Buying in bulk is cost-effective and can help keep you safe in an emergency, as we are all learning now. But there’s a fine line between hoarding and preparedness. My rule of thumb is that if I’m going to stock up, it has to be an item that has every-day uses, as well as a long shelf life. Here’s a list of practical items that you can buy in bulk without leaving your house.
These Tealight Candles have an extended burn time of 6-7 hours which makes them great for backyard BBQ’s and power outages. Since they are smokeless, dripless and unscented they won't be bothersome indoors, and they don't risk tipping over like longer candlesticks. This box of 200 comes out to about $0.11 per candle or less than $0.02 per hour.
When you think about buying socks in bulk you are probably picturing a 10 pack of generic white sport socks. But I’m thinking bigger and better. Socks’NBulk sells packs of 60 pairs in a variety of styles and sizes. While you may not have drawer space to store all of these at once, you can slowly throw out the old ones and you won't have to worry about matching. In an emergency, such as a flood, having dry feet is not only a comfort but it’s essential for maintaining good hygiene.
Although honey has an infinite shelf life, the last few teaspoons at the bottom of my honey bear always get hard and crystallized. You can avoid that, and skip the spoon all together by stocking up on Native Honey Sticks. A little sweetness goes a long way in dressing up pantry staples like oatmeal, which you can also buy in a massive 7.5 lb bag. I keep both of these in my desk drawer and even if I forget to grab a piece of fruit, I still have breakfast.
Most first aid kits come with a wide variety of essentials but in very limited quantities. So I like to stock up on two items that are useful around the house and helpful in an emergency; Bamboo Cotton Swabs and Alcohol Wipes. While a bottle of alcohol costs less, it’s not practical to carry around. These wipes clean everything, can be stashed anywhere, and can be added to your existing first aid supplies easily. Cotton swabs have too many uses to list. I like the bamboo stick because it’s easier on the environment than the plastic variety.
Maintaining a supply of drinking water is basic emergency preparedness and it’s often the first item to sell out in stores. But plastic bottled water only has a shelf life of 1-2 years and if left exposed to the sun or hazardous chemicals it can become very toxic. Emergency Canned Drinking Water has a shelf life of 50 years and almost no taste. It’s smart to keep some in the car, and the rest stack neatly under beds, in closets, or up in the rafters of the garage with the rest of your emergency supplies.
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