Buy In Bulk

I found a new reason to buy in bulk. I moved to a remote area. I mean really remote—nineteen miles from the nearest business or industry, so far out the notion of high speed dial-up is still just a notion. So to get supplies and staples on a frequent basis would be to waste valuable time I cold be using to write or create or play.

Yes, granted, to buy in bulk is to save money. The ever-popular COSTCO, which used to be for teachers and businesses only but is now for anyone with a membership, offers everything from baby food to booze in copious quantities, at reduced prices, and by brand names. For a single person to buy in bulk, he or she should take heed: some items will expire before you have a chance to finish the product, some you will get so sick of consuming you will wish for even the worst of partners or families to help you finish it off, and some will be a different brand than your usual or preferred brand, or unavailable.

The latter of course applies to everyone, not just singles. Because buy in bulk stores like COSTCO do not advertise heavily, passing the savings on to you, the availability of any particular item is unreliable. They will stock what they have. So in reverse of getting sick of an item, if you fall in love with a product you might find it unavailable the next time you go to buy in bulk.

Years ago, I shopped in bulk for shampoo, laundry soap, and other products that don’t “go bad.” Sure, I am not Dora Domestic, but doing laundry once a week, I found a bucket of laundry soap lasted me one full year! And it was only about ten bucks, as compared to the same amount in a grocery store, which would have cost me twenty or thirty. Added to that the cost of gas to travel to a store frequently enough to re-stock, the bulk soap was clearly the best and wisest choice—despite the fact that the brand was not my usual, favorite brand.

Today I will head out into the valley and out again, to get to the store to buy in bulk and re-stock. It will take me a couple of hours. But it will only be so today, for the month…as opposed to today, next Thursday, and the following. The trick now is to make the perfect list and to remember every single item on the list…so I don’t have to Pony Express it again tomorrow. Oh, yes, the other trick is to find foods I love to eat every day—as they will be in my face that often: a case of tomatoes; a ten-pound bag of candy, a gross of macaroni and cheese, etc. etc..