JIC versus JIT

Do you know what JIC and JIT stand for?

I was watching a TV program, probably Oprah, and saw Martha Beck talking about JIC versus JIT.  I’d never heard of those concepts and they really hit home at the time.  I still think about JIC pretty often, usually when I’m shopping.

If you don’t know what those acronyms mean:

JIC – Just in Case   An inventory strategy in which companies keep large inventories on hand. This type of inventory management strategy aims to minimize the probability that a product will sell out of stock. A company practicing this strategy essentially incurs higher inventory holding costs in return for a reduction in the number of sales lost due to sold out inventory.

JIT – Just in Time    An inventory strategy in which companies keep minimal inventories on hand.  This is a newer inventory strategy where companies try to minimize inventory costs by producing the goods after the orders have come in.  A good example would be a car manufacturer that keeps low inventory levels, relying on their supply chain to deliver the parts they need to build cars. The parts needed to manufacture the cars do not arrive before or after they are needed, but just as they are needed.

Martha Beck was using those acronyms to refer to personal buying habits.  “What are you?” she asked.

I am a JIC. 

Those of us who are are JICs and are planning to fulltime in the next few months or years will need to undergo a transition from Just in Case to Just in Time.  RV Fulltimers have to be JITs, you don’t have room to keep large inventories of anything in your rigs.

My kitchen is so stocked with anything I need, might need, and sometimes will never need.  But JIC, I have it on the shelf.  Remember, I live alone.  But still, I always have a large jar of Best Foods Mayonnaise in the fridge and a spare in the cupboard, just in case.  Cereal, rice, soup, spices – so many duplicates (and triplicates).  Just in Case.

I could never understand people “stopping on the way home from work” to pick up something for dinner.  Whatever I wanted, I HAD, either in the freezer, refrigerator, or pantry - and I wanted to get home.  But in the last few months I’ve become a JIT and (pretty much) only buy things as needed.

I was surprised the first time someone said something about how much food I had in my cupboards or fridge. I thought everyone was as well stocked as I was.  Then when I heard Martha’s explanation of JIC versus JIT, I understood why I had so much “inventory.”

So…  Now I am becoming a Just in Time.  I have to admit it IS nice to have extra room in the kitchen when I come home from grocery shopping.  I know exactly what’s where, and can find stuff easily. My fridge isn't this neat, yet, this is from an ad.



But I'm getting there.

And when I’m in my RV, I’ll have so much less space in my fridge and cupboards, I’ve got to get used to having much less available. This is from an ad I found for RV refrigerators.  So Small!  This may be my biggest challenge when fulltiming.  I know some of you have larger units, but I'm going to have a small Class C - I won't have many options.



Look at the difference in the size of these two refrigerators!

The rest of my condo, outside of the kitchen, isn’t too bad.  I used to overshop for clothes, but stopped that a few years ago.  Now I just have a lifetime of accumulating things, but I’ve moved so much, and each move I got rid of things.  So my Craig’s List sales and upcoming garage sale won’t be too bad. 

I like being a Just in Time.  It really is so much easier.  And Cheaper!