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Home Inventory Control
Jul. 18th, 2006 08:17 pmMadame X of My Open Wallet has a good post called Usage of Inventory. She asks "do you follow a "just in time" buying policy or do you stock up in order to save?"
I am a big, big fan of stocking up when the prices are awesome. I like not having to worry about running out of things so often. I like having enough things to be able to lend. I don't like shopping.
However, I have learned that there are also many risks with this strategy other than the obvious concerns about space and cash flow.
1. You may decide you no longer want to use that item. For example, I had a lot of yummy-smelling conditioner around when I realized that I am now allergic to fragrances in conditioner. For another example, I had many large boxes of (34-cent!) facial tissue around, all made from virgin wood, when I decided to buy only tissue papers made of recycled paper. I also think I might switch to using a different kind of writing pen, though I am now the proud owner of a large stash of (10-cent!) ball-point pens. If you replace an appliance or machine, the supplies for that machine (filters, etc.) are unlikely to fit the new item. All those books (and degrees) you got for your dream job that you're never getting. All that junk food around when you're on a diet is no good either.
2. The things may get ruined (or otherwise become useless). You've got your moths. You've got your flooding. Your humidity (seals up your envelopes for you). Your power outages (there goes all that stuff in your freezer if the power's out too long). And perhaps the term "floppy disk" rings a bell.
3. You might have sudden changes in your storage situation. Madame X brings up the risk that you might move, and then you'll not want to pack so much stuff. Or you might get a roommate or get married. If you celebrate Passover, you don't want to have to get rid of a bunch of grain products every year.
Okay, that's only three risks, but they're big!
Nowadays I mostly stock up on paper products, food storage items, cereal (in spite of the moths), canned goods, and toothpaste. There's not enough room to stock up on frozen foods, other than, say, buying ice cream in half-gallon containers rather that tiny containers.
Madame X also brings up other items that we don't normally think of in this way: books and CDs. I'm getting pretty good about not buying new books unless I think I will read them repeatedly and/or lend them out repeatedly. And I also don't buy music I haven't heard or movies I haven't seen.
I'm pretty bad with the furniture though. I have several pieces of furniture that won't fit in my house currently but that I want to keep in case my boyfriend and I break up or in case we move someplace bigger.
And the cookbooks. Do you really need three full shelves of cookbooks when you only try a few new recipes a year? Perhaps not, but I already have them.
P.S. Today I found out that LiveJournal doesn't have trackback. If it did, then Madame X would be able to learn about my entry without my having to leave a comment.
I am a big, big fan of stocking up when the prices are awesome. I like not having to worry about running out of things so often. I like having enough things to be able to lend. I don't like shopping.
However, I have learned that there are also many risks with this strategy other than the obvious concerns about space and cash flow.
1. You may decide you no longer want to use that item. For example, I had a lot of yummy-smelling conditioner around when I realized that I am now allergic to fragrances in conditioner. For another example, I had many large boxes of (34-cent!) facial tissue around, all made from virgin wood, when I decided to buy only tissue papers made of recycled paper. I also think I might switch to using a different kind of writing pen, though I am now the proud owner of a large stash of (10-cent!) ball-point pens. If you replace an appliance or machine, the supplies for that machine (filters, etc.) are unlikely to fit the new item. All those books (and degrees) you got for your dream job that you're never getting. All that junk food around when you're on a diet is no good either.
2. The things may get ruined (or otherwise become useless). You've got your moths. You've got your flooding. Your humidity (seals up your envelopes for you). Your power outages (there goes all that stuff in your freezer if the power's out too long). And perhaps the term "floppy disk" rings a bell.
3. You might have sudden changes in your storage situation. Madame X brings up the risk that you might move, and then you'll not want to pack so much stuff. Or you might get a roommate or get married. If you celebrate Passover, you don't want to have to get rid of a bunch of grain products every year.
Okay, that's only three risks, but they're big!
Nowadays I mostly stock up on paper products, food storage items, cereal (in spite of the moths), canned goods, and toothpaste. There's not enough room to stock up on frozen foods, other than, say, buying ice cream in half-gallon containers rather that tiny containers.
Madame X also brings up other items that we don't normally think of in this way: books and CDs. I'm getting pretty good about not buying new books unless I think I will read them repeatedly and/or lend them out repeatedly. And I also don't buy music I haven't heard or movies I haven't seen.
I'm pretty bad with the furniture though. I have several pieces of furniture that won't fit in my house currently but that I want to keep in case my boyfriend and I break up or in case we move someplace bigger.
And the cookbooks. Do you really need three full shelves of cookbooks when you only try a few new recipes a year? Perhaps not, but I already have them.
P.S. Today I found out that LiveJournal doesn't have trackback. If it did, then Madame X would be able to learn about my entry without my having to leave a comment.