For years I only bought in bulk on rare occasions and tagged along with friends to Costco just once or twice a year. I’m only one, and sometimes two, so while bulk is cheaper—it left me with too much extra. Here are some tips for buying in bulk for one or two.
Focus On What You Use Most
Closet and pantry space are limited so be strategic about your bulk shopping. I now head to Costco or Sam’s Club once a month or so for a fairly specific list of items—often cereal, soymilk, cat liter, organic nuts, kombucha, yogurt, organic frozen fruit for my smoothies, and two jumbo jars of green olives. The savings on these items alone more than worth it. When combined with browsing clothing, linens, gifts, and seasonal items I wished I’d done this years ago.
Get Creative With Your Space
Bulk items shouldn’t be stored in prime spaces. For example, my 12 pack of soy milk goes on the top shelf of my pantry. So, invest in a step stool to quickly access what you need when you need it.
Split
If you have another solo friend split some of your items with them. This way you enjoy both the cost and the space-saving benefits of shopping in bulk.
Yes, you’ll have to schlep bulk-sized items home but you won’t run out of most for months!
