The Costs of Buying in Bulk

 

Evaluating Bulk Purchases

The siren call of Costco …(and other bulk purchase deals)

Oh, the alluring call of bulk buying! Who can resist the seemingly endless quantities of our favorite goods at prices that promise to lighten the load on our wallets? Buying in bulk feels like a victory against the retail world. And if we were to look at solely the financial ratio of goods to dollar, it’s difficult to deny passing up on a bulk purchase. However, buyer beware — there are some hidden costs:

  1. THE COST OF YOUR PHYSICAL SPACE
    With the purchase of a seemingly endless supply, the question of where to store it arises. There are physical limitations to our homes and spaces, and when we cross that line, it will quickly start to feel cluttered and take its mental toll. Your home space is valuable real estate, so it’s best to really consider how quick the pattern of usage is and if it’s worth it to store such a huge supply.

  2. THE COST OF YOUR ENERGY & TIME
    The average American home contains 300,000 items. And every single one of those items is requiring energy and time from us to manage them by asking us to clean, pick up, fix, replace, remember, organize, and/or use them. On top of that, there is the emotional influence certain items can have on us. Are the items worth your energy to maintain? We want to be intentional about what we give our energy to!

  3. THE COST OF VARIETY

    Buying in bulk often means committing to the same flavor, brand, or item for the long haul. I once worked with a client who purchased ramen in bulk for her teenager, only to have said teenager grow tired of it and stop eating it. Nobody else enjoyed ramen, so the ramen just sat in the pantry taking up space (cost of physical space), which also leads us to Cost #4...

  4. THE COST OF YOUR MONEY
    The promise of saving money is a powerful motivator. However, the reality is that sometimes, we purchase items we don’t need or won’t use before they expire. The cost per unit might be lower, but if half of it ends up in the trash, are we truly saving?

Practice Intentional Purchasing

Sometimes, bulk purchases happen when we’re not aware of what we already have. If we can’t find something easily in our homes, we may incorrectly assume we need more of it.  This invariably leads to un-needed duplicate purchases. But, getting a handle on what we already own and setting up home organizing systems that support that, can help make sure bulk purchases are worth it.

Intentional purchasing can also save you from the hidden costs of bulk purchasing. By being mindful and reflecting on your usage and priorities, you’ll be able to strike the right balance of space/money to usage of items. And because these are priority items (that spark joy!), it is worth giving energy and attention towards maintaining it ✨.

 
Intentional PurchasingStacy Leetidy mindset