the bulk of the matter: beauty products

As I mentioned in buying bulkie baking products, sometimes it's not always worth buying the larger size if that means it'll go bad before you get a chance to use it up.

In regards to beauty products, I was pleasantly surprised that brands were mostly packaging facial beauty products in a multi-pack (the exception being the jumbo-sized body washes and shampoo's). Growing up in a large family, dominated by females, my mom bought a lot of these products to avoid running out.

If there's a certain shampoo or conditioner that you love and will use, then it's worth buying the huge size. The golden rule for buying any jumbo-sized product is this: Only buy brands that you already use and like- this is not the time to experiment because if you hate it you're stuck with like 66 oz. of it. Also, only purchase jars that are 2 oz. or under. Any time you have a jar that you're dipping your fingers in day-in-and-day-out is inviting a myriad of bacteria to take up residence. So, the less time you have the product, the more effective it will be.

sunscreens in a value-pack mean instant savings and more sun protection- this is a Summer stock-up item!

Sunscreen can be expensive, especially if you follow the rules and reapply often. It's wonderful that you can buy mulit-packs of sunscreen but there's a word of caution: only buy what you know you'll use up. Sunscreen has only a year-long shelf-life before it's not effective and if it's the end of the Summer and you're about to buy 4 more bottles with Fall fast approaching, I'd reconsider. Stock up at the beginning of the Summer, and then when the season is waning, buy individual bottles to avoid throwing away any extra's.

Do you purchase any bulk beauty products? How long has it taken you to finish something?

the bulk of the matter: baking

Sam's Club, BJ's, Costco... no matter which big box bulkie store you shop at, they're all going to offer (typically) a better value than purchasing one, smaller item at your local grocery shop.

But don't be swayed by the better value and savings. Sometimes buying too much of something, and then having it go bad, is a real waste of your money. Here are some things that I think are worth buying in bulk:

Yes:

Chocolate/chocolate chips- if you keep chocolate in a cool, dark place then it should be fine. Don't be freaked out by the grayish cast it takes (aka the bloom). This is typically caused from temperature fluctuations and should have no effect on flavor. When it is melted, or baked with, it will look shiny and dark again.

Sugar- granulated and confectioners keep really well in a cool, dark cabinet or pantry. Brown sugar can sometimes get hard but if you try putting a piece of bread in it, it will reconstitute the texture (my mom also used dried fruit, like prunes, to keep the brown sugar from hardening).

Some dairy- I'll buy big packs of cheese and butter because it can freeze. If you do a lot of baking (especially around the holiday's) this is a real life-saver. If you have a large family then get the eggs and milk- otherwise it may be too large a quantity for a smaller family to use up.

Nuts- just keep them in the freezer to avoid them going rancid.

Mixes- cake/brownie/muffin: even though I'm an advocate for homemade, I can't deny the allure of the one-bowl-dump-it-in-a-pan-and-you're-done. If it's a flavor that you love, and know you'll use, then by all means stock up.

No:

Oils- I can tell you from personal experience that once oil has gone off it has to be thrown away (I thought I could overcome this with lots of extra flavorings in a recipe- in the end I just wasted more ingredients because it was all bad from the oil). Unless you're a restaurant frying up tortilla chips every day, buy smaller sizes from your local grocery store.

Spices- I don't buy spices because I'll never finish a huge batch of, say nutmeg. Spices are better if you purchase them in smaller batches to maintain their flavor.

Can's of sweetened condensed milk/evaporated milk- because they are milk products their shelf life is much shorter than other canned items, such as canned fruit and vegetables. Unless you plan on using 6-8 cans of sweetened condensed milk within a year, just by a couple at your regular store.

Flour- like oil, it can also go rancid (or get those gross meal worms). I prefer to buy smaller bags.

Baking powder/soda- unless you're getting a package of lot's of little ones then I wouldn't buy this because they need to be replaced every few months, otherwise your baked goods may not rise properly.


* Do you buy in bulk? Have you ever bought too much of something and had it go bad?