Just as some superorganized people begin their holiday shopping while still in T-shirts, smart shoppers get a head start on supplies for the cookies they'll be baking come December.
Butter can be pricey (and many cookie recipes require at least a stick), but Collin Morgan, blogger at the coupon and savings site
Hip2Save.com, says it's deeply discounted when you buy large quantities at warehouse clubs. You can get 4 pounds of unsalted butter at Costco for $10.49, which comes out to $2.62 a pound; while a supermarket charges about $4.99 for a pound.
The same goes for nuts, most of which can last in the freezer for one to two years. A 2-pound bag of walnuts is about $12 at Sam's Club, or $.38 per ounce, while at a supermarket you'll pay closer to $.90 per ounce. Bonus: Both nuts and butter are perishable, but freeze wonderfully, so you can buy now and bake later. The one baking item you don't want to buy in bulk, however, is a spice, such as cinnamon or nutmeg. Unless you're going in with a friend and splitting that 10-ounce jar, it'll probably lose its flavor before you finish using it.
