The Self-Care Mom

Food shopping has become one of my favorite things to do as a parent. I will admit that there are times I regret not waiting for my husband
to be home so I could make my way without the kids.

Bringing kids with you to the store is a science — you have to measure the timing and the different factors involved. If your kids need a nap, turn around. Save yourself a headache and some gas.

Where To Shop
Growing up, we shopped at a specific wholesale store. It’s been a favorite ever since. I’ve traveled 20 to 25 minutes to get to this store since moving to South Florida. With grocery stores on just about every block, it’s interesting to think I’d be willing to drive more for a specific store.

It’s all about the quality and knowing that by purchasing items in bulk I minimize the number of trips I have to take each week.

There are a handful of places to shop — Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s Club — all of which provide membership for a fee to their shoppers. It’s a great way to maintain their loyalty, and it’s also a clever way to get more people to want to come in. There’s something about feeling like you’re exclusively allowed to shop somewhere that gets people more interested in doing so.




Why Stock Up 
There are certain items you’ll want to stock up on when you’re raising a family. Diapers, wipes, toilet paper, and paper towels are just a couple of the items I pick up in large quantities. It makes my life a lot easier knowing that I can go to the linen closet and grab whatever I need instead of rushing to a local store.

Another of my favorite items to stock up on are meat, rice, chicken, and vegetables. We cook for ourselves — including the pups — on a daily basis and we still manage to run out of most of these items within a week to a week and a half. Could you imagine what the timeframe would be if we didn’t buy them in bulk? 

For us, shopping for bulk items means we get to save on the following:

Time 
We don’t have to rush to the nearest grocery store for everyday items such as milk. We have what we need, when we need it.

Gas
Buying in bulk allows us to minimize our trips to the store each month. A lot of the items I buy one month, I won’t need to buy again for another month to two months.

Money
With the right strategy and some research at other stores, you could find out if you’re getting the best price at a wholesale place. Most items we pick up are available for about the same price elsewhere but offer fewer quantities per box.

Have you ever tried purchasing items in bulk? What has been your experience?