. I have been saving them, hoping they would be useful for something and I think with a label on the outside they’ll be perfect! Thanks for the video, Collin!
I too have so many travel and trial size items. I have started putting all of those things in our emergency stockpile boxes. I figure that if something were to happen (natural disaster, etc) it’ll be good to have some of those items. I even put my free samples of laundry soap in there.
On a side note, I got my Right At Home Glade candle today! First time I’ve won something from them!!! Anyone else get it?
I got mine today too. its a really pretty design
I got the storage bags the other day from SCJ! My first time too after many attempts! 🙂
I got the storage bags the other day from SCJ! My first time too after many attempts! 🙂
I got the storage bags the other day from SCJ! My first time too after many attempts! 🙂
I have a 20% off coupon to Amazon for diapers exp. 3/31 if anyone wants to trade for a $10 coupon shoot me a e-mail at Monique_holladay at yahoo dot com
Hey Collin. Once again, great video! I think it is wise to always have a little stockpile in case you are not able to get to a store or stores are closed like in the case of a natural disaster (think Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, earthquake in Japan or blizzard in New England area). Being prepared is being smart.
Hi Collin!
Thanks for sharing the tips. I learned a lot from your videos. I am very obsessed with coupons and will buy a huge stock just because itz on sale. My husband gets mad at me and I just cut down a little but I still think that I am obsessed with shopping in general 🙁
I just moved into a new apartment and still need to purchase a bed. I am thinking about doing the same thing you did with the storage underneath your bed. Itz a cool idea.
I also wanted to say that you are an amazing down to earth type of a person. May GOD bless you and your family.
Hey Collin,
This is my favorite series!
I have a pretty good stock pile, too. I only coupon seasonally, some times in the year I just have more time (the garden is done or I’m not teaching, etc). We have one car so going to the store is always a hassle. Anyway, last spring I did some crazy couponing and then again at Christmas (especially with Jingle Cash). That has us set for the year. 🙂
We have a lot of out of town guests and I love to say, “Help yourself” to the Linen Closet Personal Hygeine Shoppe.
I seriously hope you had to clean your house before doing this video, Collin! If your house is always looks like that with all the other things you have going on then you really are superwoman!
i listen to a lot of conservate talk show radio programs, they say that in todays economic times you should have a 6 month stock pile of all necessities (toilet paper, no perishable foods, water, every day living items).
That was a very realistic video! I need that chuckle(worscestershire sauce) after my ER visit and so much going on with me since past week. Thanks!
Hope you give/share more fun videos!!!
Collin, I have gotten over having to get every deal that was blogged about when I first started and boring everyone who would listen about all my great deals. I guess we all have to go through it to get to the other side of practicality though I have become aware from reading on various blogs that it takes some more time than others. LOL. I remind myself to judge not lest yea me judged. Now if I cannot use it, give it to someone I know or donate it within a few months, i no longer buy it. The arthritis cream may be free but I have to pay tax on it and then do what with it – brag I got it free? Currently not worth it (don’t need it or know someone who does – even the women’s shelter wasn’t interested LOL!) I have plenty to use, share and donate. Don’t need more just to brag about now, Thanks for supporting sensibility. Thanks for being you!
Thanks for all your tips! I have been passing my “extras” around to my family. I have a brother who is getting married this summer has been laid off several times in the past year due to the company downsizing so we pass things to him that we can and I also have a sister in college that raids my stockpile whenever she is over as we live close to where she is going to school. It was also really nice last week as my brother-in-law was admitted to the hopsital so my in laws rushed down and didn’t bring anything with them. I was able to make a bag up of every item you might possible need just from what I had stockpiled and gave them sample laundry soap and money maker dryer sheets! We even outfited both of them for less than $20! – I always check the sale and clearance items first! It was so nice to be able to just quickly get them all the stuff and all I had to do was go “shopping” in my closet and pay no money! My brother-in-law is also doing fine and back at home- ended up just being a scare!
Using small or travel size items for hospital stays is a GREAT idea! How great would it be if you found yourself in a hospital waiting room, welcomed by a little basket of small items that you could use at your convenience?!
I use my travel size items and free sample to make goodie bags for my teenage niece and her friends when she has a birthday. They love them!
I totally agree with what your husband said, what are you doing? I finally feel what he said about the 50 bottles of shampoo is so true. I am finally doing what you just talked about !!! I do not need anything. Really … So I am using what I have and not buying anything sooo that means saving money. Also I buy beef from a cattle ranch that last a very long time . The price per lb is cheaper then the butcher shop or grocery store. Which makes me happy !!!
Thanks for the video Colin!!!
I also used to have problems saying Worcestershire as well… however my very English husband taught me the “correct” pronunciation.
Woost-ta-sure
its a weird word… 😀
A well done video… Thank you for sharing your hints and opening your home.
I’d love my son to find a gal like Collin!!! 😉
Organized, thrifty and cute(can I say that without being off topic!)
That was a fun video! Sometimes it’s tempting to stockpile something because it is cheap, but if you don’t need it, you are wasting money, not saving.
I watched this at just the perfect time! While I have my stuff organized all over the place (depending on the item of course). I have been trying to figure out ECB scenarios for myself this week at CVS & having a difficult time. However, after watching this you said what has been a tiny voice in the back of my head saying,”I have enough for my family.” I’m so glad I watched this “on time” (for me anyway) this week b/c I threw my list away & put the coupons away & I’m letting it go. I am however very excited about the great deal I’m going to get “Tangled” for at Toys-R-Us. Our family has b-days from the end of Feb. – April (3 of them being our sons who are registered with the Geoffrey Club). So I also have a $5 off when you spend $25 & a $3 off when you spend $3!! Even if they don’t let me use the $3 one I’m gonna get a fantastic deal. And seeing as how I’m the only girl in this house I’m sooooo buying the movie for me (even though my fellas love it too. I mean they are only 3, 4 & 6!). Thank you, thank you, thank you for being my “Voice of Wisdom”!!!!!
One thing you could do with the travel sizes, is put together an emergency bag. With our family it seem like we have had way to many emergency doctor stays at the hospital, that is cost us allot of money when ever we have to stay because we don’t have anything we need. What we are putting together is an emergency bag for our van, so if you ever get cause in a situation that you need some basic care stuff you have it.
I wonder if hospitals would let you bring in care packages for family stuck at the hospital.
That is what my family does. We each have 72 hour backpacks with food, water, hygiene kits, and other emergency items we might need. It gives a lot of comfort to me that if there was an emergency, I have it all in our backpacks and can run out the door. I have a different view of the stockpiling. I try to have at least a three month supply of all food we use and necessities at all times and long-term storage (food storage that is packed to last 10-30 years) to last a year. That is my goal at least. In case of emergencies I want to be able to help my family and those around me. Having this food storage has helped me when my husband was laid off. I consider it being self-reliant. My church encourages us to have a food storage to take care of our families as much as we can (as much as space and circumstances allow) and to do it slowly and steadily.
Clever tip! I think many people think of “emergency” kits as catastrophic, once-in-a-lifetime emergencies, but it’s far more likely you will need a handy bag like that for more common events like hospital stays, etc. Good for you, and thanks for sharing! =)