Stockpiles

With current coupon-mania (think, Extreme Couponing on TLC) stockpiles of food are in! The concept is smart, buy low, by combining the best possible scenarios with sales, manufacturer coupons, store coupons, rebates, ect. It is smart to never pay full price for items one regularly uses.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it) I don't have the space (nor desire) to stockpile to these proportions.  But I do enjoy having a two-month or so supply of many non-perishables.  My pantry is like a saving account, stocked with all the deals I have found.  Cereal, dressing, noodles, and many more pantry staples are used quickly in my house!
Stockpiling healthy and beauty goods is extremely common (and smart!!) too, for the same reasons.
But what I'd like to suggest to you is a spin-off of this concept. Do you stockpile cards, wrapping supplies, and gifts?  The credit for this idea comes from my childhood, and my memory of my mom bringing me to her hiding place, a desk in her bedroom, to choose cards and gifts for friends when I was invited to parties.  It was like a little store hidden away with all kinds of treasures that would make great gifts!  I have continued this tradition (my hiding spot is a cubby in my bedroom closet) stocked with gifts for children and adults (candles, lotions, jewelry for the adults...toys, coloring supplies, bubbles for the kids) When I see things that would make a great gift at a great  price, I buy multiples!  This keeps my gift budget to a level I am happy with because I can "afford" to get a gift for everyone!  I also do this with gift bags, wrapping paper, and bows so I can avoid last minute trips to the store for overpriced wrapping supplies!  Cards are best bought by the boxful (at a savings of $3 per card!!)
My current gift supply has a groupon coupon ($70 value, bought for $20) for husband's upcoming birthday, two art kits (50% after Christmas) for Valentine's Day alternatives for my little kids, 4 vases (found at Goodwill, used for a wedding for sweet 16, will put in a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store for a friend or teacher), lots of Yankee Candle Company candles (super markdowns on the website in January), even 4 beautiful Christmas ornaments for my co-workers next Christmas.  Buy now, even if you do not know who it will be for, because inevitably you will want to give a gift to someone soon!