8 Things Frugal People Should Never Buy In Bulk

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Buying most goods in bulk can be a great option to save some money if you have a big family or the space to store all the bulk items. And oftentimes, bigger is better, except for the times when it’s not.

It’s easy to get carried away when we visit a bulk store like BJ’s or Costco, but it’s important to keep a grip on your logic and not give in to all the temptations of buying everything in bulk. There are a lot of great things to buy in bulk, but there are probably just as many things that are better to buy in a normal ratio.

Here, we have listed all the things that you should never buy in bulk.

Herbs and Spices

Variety of spices and herbs on kitchen table.
Image Credit: monticello/Shutterstock.

We know that a little bit of herbs and spices can go a long way. You, therefore, won’t be using so many of these foods that it’s necessary to buy them in bulk. Herbs and spices have a shelf life ranging from one to three years, and the chances are pretty low that you’ll be using your bulk-bought herbs and spices in that time frame unless you have 20 kids or own a restaurant, of course.

Cooking Oil

Bottle pouring virgin olive oil in a bowl close up
Image Credit: DUSAN ZIDAR/Shutterstock.

Cooking oil has a relatively short shelf life of about six months, so while it may seem like a good idea to buy this food in bulk, it isn’t due to the short shelf life.

Eggs

In the hands of a woman packing eggs in the supermarket
Image Credit: Sergey Ryzhov/Shutterstock.

Yes, it’s a lot cheaper to buy eggs sold in larger packages, but eggs are only good for about two to four weeks after purchasing them. It’s, therefore, best to skip this food when going on a bulk-shopping spree.

Fresh Produce

Jugs of fresh milk in supermarket
Image Credit: Amnixia/Shutterstock.

There’s a reason that fresh produce has the word ‘fresh’ in its title. It’s fresh, and it’s highly perishable, so unless you’re sure you’re going to consume all of your bulk veggies in one go, you should rather avoid buying this item in bulk.

Condiments

smoked paprika powder traditional condiment for spanish chorizo and others traditional spanish foods. Used too in Indian cuisine
Image Credit: carlosdelacalle/Shutterstock.

It may come as a shocker to most, but ketchup doesn’t have a very long shelf-life, and the massive bottle sitting in your fridge has probably already reached its best-before date. Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, and similar condiments are not best when bought in bulk.

Bleach

Clorox bleach on white containers on a store shelf.
Image Credit: ZikG/Shutterstock.

Liquid bleach has a surprisingly short shelf life of about six months, and since you hopefully won’t be using this product every day, it’s probably best not to buy it in bulk.

Beauty Products and Skin Care

Beautiful middle aged woman applying moisturizing cream on her neck while sitting near mirror at home, attractive mature female enjoying domestic beauty routine, holding jar with nourishing lotion
Image Credit: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.

Most skin care products have a shelf-life of around 6 months, so really, it’s best to buy these products in smaller containers. You probably wouldn’t want to use rancid products on your or your family’s skin!

Sunscreen

Smiling woman in hat is applying sunscreen on her face.
Image Credit: SNeG17/Shutterstock.

 

Sunscreen is similar to beauty products in that it loses its potency over time. This is especially the case when it’s exposed to higher temperatures, like when you leave it in your bag on the beach or next to your pool in the sun. You would be far better off buying sunscreen as it runs out and not in bulk.

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