Last week, one of our local channels had a segment on stockpiling food by using coupons. A local coupon expert was featured; the interviewer followed her around the grocery store as she picked up sale items and combined coupons for impressive savings. The segment concluded that we should all use coupons and store sales to stockpile food as a hedge against inflation.
Today Fox News featured Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition. The report recommended that anyone can start their emergency food storage by initially spending $115 at the grocery store to start a 6 month supply. I had been reading Ready Nutrition for a while now and was excited to see Tess in action. The items bought included rice, beans, corn meal, sugar, pasta, salt, etc. all bulk food storage items. They actually showed her repackaging the items into smaller packs using a food sealer and storing them in 5 gallon buckets. The newscaster concluded we should all consider stockpiling food so we can “be ready for anything.”
While using different angles, these two separate news reports within a week of each other are essentially recommending the same thing: store extra food now! Food prices are on the rise with no relief in sight. This is getting serious if even the main stream media is paying attention.
Apartment Prepper, what may be driving some to do this is the double-edged attack of rising gas prices and rising food prices. People are slowly realizing that since early 2010, many food staples have risen in price, and simple math will show them that they’ll save money in the long run if they buy in bulk now before foodstuffs rise in price later.
A suggestion to all: I have noticed that for many months, case of 32 bottles of water cost $3.99 at my local wholesaler and that the prices have NOT changed. That’s $0.125 a bottle!!!! Compare that to $1 to $2 for ONE bottle at a deli, a gas station, etc. People, regardless of your beverage habits, please stock up on potable water as well. You may need a large supply one day not just for drinking but for cooking and washing.
I just got that 32 pack at Sam’s. Still a goo deal at $3.99.
Interesting that you’ve been seeing this in mainstream media lately. I guess people are becoming more aware.
My favorite supermarket sells a 36 pack of bottled water for $4.99, but it does go on sale for as cheap as $3.79. Hubby HATES it when I buy it (he thinks it’s a waste of both money and plastic), but I always pick up a few cases whenever it’s on sale for the rock bottom price.
Apartment Prepper and Betsy: good you two get water in bulk. I have a rotating stockpile consisting of many cases, and the “older” cases are consumed while newly purchased ones are brought forward to be used. My rule is to have a supply of water of at least 20 cases in addition to anything at home and in the fridge.
you’d be surprised at how great couponing can be to add to your long term storage. free frozen veggies to dehydrate. free lbs of rice. $.50 for 48 oz bottle of oil. Overages to pay for things like beans and flour.
and that’s just food… let me tell you, when the SHTF i’m gonna be more worried about how much toilet paper and tampons we have on hand than the money we can pull out of an atm.
I agree, food and other essentials like TP would be some much more valuable than cash if SHTF. Best to get them now. I use them but could use some improvement in my couponing skills.