Should I Buy in Bulk?

Whether you’re walking through the aisles of Costco or Target, prepackaged bulk items are everywhere. If you buy in bulk at a wholesale store, you know that there are pros and cons to doing so. While purchasing items in super-sized quantities may be beneficial to some, others may just be flushing money down the toilet. Consider the upsides and downsides to buying your items at a wholesale store:

Pros of Buying in Bulk

Fewer trips: If you are living in an apartment building where you don’t have a personal parking space, it can be a huge hassle to run to the grocery store every week or so. If you buy in bulk, you can dramatically cut down on the amount of trips you have to take.

Great for necessities: Things like toilet paper, paper towels and napkins are great to purchase at wholesale shops because they are never going to go bad. Buying a package of 30 rolls of toilet paper may seem crazy for an apartment with two people, but you won’t have to pick up more for another several months!

Cheaper… in the long run: One of the main reasons why people go to wholesale stores like Costco is because of the low prices. While it doesn’t seem like an inexpensive option on the surface, you will end up saving money in the long run.

Cons of Buying in Bulk

Lots of money upfront: Sure, you’ll have crackers for the next six months, but dishing out $10 to $15 on a snack at once can be daunting. While you get a large amount of food for a great price at wholesale stores, you can easily spend hundreds of dollars and find yourself with a few boxes of snacks, some toiletries and vitamins, leaving you with little to no extra cash to buy, you know, real food.

Storage: One of the most important reasons why buying in bulk may not work for you is a lack of storage space. Where are you going to keep 30 rolls of toilet paper, 20 rolls of paper towels and 10 pounds of meat? If you are living in an older apartment, you know that storage is a luxury.

Wasted food: Whether you aren’t able to eat everything before it goes bad, or you get sick of eating the same granola bar after the 42nd one, sometimes buying in bulk means you waste food. If you are considering buying in bulk, try to share with friends, buy variety packs and freeze meat, veggie and fruit portions to use later.

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