JIT Management

When I had a job in the corporate world, I was sent to a training where we learned about various money saving strategies, and one really stuck in my mind, Just-In-Time, not that I really could apply it to my job as a systems analyst, but because of what it could do for my home.

The idea is that most major companies, if possible, will only have minimal inventory in warehouses, factories, etc. Inventory costs money, and there is no use paying to own more than you need.

Enter Costco. There are so many things that you can buy at Costco, but you likely don't need the Costco size version of it. Example, the 6 large cans of Comet that I bought 3 years ago and am barely half way done with the first one. Or even worse, food that is perishable, and you end up throwing it away cause you can't consume it in time.

Another pitfall is that you consume more and are more wasteful when you know you have a large quantity to go through. Like that tub-o-animal crackers? Who cares if junior doesn't eat his handful, we've got tons to go through anyway.

My personal gripe...when my kids go into food binges where they simply can't get enough of a particular food, then I buy the Costco size, only to realize they are so over it. Great, now I have 7 packages of edamame from last year still in the freezer.

Well, if you just try to keep the JIT (Just in time) concept in your head, you really try to buy the minimal amounts. Buy things at Costco only if you are sure you really will use the entire amount. Or at least enough of it to be cost-effective to buy. (Like 6 heads of romaine for $2.99 is still probably cost effective even if you use 2/3 of it.)

I try to fight the urge to stock up on things. Even if I know I'll use it eventually, the $22 I spend on detergent that I won't even open for 6 months is really money better spent on things I need now. And if you have any sort of credit card debt, then you're probably paying 10%+ interest on that Tide.

I am from a long line of pantry queens who prepared for Armageddon should it break before the next trip to the grocery store. And while certainly it doesn't hurt to have a few dinners packed away (esp. if it keeps you from going out to eat), its good to try to keep your household inventory as low as possible and make more frequent trips to the store. Maybe easier said than done (esp. with kids), but no one said saving money was easy.