Buying in bulk: Not just for the large family

Photo Courtesy of Trade Fixtures.com

When one thinks on the idea of purchasing goods in bulk, it seems to make sense especially if one has a large family.  You can purchase large amounts of a product at a much lower cost.  But what if you are a smaller family unit that won't be purchasing as much.  Are there still benefits that make it worthwhile?

I have mentioned many times how I've become more aware of the waste produced from packaging.  And while someone may think that buying in bulk would save them money, it doesn't necessarily become a packaging saver.  You still have to put the goods into something and oftentimes it can end up being a plastic bag.  As a cashier at the local food co-op, I've picked up on the ideas of some customers who have a system down for reducing waste and cost.  Reuse your packaging.

Such as today.  I needed more dish soap and instead of purchasing a whole new bottle and throwing out the old one, I simply filled it up with the bulk soap and voila!  Bottle saved and new soap.  It is absolutely incredible the amount of bags, boxes and bottles you can save if you reuse the ones you already have.

So the answer is yes, there are definite benefits to shopping in bulk for those with even the smallest of households.  No matter how many live under your roof, you can make a huge contribution to living environmentally friendly on a small budget.