What works for you guys? I think the old school of thought is to...

What works for you guys? I think the old school of thought is to buy in bulk to save - that I agree with, especially if you have access to better pricing according to the amount you buy. But if you just shop at our big 3 stores then the savings aren't also going to be there by buying more unless you get the 'buy 2 to save' deals.

My point here is this; If you buy more, that will mean you have more which increases your potential to consume more - that can/may negate any savings that you intended to make. Also, when buying in bulk, you're assuming what you buy will last you X amount of time - but what if you're on a very tight budget and run out of goods well before you thought you would?

The way I see it, those who buy in big bulk generally are very big consumers compared to those who buy almost on a daily basis. I rather buy fresh and therefore keep no meat/fish/poultry in the freezer. I lost power for 3 days here once and had to throw everything out from the freezer. Now I stick with fresh is best, and buy pretty much what I need as I need it - but with a constant stock of essentials at hand. It works best for me, but I know many here must approach things from a bulk buy angle - with a big family the options are much less limited compared to my easy going lifestyle.