Grocery savings: Does buying in bulk save money?

SEATTLE — When it comes to saving money on groceries, a lot of people turn to warehouse memberships to buy in bulk. Sure, the shopping experience is bigger when you’re pushing an oversized cart through wide aisles to get big boxes of those bulk items — but does it save you money?

To give you a quick answer, yes and no. It depends on what you are trying to find.

“Lets go to Costco and shop together, and divide it in half,” said shopper Maya, who pairs with another family to divide and conquer.

“For a single mom it doesn’t make sense to go to Costco but if you go together, I mean yeah, sharing is the best way out,” Maya said.

KIRO 7′s Elle Thomas sought an expert about shopping to find out if buying in bulk really helps save money; since you pay anywhere from $50 to $100 or more for a wholesale membership, you want to make sure it’s worth it. A deal blogger who goes by the nickname “Thrifty Northwest Mom” said buying in bulk can help you save big, if you plan correctly.

It all starts with buying based on your family’s size. If there are fewer people in your household, look for items you can freeze or store for at least three to six months, such as dried rice and beans or canned goods. They are cheaper and last longer.

You can take those savings a step further by looking at the price per unit or price per ounce, assuring that you are getting the absolute best price.

Finally, gear up to do some freezer-focused meal prep. Cook in large quantities, portion items out and freeze them so that nothing goes to waste, and you have a meal ready to go down the road.

Also, when you buy wholesale, it is not the time to try something new. The less you throw away, the less money you throw away.

One last thing — discounts can be found for those warehouse memberships. Click here to find out more.

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