Bulk buying without being a business?

[postie]

I recently had cause to look into buying something in bulk, but any of the cash & carry type operations where you can bulk buy food insist you are a registered business.

I don't want to register as a business, as I'd have to muck about with tax and all that, but can see that the cost of basic foods are incredibly low if bought at cash & carry places. The potential for stocking up is great.

So, the question is this: Is there any place like a cash & carry where you can bulk buy (in small amounts ) without being a business? Or is there any loop-holes where a non-business can use the likes of MAKRO or the like?

[Aurora]

I recently had cause to look into buying something in bulk, but any of the cash & carry type operations where you can bulk buy food insist you are a registered business.

I don't want to register as a business, as I'd have to muck about with tax and all that, but can see that the cost of basic foods are incredibly low if bought at cash & carry places. The potential for stocking up is great.

So, the question is this: Is there any place like a cash & carry where you can bulk buy (in small amounts ) without being a business? Or is there any loop-holes where a non-business can use the likes of MAKRO or the like?

I've held a MAKRO card for years. Don't be fooled, their prices aren't as competitive as you might think.

However, if you're still interested in joining, please see: http://www.makro.co.uk/servlet/PB/menu/ ... index.html

[adam2]

Discount supermarkets are often better value, especialy if you wait for special offers.
So far as possible, stock up not according to a strict list or rota, but according to what is on special offer.

The main merit of cash and carrys is that they may be cheaper than regular supermarket prices, and larger stocks are normally held than in retail stores.
Many supermarkets seem to have moved from "just in time" deliveries, to "not quite in time"
If one desires 48 cans of tuna for example, many supermarkets wont have that many, wheras a cash and carry will have stocks.
48 cans in 4 cases each of a dozen are also easier to carry and store than loose cans.
Cash and carrys often keep products in larger pack sizes, for example dried pet food in large sacks rather than small boxes, this is cheaper and produces less waste packaging. Laundry detergent in giant cartons or sacks is much cheaper than in retail packs, and again there is an enviromental gain from less packaging.
Also the purchasing of large volumes from retail stores may attract unwelcome attention, if TSHTF in the near term, do you really want to remembered as the person with a hoard ?
Large orders at cash and carrys, up to a few hundred pounds say, are entirely normal and attract no attention whatsoever.
Batteries and canned foods from cash and carrys may have slightly longer shelf lives than if purchased from a retail store.

It is fairly easy to obtain a card for a cash and carry if you can claim to be a business. This can be a small busineses below the threshold for VAT, and can be an unprofitable business, it might even be a proposed busineses that does not succeed, after the card has been obtained.
Examples might include, child minding, painting and decorating, gardening, housecleaning, or IT services.
Another option is to remember that many charities hold cash and carry cards for the purchase of foodstuffs, office supplies, cleaning materials and the like. If you volunteer for any such charity, you should be able to borrow the card.
A neighbour volunteers for an animal rescue center and purchases pet food and cleaning materials from a cash and carry for the charity, they also get their own shopping.

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

All you need for costco is a company id & payslip or utilities bill.

[postie]

And the rest of the cheap food in the cash and carry is probably not worth eating.

Well, it's a moot point. YOU could be well off and have access to loadsa land to grow such veg on. I don't. I'm looking at stocking up. I'm looking at buying cheap shite.. that'll help in a crisis, that might not be "wholesome"... but will keep and be used in times of emergency.

I'm also growing my own, but only from this year.. and I don't expect to get more than a few weeks worth of stores from that. But, hell.. unless you've been doing this for years, most people don't have an underground bunker full of lentil chutney.

[DominicJ]

Postie
Knock up a letter head and some contact details, it used to be enough to get you in the door, Makro are apparently insisting on a business bank account, which might be more trouble than its worth, not sure how the rest handle it.

Makro wont tell me food prices without logging in, but Teak oil was £5 a litre, I paid £3 for 500ml a couple of years ago from B&Q
Hardly a big saving, even if you discount the quantity advantage.

[MrG]

What doomsday said - anyone can join Costco

[Layla]

If you want to bulk buy try Suma.

I would also recommend Suma - they are a wholefood wholesaler (and a co-operative) and will deliver to anyone - minimum order £250.

I use them to buy most of my food anyway - much easier than going to supermarkets as they deliver to your door.

[DominicJ]

so do tesco :p, but off he goes to look anyway

[postie]

I've been a bit of a muppet.

I can't believe I haven't considered this before....The other half is a scout leader, I reckon with a couple of official looking bits of paper, and her agreement, we'd qualify for membership to some of the costco type places on that (as it's a community/charity type thing)

And believe it or not, she's into Peak Oil prepping way more than me.



wooot.

[DominicJ]

Costco had a stall set up in the train station last week, which seemed to imply anyone could join.

Or maybe they would just hoping to snag people who can join by working for certain companies.

Checked the website and notihng is mentioned.