Bulk shopping

About two weeks ago, when I was trying to find an obscure spice (it is likely not that obscure, but if it is beyond salt, pepper, and garlic powder it is classified as obscure in my books) I went to Bulk Barn. The problem with Bulk Barn is that the candy aisle is too big of a temptation for me. Regardless, when I was shopping for spices, which are much cheaper at Bulk Barn, a little thought occurred to me: "Why aren't I shopping here on a regular basis?"

I posed this question on the message board of a local moms group I belong to: can you save money by buying at the Bulk Barn? Respondents said yes it is cheaper to buy some stuff at Bulk Barn. They also noted you have to shop around because you can get some foodstuffs cheaper at other stores.

Last night, I returned to Bulk Barn to get supplies for next week's meals. As you can see from my receipt, no candy was purchased. I bought croutons for 97 cents. White liquid honey cost me $3.05. Steel cut oats, which were on sale, set me back 64 cents. Green split peas, $1.20; non-instant skim milk, $2.28; non-instant buttermilk, $2.38. In total, I spent $10.52. Total savings in regards to items being on sale: $1.19. Sweet!

I like the Bulk Barn for a variety of reasons. Although bulk in prominent in the name, I like the fact you can buy smaller amounts of various products. I have no need for a huge bag of powder milk, but I do need some for my bread machine. It would be ridiculous for me to buy a huge bag, spend $7 to $10 at the grocery store, only to use a bit of it before it expires. I plan on making bulk shopping a part of my grocery shopping routine, but I'll be skipping out on the candy aisle so I don't impact my waist line or my budget.