Buying in Bulk - what do you buy and where?

[SilkStalkings]

Got into a cash & carry with a friend recently and bought a huge catering bag of teabags which has worked well, some other things didn't seem such good value. Another friend buys from a wholefoods wholesaler and keeps it in her garage. She is vegan though so gets through a lot of dried stuff.

Has anyone else found some items are good to buy in bulk? Also where do you buy from?

I buy sainsburys smart price tea bags in bulk. I didn't find costco such good value once I started shopping at aldi.

I go to Costco and buy;
Washing detergent
Washing softener
Rice

I do sometimes go halves with my sister with things like loo rolls, as the packs can be split.

Amazon have good deals now and again on things like trays of tinned tomatoes. I had a friend who used to buy from Suma as part of a group of friends - I keep thinking I should look into it. Has anyone else bought from them?

Find a good local butcher and order half a pig and a while lamb for your freezer - you can specify how you want them butchered and the butcher will pack them into portion packs, if you like, ready for the freezer. The meat works out roughly half price.

Bookers seem to have a more-or-less permanent offer of two packs of 24 loo rolls (decent quilted stuff) for £9.99.

That's the ex-Vat price, but it's still good value.

I get cartons of orange juice, apple juice, tinned tomatoes, baked beans and washing powder from Bookers. Always check their discounted fresh section as well when I go in as there can be great bargains there.

My father had a big freezer and was into buying ready-packed half-lambs etc. Just a word of warning: make sure that you have eg some soup or casserole recipes because getting a half beast means that you get not only the 'good' cuts but also eg the bits and bobs from the nether ends to be used.

Fine for me because I can use pretty well anything for all sorts of dishes but I do remember opening his freezer on one visit and finding it half full of assorted strange cuts of meat that were getting on a bit in age. We live on soup and casserole for weeks!

I buy loo roll in bulk from bookers - about six quid for 40 odd rolls. (I don't bother with their nicer stuff loo roll is loo roll, imo) washing up liquid about four odd quid for 12. huge bottle of persil or the like for a tenner (when it's on special offer), etc. They do some great deals on sweets too.

costco I don't find so good because although you save on brands, you can buy cheaper at supermarkets for their own brand stuff. So it only saves you money if you were going to get the top end stuff anyway. Bookers is cheaper because you get the wholesale price on cheaper stuff. tray of beans for a few quid.

I also use this site and get some amazing bargains there.

I buy meat direct from local farmers. Much better quality. Eggs come from whoever has some for sale at what time - the bloke who owns the local garage is selling them atm. They're gorgeous. 6 for a quid. And they're massive too!

25kg sack potatoes direct from the farm for £6.

I am extremely tight so if there's a bargain to be found, I'll find it

Best buy was catering size (3kg) packs of batter mix and suet mix - suet mix used for pastry and batter mixed used for toad in the hole, fish etc. Easy to add other ingredients where necessary. Think I paid 99p for each from approved food.
Also bulk buy toilet rolls from approved food when they have a good offer - although you don't know the brand it's generally a nice quilted one and the best price has been 99p I think.