Oil stash...

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I'm pretty new around here and have seen reference to folks' oil stash...

So, help me out with this, what is the purpose? Hoarding money, absolutely. Keeping food storage, yep. Gasoline. Toilet tissue. Water. Bullets. I get them all.

Oil stash I'm just not seeing. It's ridiculously cheap in comparison to most things, you don't need often, and I've never had trouble finding it. Heck, I spend $$$ more taking the family out to eat once, than I do on an OCI.

I'm not meaning to be inflammatory. I honestly cannot fathom a why other than I want to... which I'm good with. But is there another why? Help me out folks.
 
If the SHTF your hording money makes no sense because money will be worthless and stocks and bonds also. But guns, powder, ammo, food, energy will all have trading value. Money will only be good for starting fires if its dry.
 
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The idea is you stash the oil while it's on clearance, and that way you never pay full retail pricing. Purchasing oil at full price and hoarding wouldn't make sense.
 
I have a stash. Two things drive it. Price for value, and the fun of the hunt.
For example, an oil change on my PSD at the retail level is 89.99 to 119.99 depending upon choice of provider.
I can grab 3 gallons of Delo off the top shelf, add a quart of my goto diesel oil add, (Lubegard BioTech) and a Donaldson filter.
Delo, 3.00 x 3. BioTech, 25.00. Donaldson, 13.00. So for 47.00, I've got a very quality change, and have saved at least 43.00 for Happy Meals and ice cream for the family.
I'm changing oil today in my SIL car. 5 quarts of Havoline at 1.15 each, and a Hastings from RockAuto. Less than 9.00 for a full synthetic change. She appreciates the discount. Even a 24.99 ladies special at Iffy Lube can't match it. She pays me the 9.00, and I might even get a Happy Meal myself. (Hope she gets a toy for a boy this time....)
 
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Originally Posted By: TheOilWizard
The idea is you stash the oil while it's on clearance, and that way you never pay full retail pricing. Purchasing oil at full price and hoarding wouldn't make sense.


Ex:
Retail price = $30 for 6qts
75% off = $7.5 for 6 qts

Averaging one OCI ever 3 months (4 a yr) on two vehicles
30 x .75 = 22.5 x 4 x 2 = 180 Average annual Net saving

That is less than my monthly AT&T or electric bill. It would take several years or crates of oil , on average, to see $1000 net savings, even giving the averages a 50% margin of error.

Forgive me but that seems like a relatively small sum given the long period of time to see the return on investments.
 
Originally Posted By: ATex7239
you don't need often


Not necessarily. It wasn't too long ago that I was changing oil at least every two months, and that was on 7,500- 10,000 mile OCIs. Now, most people don't drive that much (I don't either anymore, thankfully). The only time I "stash" oil is when there is a terribly good deal on synthetics or
But yeah, it's not really something I need to do but like stated above, it's the thrill of it I guess. I've cut my stash down a lot since I'm not driving nearly as much. Currently it consists of 5 quarts of Peak 10w-30 that was $1 at Dollar General (used for top off and in mower) and two 5 quart jugs of Valvoline Synthetic Maxlife 5w-30 that I got on Rollback combined with a coupon that made it ~$10 a jug if I'm remembering correctly.

The only fluid I might intentionally "stash" is some Nissan Matic S ATF. I'd like to use it for my drain and fills while the truck is still under warranty. If I find a great deal, I may buy quite a bit of it.
 
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I have only a couple jugs of full price oil in my stash, for a specific application.

Most of the stash is cases upon cases of free oil, and about 15 gallons of very deeply discounted HDEO for my truck.

$21 oil change for my 11 quart diesel truck sump including filter. My gassers change for the cost of the filter only.
 
I havent paid more than $1 to $2/qt for oil in about 5 years since i have been stashing. I change the oil in 6 vehicles for myself and family.

The money i save by not paying full price ends up on my dinner table instead of in the pockets of brick and mortar corporations.

Also by stashing oil i dont have to drive each time to the brick and mortar for an oil change. So i save gas money and wear and tear on my vehicles.

I also stash/hoard food. I keep food in the fridge and pantry so that I dont have to shop or hunt every day for my meals.
 
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
If the SHTF your hording money makes no sense because money will be worthless and stocks and bonds also. But guns, powder, ammo, food, energy will all have trading value. Money will only be good for starting fires if its dry.


Correct, if we were taking total melt down.

However, the more realistic events (nature disaster, recession, etc) money still works very well.

I spent some time down in Houston for Harvey and I was still using my card and cash.
 
Originally Posted By: ATex7239
..................

Forgive me but that seems like a relatively small sum given the long period of time to see the return on investments.


Money saved is money saved. So do not buy cheap and stack it deep if it is not worth your time. Not everybody is going to value their time and money savings the same. For some people though, it is significant savings to buy oil on clearance or FAR.

I have maintained 3-4 cars at any given time for the last 5+ years on clearance or FAR oil and have at most paid 25% retail for them. It is nothing to sneeze at or a reason to mock those that do.

Like already mentioned, it is a fine line between stocking and hording. If you are buying beyond future known needs where either weight or specs change on a replacement vehicle comes into play, then you are hording past the point of value.
 
I'm still not seeing it guys and gals.

I guess everyone handles money and hobbies differently. I'm not wealthy by any measure, we are just regular middle class Americans living in a small Texas town. But, I'm not sweating a couple hundred a year on oil.

I take the family out to eat twice every weekend, I could make up the difference eating at the house one of those weekend every month. And likely make a greater annual net savings. And by my estimation, with far less effort.

But then again, I hate shopping, so looking around for deals ranks below organizing my sock drawer.
 
I had 150 quarts in my stash. All clearance, all $1 per quart or less.

Honestly, I'm tired of looking at it. Im down to about 50 quarts now, but when its gone, its gone. Wal-Mart will be my stash. I will keep a case of oil on hand for the mowers and cars, and thats it.
 
Originally Posted By: ATex7239
I'm still not seeing it guys and gals.

.............


Nobody is making a case that you do. It is not a right/wrong discussion.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I had 150 quarts in my stash. All clearance, all $1 per quart or less.

Honestly, I'm tired of looking at it. Im down to about 50 quarts now, but when its gone, its gone. Wal-Mart will be my stash. I will keep a case of oil on hand for the mowers and cars, and thats it.


Same with me.

I even gave some oil to my brother, approx 40 quarts.
 
It's hard not to stash with all the free oil that gets handed out here in the US.
I've gotten maybe 15 gallons of almost-free-after-rebate oil so far in 2017.

Can't say no to 12+ oil changes for less than the price of one.
 
Originally Posted By: ATex7239
Originally Posted By: TheOilWizard
The idea is you stash the oil while it's on clearance, and that way you never pay full retail pricing. Purchasing oil at full price and hoarding wouldn't make sense.


Ex:
Retail price = $30 for 6qts
75% off = $7.5 for 6 qts

Averaging one OCI ever 3 months (4 a yr) on two vehicles
30 x .75 = 22.5 x 4 x 2 = 180 Average annual Net saving

That is less than my monthly AT&T or electric bill. It would take several years or crates of oil , on average, to see $1000 net savings, even giving the averages a 50% margin of error.

Forgive me but that seems like a relatively small sum given the long period of time to see the return on investments.



It's the habits and the total eventual savings that eventually add up if you do this for oil and other daily types of spending. Stick that 1k in the stock market and see an average of 250% return over the last seven plus years.
 
My stash is divided among 7 vehicles so it's really "STANDBY" or "STOCK" and mightn't qualify as a stash at all!
2 jugs Mobil1 0W-40
1 jug Castrol 0W-40
5 gallon pail (minus 1 OC) Schaeffer's 9000 0W-20
1 jug Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc LV
4 qts. Mazda whateveritis (ZF, I think) trannie fluid
1 qt. Wolf's Head Super Universal Synthetic Transmission Fluid
1 jug Texaco 5W-30 conv. (for friends who drop by)
Filters:
2 for 2 Saabs
2 for my Volvo
4 for 2 Mazdas
1 for bro's / neighbor's Honda
 
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