How to Write a Grocery List

Anyone can write down what they need to buy at the store. Making up a list that is efficient, time saving and accurate, however, takes a little more planning.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper and pen
• Coupon file
• Recipes you want to make (if needed)

1. Start at the grocery store. The next time you go into a grocery store, take a notebook with you. Write down the layout of the store as you walk through it when you shop. For example, in my store, there's produce then frozen foods, then coffee and breads, ...all the way to the health and beauty aids and then hardware which I visit last if I need to something there. Write down the aisles in the order you walk through them.

2. Type out a blank page with the headings you made during your store visit. Leave lots of space between them for your grocery items to be written down. Make sure to save it so you can print one out to use when you need it.

3. Decide what you'll be cooking for the next week. You may want to look at the coupons you have before you make your menu up. Have any recipes you need to look at for ingredients on hand. Look through your cabinets for any seldom used ingredients, such as cornstarch or baking cocoa that you may not need to buy.

4. Write your list, placing the items you need under the headings they belong in. Put a star next to items that you have coupons for. When your list is done, put the coupons in the order that they appear on your list. Paper clip your coupons to your list and you're almost ready to go.

5. Eat before you go shopping. This will help you to control impulse buying. If you go hungry, you will need just about everything you see. If you go full, you'll stay within your budget and stick to your list.

[susu7]

on 10/14/2008 Thanks Sarie,
I appreciate your post. :) I forget if I don't write things down, too,
Sheila

[sarie1320]

on 10/9/2008 I love your idea. I need some orgo skills when im at the store, otherwise I forget half of my groceries :)