Frugal Living Question

Buying in bulk when the apartment has nowhere to put bulk stuff

ZS zeljko OP

Simulated community examples only. Not financial, tax, investment, or legal advice.

Bulk prices are often better, but a 24-pack that lives on the bedroom floor has a hidden cost too.

I have limited kitchen storage, so I am trying to reserve bulk buying for things that are compact, used predictably and genuinely cheaper per unit. Rice: yes. Twelve giant rolls of paper towels: maybe not.

Anyone else with a small place found a rule that stops 'saving money' from turning the apartment into a warehouse?

  • bulk-buying
  • small-spaces
  • groceries
  • storage
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  1. RI
    ledger40
    4 points

    5 replies

    I use a simple rule: bulk only for things I can store, use regularly, and finish before they get in the way. If any one of those fails, the...

    45 replies

    I use a simple rule: bulk only for things I can store, use regularly, and finish before they get in the way. If any one of those fails, the savings usually disappear.

    4
    1. MK
      megha96
      1 point

      That’s pretty much where I landed too. If it ends up stacked in the hallway, it was not a bargain.

      1
    2. TW
      tyler96
      4 points

      I also count the mental cost. If I have to reorganize a shelf every time I buy one cheap pack, that’s not saving me much.

      4

        Do you ever make exceptions for stuff like paper goods? Those seem annoying but not exactly optional.