Buy In Bulk – Reduce Waste

For large families, buying in bulk makes a lot of sense. It saves costs and trips to the grocery store. But did you know that it’s good for everyone, as well as the environment? Consider that in the U.S. a third of our garbage is made of up of just product packaging. Most things that we buy are over processed and over packaged to get our attention. Start paying attention to items and brands that have less packaging and spend your money wisely. It can save you money, reduce costs, and reduce your household trash output significantly, contributing to a greener planet.

The first thing you need to do is change your mindset when you go to the store. We’ve been programmed by an aggressive marketing industry to pay for convenience. Single serve packaging is convenient, right? Carry it, use it, throw it away. But what is the true cost of this convenience? Our landfills are quickly running out of space, and someday soon we might be completely out. Decide that you will no longer pay for convenience if it means increased packaging. When you do buy packaged products, look for materials that can be used again or recycled. And when at all possible, buy in bulk.

Buying in bulk just means buying multiple items in one package. Warehouse stores are known for selling items in bulk for economical shopping. Even if you don’t have a big family, here are the three main reasons why it makes sense for everyone:

1. Cost Savings: When many items are packaged together, the manufacturer doesn’t have to spend as much to process and package them, and the savings is almost always passed on to the consumer. Bring a calculator with you to the grocery store and compare bulk item per unit costs to single item costs. You might be surprised how big the difference can be.

2. Waste Savings: Simply put, less packaging means reduced waste. Think of everything that is needed to ship an item from factory to distribution center to store and keep it fresh – foil liners, cardboard, boxes, plastics. It all adds up to major garbage output. When you buy bulk items, there is usually less to throw away.

3. Time and Space Savings: Let’s face it. We all want to recycle, but it takes time and effort to get all of those materials cleaned sorted, and dropped off. Buying in bulk not only cuts down on disposable waste, but also the amount of items you have to recycle. Your recycle bins won’t fill up as fast, and you will have more space in your garage or your home. Another great time savings from buying in bulk is that you don’t have to go to the grocery store as often for non-perishable items. Less trips to the store means less transportation costs and pollution, and more free time.

If you ever thought buying in bulk was just for large families and businesses, you might need to think again. It can help your family to live a green lifestyle and save money, waste, time, and space.