In the era of extreme couponing deals, stockpiling took on a life of its own, blurring the line between savvy shopping and hoarding. But here’s the thing: stockpiling isn’t hoarding. When done responsibly, it's simply a smart way to save money on household essentials.
It’s also worth noting that while stockpiling isn't required for successful couponing, if you have the storage space and budget, it can help you stretch your dollars further. The key is stockpiling strategically — only buying what your family will actually use within a reasonable timeframe.
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Before You Start Stockpiling
Here's what you need to do before you start a stockpile.
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Set a stockpiling budget (don't overspend to "save").
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Ensure adequate storage space.
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Start with a 3-month supply goal to avoid waste.
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Focus on non-perishables with long shelf lives.
The Best Things to Stockpile First
Focus on expensive household items that you can get for way less with coupons. By stacking coupons with sales and rebate apps, you'll cut your spending on essentials dramatically. Consider this your stockpiling starter list:
1. Razors and Cartridges
Stock-Up Price: $0.49 - $1.99 each
Why Stock Up: Razors are my favorite thing to stockpile. Without coupons, these cost a lot . But you can get some nice deals throughout the year when you combine sale prices, razor coupons, rewards, and rebates, and pay as low as $0.49 each.
Best Places to Buy: Target for disposables; Walgreens and CVS for cartridges
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (Per Person): 6 - 9 disposable razors or cartridge heads
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Disposable Razors: $0.49 - $1.99 per pack
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Gillette Venus Razors: $1.99 - $3.99
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Gillette Fusion/Mach 3 Razors: $1.99 - $3.99
2. Toilet Paper
Stock-Up Price: $0.02 per square foot
Why Stock Up: Toilet paper is another great place to start your coupon stockpile. It doesn’t expire, you’ll always need it, and the regular price feels significant when you’re reviewing your weekly grocery budget. Always calculate the price per square foot to get the best deal, as roll size varies among retailers, even within the same brand.
Best Places to Buy: Target, Walgreens
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (Per Person): 54 mega rolls, or 2,500 square feet
3. Laundry Detergent
Stock-Up Price: $0.04 - $0.06 per load ($0.14 for Tide)
Why Stock Up: Like toilet paper, detergent isn’t cheap at full price, but with laundry detergent coupons that reach up to $3 off, it’s an ideal stockpile candidate. Plan to save the most money with laundry detergent deals on Xtra, All, and Purex. Calculate the price per load to compare prices across different sizes and brands.
Best Places to Buy: Target
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (Per Person): 2 bottles (64 loads)
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Xtra: $0.04 per load
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All: $0.06 per load
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Purex: $0.06 per load
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Tide Liquid: $0.14 per load
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Tide Pods: $0.14 per pod
4. Feminine Products
Stock-Up Price: $0.04 - $0.20 per item
Why Stock Up: Occasionally, you can find freebies or moneymaker deals on feminine products. This often happens during sales, with liner and pad coupons, store promotions, or when an active rebate app offer is available. If you can’t score a freebie on liners, aim to spend $0.50 or less per pack.
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS, Amazon, Walmart, Target
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (Per Person): 60 tampons (2 - 3 boxes)
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Tampax: $3.50 per 18-count box
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Kotex Liners: $0.04 per liner
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Playtex: $4 per 36-count box
5. Paper Towels
Stock-Up Price: $0.01 per sheet
Why Stock Up: Big packs of paper towels have a high MSRP, but frequent store promotions and paper towel coupons make them an easy addition to add to a stockpile. The most common deal to grab is a sale price combined with a manufacturer coupon and a store loyalty reward (like CVS ExtraBucks, Walgreens Cash, or Target gift cards).
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS, Target, Dollar General
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (For a Family of 4): 12 - 18 mega rolls
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Store Brands (Up & Up, DG, etc.): $0.01 - $0.013 per sheet
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Bounty: $0.01 - $0.015 per sheet
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Viva: $0.015 - $0.02 per sheet
6. Deodorant
Stock-Up Price: $1.75 or less
Why Stock Up: You can sometimes get free deodorant by stacking coupons, rebate offers, and drugstore promotions. We see freebie deals pop up every few months. If you can’t get a free stick, aim to pay $1.75 or less.
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (Per Person): 4 sticks
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Secret: $1.75 or less per stick
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Dove: $1.75 or less per stick
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Gillette: $1.75 or less per stick
7. Shampoo
Stock-Up Price: $0.22 - $1 per 12-ounce bottle
Why Stock Up: Drugstore deals allow you to score dirt cheap bottles of name-brand hair care products. The most common deal to add to your stockpile is a sale price combined with shampoo coupons and a store loyalty reward (like CVS ExtraBucks or Walgreens Cash).
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS, Dollar General
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (For a Family of 4): 7 bottles (12 ounce)
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Dove: $0.22 - $0.50 per bottle
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L’Oreal: $2 per bottle
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Tresemme: $1 per bottle
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Pantene: $1.50 per bottle
8. Body Wash
Stock-Up Price: $0.50 per bottle
Why Stock Up: Drugstore deals make body wash one of the easiest personal care items to score at a low price (or even for free). You’ll find the best stockpile prices on brands like Dove, Olay, and Softsoap during weekly drugstore promotions alongside body wash coupons.
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS, Dollar General, Target
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (For a Family of 4): 6 - 8 bottles (16 - 20 oz. each)
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Dove: $0.50 - $1 per bottle
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Olay: $1 - $1.50 per bottle
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Softsoap: Free - $0.50 per bottle
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Store Brands: $0.50 or less per bottle
9. Toothpaste
Stock-Up Price: Free
Why Stock Up: Toothpaste sits solidly in the coupon freebies category — deals are so good and so frequent, you can usually get tubes for free. Sometimes you can even come out of the store with money in your pocket (that’s a moneymaker if you’re new to couponing definitions).
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (For a Family of 4): 6 tubes (4.6 ounce)
10. Dish Soap
Stock-Up Price: $0.03 - $0.10 per ounce
Why Stock Up: Dish soap is one of the simplest items to stockpile because the deals often only require a sale price and a dish soap coupon. Pay attention to a coupon’s fine print and size restrictions; then buy the smallest, cheapest size to get the most significant savings. Calculating the cost per ounce determines the best deal , no matter the brand.
Best Places to Buy: Walgreens, CVS, Dollar General
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (For a Family of 4): 3 bottles (16-ounce)
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Ajax or Palmolive: $0.03 per ounce (look for 28-ounce bottles for $0.85)
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Dawn Liquid: $0.10 per ounce
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Dawn Powerwash: $0.11 per ounce
11. Cereal
Stock-Up Price: $0.79 - $0.99 per box
Why Stock Up: I know I said to start with household items before food, but cereal is another high-value item you can get super cheap with coupons. And unopened, it has a shelf life of up to a year. Kroger is a hot spot for cereal deals. With a Kroger Mega Sale, you can typically save when you buy five of an item. Combine Mega Sale savings with mobile coupons and rebate offers, and you can drop the price per box to under a dollar.
Best Places to Buy: Kroger, Dollar General, Walgreens, CVS
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (For a Family of 4): 6 boxes
12. Bonus Item — Diapers
Stock-Up Price: $0.08 - $0.15 per diaper
Why Stock Up: If you’re a parent, I don’t need to remind you that diapers have one of the highest MSRPs of any baby product. But as with everything else on our list, the higher the MSRP, the smarter it is to stockpile.You’ll get the best deals by combining sale prices with manufacturer diaper coupons, store promotions (like Target gift cards or Walgreens Cash), and cash-back offers from apps like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards.
Best Places to Buy: Target, Walgreens, CVS, Amazon (Subscribe & Save)
3-Month Stock-Up Goal (Per Person): 700 - 800 diapers (varies by size)
Stock-Up Price by Brand:
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Pampers: $0.15 or less per diaper
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Huggies: $0.15 or less per diaper
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Luvs: $0.10 - $0.12 per diaper
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Store Brands (Up & Up, Dollar General, Parent's Choice): $0.08 - $0.10 per diaper
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