Everyone needs to go grocery shopping to be able to prepare meals at home but for many people it is not on the top of their list of favorite things to do. However, there are ways to make shopping for groceries easier, faster and more cost-effective.
I used to scribble down a quick list of things I needed to buy right before I would leave for the grocery store. That was not always very successful because in the rush of trying to remember everything I needed I would forget important items. Knowing this, I would end up buying a lot more than what was on the list and more than what I needed once I was at the store.
How to make a great shopping list
The best way to make a shopping list is to have a piece of paper and a pen readily available in the kitchen at all times. Write down things that you need when you notice you are getting low, not five minutes before leaving for the grocery store. If you are planning on baking a cake next weekend, write down which ingredients you still need to get. Plan meals ahead and if you notice you are running out of hairspray or shower gel, write it down. This ensures that you will have everything necessary on the list and nothing you don’t need.
Why shopping with a list works
Having made your shopping list over the course of a few days you are not likely to miss anything.
Knowing this, it is easier to simply go through the store picking up each item off the list and walking straight to the register when you are done. You are less likely to cruise the store wondering what else you might have forgotten. Spending more time at the store can end up costing you more money for additional items you add to your cart.
When you have a shopping list you know in advance what you are going to buy and what coupons to take for those items. No more standing at the register looking through countless coupons while rushing to fill the conveyor belt.
Another way that having a shopping list saves money is by preventing you from having to go back to the store for forgotten items. That costs money for gas and it wastes time.
Adding up all of the benefits, it is definitely worth taking the time to make a shopping list. It can make buying your groceries and household items faster, more effective and it helps you save money.