I live in a small home. This is no secret. I’ve mentioned it a few times and even written a few posts about it (here, here) We try to keep ‘stuff’ to a minimum, buy only what we need, and rarely have backups in the house.
With all of this, you may assume we don’t have a membership to a bulk store. I mean, why would we pay $45 a year if we’re never going to shop there? Wrong! We’ve had (our own, for a while we mooched off my MIL’s :)) a membership to our local Sam’s Club for over a year and a half and shop there about once a week. No, that’s not a typo – we shop there weekly.
You may wonder why, if we’re committed to a small home and don’t keep spare items on hand, do we find a membership to a bulk store so useful? It’s not like we have a large family so the typical bulk items one thinks of when he or she shops at a store like this aren’t necessary for us.
Here are the reasons why we still shop at a bulk store with a small home (and family!)
1. Bulk items are cheaper. This is kind of a no-brainer, but when you buy more of things, you save money.
2. Just because it’s “bulk” doesn’t mean that it’s an extraordinary amount. I think this is the biggest misconception about bulk or warehouse stores. Yes, you can buy very large amounts of things. But you can also buy a 3-pound bunch of bananas (the average size at your local store) or a large container of plain yogurt. And sometimes, like with plug-in air freshener refills or diapers, a large amount is kind of nice.
3. You can use coupons. At least, you can at the one’s I’ve been to. Most bulk stores will let you use manufacturer coupons, just like any other store (unless specified on the coupon). You can also use your receipt with all of your favorite rebate apps!
4. We have a baby. You guys, the number of diapers a kid goes through.. unreal. Same goes for bananas and apples. They also have baby necessities like infant and children’s Tylenol and formula.
5. Samples. JUST KIDDING. I mean. Kind of. Actually, the free samples totally freak Alex out unless they’re individually packaged, but if I’m there by myself I dig ’em. (Obviously not $45 worth. Though give me some time and who knows.)
So now that you know the benefits of shopping at a bulk store, you may be wondering, what do we buy at a bulk store? As a family of just two adults and one toddler, how much could we really need, especially if we agree not to stock up on things. You’d be surprised! While not everything at a box store is the best deal, there are definitely a few gems that help out our grocery budget.
–Bacon. We get the 3 lb packages of bacon. We use a lot of bacon. But regardless, bacon at our local store is at least 5.99 for a pound. At Sam’s Club, it’s $10.88 for 3 pounds. Even if you’re not insane and go through 3 pounds of bacon for a week, (oops. To be fair, Alex uses it as his meat/protein in fried rice each day.) bacon does great in the freezer.
–(some) Fruit. For example, I’ve been buying a bag of clementines for Ryan and I each week. The same bag that’s normally $5.99 at our ShopRite is $4.98, plus an additional $1.00 off right now. Last month, a 6-pound bag of gala apples was on sale for $4.99, and bananas are usually around 1.29 for 3 pounds.
–Frozen fruit and vegetables. We buy frozen strawberries in 5-pound bags for smoothies for under $10 on average. Broccoli, corn, and stir fry veggie mix are also on rotation in our house, so we buy them there (unless our local store is having a sale.) You may have to do some comparison shopping to find which is the better deal for each item, (smaller grocery store bags vs bulk store) but I find the bulk store to be cheaper. And, at our store, at least, the bulk bags are just 4 smaller steamable bags, so the size isn’t outrageous.
–Orange juice. When not on sale the brand of OJ that we prefer is $4.19 per bottle. ‘In bulk’ it costs $5.87 for 2 bottles, so unless they are on sale at the grocery store we just buy them here.
–Milk. Milk is always cheaper at our warehouse store, even if there’s a sale at the grocery store.
–Yogurt. Again, unless there is a sale, the price for the big containers of Chobani are always lower. And, bonus, it’s not even gigantic. It’s the same ‘value’ size that the normal grocery store carries.
–Bottled water. I’m a snob who is going to ruin the world with my dislike for tap water, so we buy the gallon jugs of water. Although the cases are super heavy, on average it’s cheaper than buying 6 individual jugs.
–Spices. Always check here for spices! Right now vanilla is just under $9 for a 16-ounce bottle of name brand vanilla. We also buy the disposable whole peppercorn grinders here.
–Diapers. This is the real reason we keep the membership. The big box of diapers (120 count for size 5, which Ryan is in now) will run you $45.99 at Target. At Sam’s, it costs us $39.98. You can also stack this with normal manufacturer coupons, and they run very regular promotions for anywhere from $5 to $10 off. Even without the discounts, if you only bought 1 box of diapers a month (good luck), you would save over $60 a year, which more than covers the cost of the membership.
–Cheese. We get all of our Parmesan and Locatelli cheese here because it’s cheaper and decent quality. I’m pretty picky with my cheese, so I haven’t checked out/tried anything else there, really, but they have a very extensive selection of cheeses at my local bulk store, and the sizes aren’t so ridiculously outrageous!
–Meat. I’m always shocked by the fresh meat at both Sam’s Club. If you want good quality meat at an awesome price, head here. Chicken breast is $1.89 a pound, which I have NEVER seen at a typical grocery store. Yes, you end up buying at least 5 breasts, but personally, I love having a few in the freezer anyway, just in case. If you barbecue often, pork shoulder, brisket and ribs are always cheaper and great quality.
While it’s important to compare prices from your local store with that of your local bulk store, there are definitely some things that will save you big when bought at your local bulk store. If you have children, I feel like a bulk membership is 100% a necessity as it is if you cook or eat at home with any sort of regularity. Bulk stores don’t just have to be for families with multiple children or people with large homes to stock 2639630 rolls of toilet paper or paper towels. Small homes and families can benefit from them as well!
So tell me – do you shop at a bulk store? What types of things do you find to have the best deals there? Let me know in the comments!
lindsey says
I take my MIL to Costco (only because she needs to be there) so we can get a couple bulk items whenever we are back home 🙂 Diapers, oranges, chicken, bananas and dog food are the main things that we get 🙂 If a Costco or Sam’s ever opens in the area, I’m sure we would get our own membership…
Morgan says
It’s the best ever! I think it was one of the first things we did when we moved to our house and realized there was one so close. With a baby the diapers alone make it worth it!
Sarah @ Seriously Lovely says
I really appreciate this post! I’ve been considering getting a Costco membership to save on diapers and wipes in the future and weighing it against buying those items through Amazon Prime. I love the idea of saving on groceries like produce, milk, and meat though–so I’ll definitely be considering the bulk store membership!
Morgan says
It’s totally worth it! I found that the Prime prices weren’t that amazing, although they ARE cheaper than a Target or Babies R Us. Definitely check out deal sites like Living Social for a discounted membership – about once a month they offer one for either bulk store!
alexandra @ my urban family says
The samples alone is almost worth the membership 😉 lol I don’t have my own membership but I do tag along if I happen to know my mom is making a run to Sams Club and I generally end up with a few things, as well as a stomach full of samples!
Morgan says
Yes! I used to do the same thing when we lived with my MIL and I knew she was going.
Heather@hungryforbalance says
We shop at Sam’s often, and I love it for all of the reasons you mentioned! Their frozen fruit is such a good deal!
Morgan says
right!?!? The frozen fruit is a crazy good deal.
Celeste says
We also are a small family living in a small house, but you can’t beat the savings of shopping in bulk. We go to Costco about once a week and save a lot more money than going to the regular grocery store. And I’m pretty sure around the holidays we get our membership’s worth in free samples! 😉
Tiff says
Samples! Haha. Great job doing your homework. I should be better about that. I’ve also heard Cosco brand diapers are good, but I can’t speak for it myself.
Morgan says
Hahha I only do so that I don’t have to do quick math when I’m at the normal grocery store and something is on sale ahhaha! I’ve heard the store brand is good as well, but I’ve never used them myself. My son has weirdly sensitive skin so I don;t want to end up wasting money on it…
Heather @ Polyglot Jot says
amen to the samples! haha thanks for sharing you made some great points. i think ill have to look into my local bulk store!
Morgan says
It totally worth it! Definitely keep an eye on Living Social or Groupon too – they always have deals on memberships!
Ashley says
I live in a small home also and we never have extras of things, for that reason. I love the idea of buying in bulk and I agree the items on your list, although we are out of the diaper phase. Yay. Great read!
Morgan says
It’s hard to balance needs versus wants in a small house, but if you’re careful and smart about it, shopping in bulk is perfect for small homes!
Emily @ JohnJaneDoe says
Sam’s and BJ’s were lifesavers when we were going through the diapers and formula stage. So much cheaper, although eventually Sam’s stopped carrying our favorite formula. The cheeses, dried fruit and nut prices are awesome too.
We’ve also found real bargains on tires (the savings from a couple of tires covers the membership cost easily) and gift cards for other stores.
Morgan says
I love to get gift cards there as well! Even though some of them are only 5 or so dollars less, that’s still a Starbucks latte for me! 🙂
Erin @ Stay At Home Yogi says
I’m with you! We have a Costco membership (which lucky for us was a Christmas gift) and the diaper and baby wipes prices cannot be beat! They are also the best for things like oatmeal, honey, and coffee, all of which we use crazy amounts of on a weekly basis. And I LOVE the free samples! 😉 So does my toddler!
Morgan says
Seriously the BEST ever. And there’s no easier place to go shopping with a toddler because liek you said – samples!! <33
Mel @ brokeGIRLrich says
That’s awesome! I really never thought of a bulk store membership being worthwhile without a large family to feed, but those savings are pretty awesome!
Sarah Koontz says
I love the comment about samples…..That’s why we all go, really! This is a fantastic list for anyone who is considering trying to save a bit of money by shopping at a bulk store but doesn’t know where to start. Thank you! Visiting from Mama Moments Mondays
Tara says
We started doing our regular shopping at Sams this month and have saved quite a bit! I don’t know why we didnt’ do it before.
Nicole says
I love Costco! We have a small home and family as well but I find the prices are better and it’s good to know that we’ll never run out of toilet paper 🙂
Mother of 3 says
We shop bulk stores at least once a month; with three growing boys the grocery store is just not enough!!
Gina says
I used to have a membership to Sam’s Club, but I only used it a couple of times for that whole year. So, I didn’t renew it when it expired. I never did much exploring while I was there. Because of that, I didn’t know about all of these deals. I love saving money and have even done extreme couponing before. So, this post is right up my alley. I’ve already pinned for later and think I might begin searching for the closest bulk store in my town. 🙂 The amount of fruit, veggies and yogurt alone that we eat in my home could pay for the membership with savings.
Rosemary @anitalianinmykitchen.com says
I wish we had bulk stores near us, they are the best. Thanks for linking up at the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop.
Morgan says
They’re the best!!
sherry@savvyapron says
I agree with you. We do not have a lot of storage space, but we make it work. Anything to save money.
Bree says
Thanks for these great tips! My husband and I have been working to be more frugal and minimalistic so I wouldn’t have thought a membership to a bulk store would pay off. Great to know it can still help out with the budget! 🙂
Kati says
We have a family of 4 (mom, dad and two young kids) and we love Sam’s Club. It’s around the corner from our house and we shop there 2-3 times a week (because it’s so close we wait until we are almost out of stuff to go buy more). Other things we love buying here: eggs, romaine lettuce hearts (they don’t go bad for about 1-2 weeks so we can easily eat that much salad), spinach (for smoothies), baby carrots (kids love them), some cereal, baking supplies (sugar, flour, oats, baking powder, chocolate chips), and nuts (we eat a lot of almonds). And lots of the fruits and veggie they have are organic, but still cheaper than the non-organic at the grocery store!
Taylor-Made Homestead says
Living out here in the country we don’t have warehouse stores anywhere close, but although I’ve never had a membership I always wondered if we should consider one so we could stop by on our way to ‘the big city’. LOL Thanks for sharing. (Visiting from ‘The Homemaking Party’ hop)
~Taylor-Made Homestead~
Texas
Michelle says
I don’t shop at them. There is only three of us and truthfully, all the big stores are quite far from where we live. I can’t justify the amount of gas it would take. I did try it once ‘mooching” off my daughter’s card when I was up visiting her and I didn’t save all that much to make the investment of driving there. Yet, I know many who benefit a great deal in savings from shopping there. You made great points here. Thanks for sharing at Party at My Place this week.