Do You Date Your Purchases?

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

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Location
New Jersey
I asked this on another forum years ago and one of my friends said the question confused her. I told her as long as she didn't purchase her dates, she was A okay. :LOL: I date the items I buy for a couple of cycles because it lets me see how long it takes to use those products. And I don't know, maybe it's part of my OCD. Knowing how long something lasts gives me a heads up as to when to take advantage of sales on those items. Costco and our local supermarket have products that I (we) use regularly and go on sale in almost predictable cycles. I know if I can skip the next sale or next two sales.

Even if I'm not likely to get items on sale, I still like to know when I'll have to place orders or go to the store(s) to pick them up. Also some items have a time period they should be used by after they are opened. Dating the package or carton helps me keep track of that. I've often been astonished at how long I've had some products (usually non food items) in the house. Do you or would you use the system of dating your purchases?
 

I only do it for bulk items, where I keep a list posted and each month flag items to be used in the net couple of months. Stored items are arranged back to front, bottom to top, right to left as needed. The front, top, left item is always oldest. I don't tag every box, bag, or can. As I use things I cross them off the list.

Of everything, the generic wet "Swiffer" sheets I use are the most troublesome. Even sealed they dry out too fast, so I buy fewer at a time now.
 
dilettante said:
I only do it for bulk items, where I keep a list posted and each month flag items to be used in the net couple of months. Stored items are arranged back to front, bottom to top, right to left as needed. The front, top, left item is always oldest. I don't tag every box, bag, or can. As I use things I cross them off the list.

Of everything, the generic wet "Swiffer" sheets I use are the most troublesome. Even sealed they dry out too fast, so I buy fewer at a time now.
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Very organized D! I have a spreadsheet that I started using a couple of years ago. Now I'm back to writing dates on the products because sometimes I forget to put the dates on the spreadsheet. But the spreadsheet does come in handy to keep track of bulk items. I always rotate my stock when I buy new items. Sometimes to avoid confusion when there are several of the same items stored where it's not possible to put one in back of the other, I'll put a note on that says Use first, Use second and/or Use last.
 

I don't date our purchases, but for some reason, my husband remembers more or less when we bought them. On the other hand, since we order so much online, I can always go through my emails to see when those were ordered. That's if I look at the emails.

Of course, we toss out stuff if it gets too old, so pretty much everything we have is okay, with the exception of some argon oil I'd ordered ... in 2015. That seems to have gone bad, probably from being un-refrigerated when we were traveling. :(
 
I am very inconsistent with this but I do mark items once in a while. It takes me forever to use things up. I do spend some time looking through the pantry though and throw anything I find that has expired, although the goal is to not find an expired item.
 
Always! Do it with received regular mail as well. It makes it easier for insurance purposes.

Earlier in 2023, I checked the purchase dates of single larder and same for freezer. They'd both outlived a decade. Now replaced by one much better unit.

It's a good habit to acquire!🙃
 
The only things I date are Medication and vitamins. The BBD is on the bottles but it's tiny and so I would continue taking them after their sell by date because I wouldn't be seeing the date.. so instead I write the date large on the bottles or packets.. with a coloured sharpie
 
My wife does that with some bulk food items we buy.

I wanted to do that with LED bulbs when we began switching over from incandescents. Because the LEDs were so expensive by comparison but were advertised as giving fantasticallly lengthy service. I wanted to see if the claims were true, so we could demand replacement bulbs if they didn't last real long. We kept receipts for the first ones, but gave up the practice.
 
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Only my water filter in the refrigerator, which is supposed to be changed every 6 months or so.

I've found that appointment calendars are useful for going back to see, for instance, when was the last time I went to the dentist, got my hair cut, etc. It's useful to keep those calendars for a few years.
 
birdy said:
Interesting. I marked the date on my car battery.
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The original battery in our 2012 Chevrolet Sonic lasted 9 years, through Canadian winters parked outside all year round. We drive about 5,000 miles a year, so the 2012 is now approaching 60,000 miles on the odometer. The original factory tires are still used in the summer, and the winter tires still have 70 percent tread left on them. JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
The original battery in our 2012 Chevrolet Sonic lasted 9 years, through Canadian winters parked outside all year round. We drive about 5,000 miles a year, so the 2012 is now approaching 60,000 miles on the odometer. The original factory tires are still used in the summer, and the winter tires still have 70 percent tread left on them. JimB.
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That is amazing you got 9 years from a battery. I would be fortunate to get a full five years.
 

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