My husband, and just about any other person who knows me well, will tell you that I LOVE a list. It's true. I've made many lists in my time, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've often written list and rewritten them to make them suit my needs better. This little habit has served me well. I'm always prepared wherever I go (shopping, vacation, day trips to my mom's house, etc.), thanks to my tedious list writing.
Why are list so important for saving money? Well, for one, a list before heading to the grocery store is one of the best ways to keep from buying things you don't need. Not to mention, it makes the whole shopping trip much easier and faster. So my advice is this: always make a list before going to the store. And bring a pen. Because if you don't cross off the items as you put them in the cart, you may not know if you forgot to grab something, until you get home and realize that you forgot the milk! Crap! Not the milk! How could you forget the milk?! I've done before people. Cross of your list!
Make your list fit your store. Once you get to know your favorite grocery store, you can write you list to fit the layout of your store. I write my list in such a way that I go through the middle aisles (where the non-perishables are), then around the outside (where all the fresh foods are), and then the freezer section. Trust me, you don't want to get your ice cream first and have a melted sticky mess by the time you get home. Hey, I've seen it happen. It's not pretty.
When it comes to my personal list, I separate it out into sections like so: breads/ cereals, beverages/snacks, household, canned/bottled/jarred, dry goods, health/beauty, deli/bakery, produce, dairy, meats, and frozen. This is almost exactly how I organize my coupons, too. You may want to put other sections in there (like baby care, ethnic foods, etc.).
Don't worry if your list isn't perfect the first time or the 15th time, because it takes time to make a list that works the best for you and your store. And if you shop at multiple stores, it'll take even more time. I know this probably sounds like too much work, but it's really just about paying attention. And even if you don't have you list follow the layout of the store (which is nice but not necessary) you'll have an easier time shopping if you have you list separated out by section. If you just write down what you need all willy-nilly and go from the top to the bottom of the list, you'll be running all over the place getting what you need. That's crazy! Why do that? I mean, I'll admit, I like taking my time on a lazy Saturday morning, when it's just me, but I don't always have time to meander around the store. I've got other things to do. And really, writing a grocery list not only saves you money, but also time! And you know what they say, time is money. I don't know who says that, but I know someone does.
Speaking of list, I have one I need to write myself. So, why don't you pick a pen, some paper, and try writing of your own!
