Why I Shop With A Grocery List

A dreaded task…making a grocery list.

The beginning of the week rolls around and one of the first things I often do, is make a grocery list.

The ads come in the paper (though we don’t get the paper, they come in the free classified ads). You may even receive emails of weekly sales, or have bookmarked go-to websites where you can find the latest deals.

From all corners, there are places and websites telling you what you should buy. So what do you do? Do you go and buy all of those items? Is your grocery list longer than the paper you are writing the list on?

Maybe you even get excited about all of the money you are going to be saving by hitting up all of the sales for the week! It can become a game. I have learned though, that I NEED a grocery list when shopping and if I do not have one, I might as well not even go.

Here are a few helpful hints that I use:

1. Don’t let the sales ads tell you what to buy. I used to go through all of the sales ads, spending so much time trying to find the best deals. Until I realized that I was buying things that I didn’t really need. I ended up buying things because they were a great deal or eating that item just because it was in our house and was on sale. Did I really need it? No. That is why I abide by my grocery list every week. With little to no deviation from it.

2. Start your grocery list when you walk in with your groceries. I start off my grocery list by starting it the minute I walk through the door with my groceries from the week. Sounds odd, doesn’t it? I just BOUGHT all of the groceries I need! It never fails, the next day I usually find something else I need. That is where my “running grocery list” is vital in our household. I keep a pad of paper on our refrigerator and when I think of something we need, I put it on the list. That means by the time it is time to get groceries again, I have a pretty good idea of what we need.

3. Meal plan. At the beginning of the week (or whenever it is convenient), I make a list of all the ingredients needed to make the meals I have on the meal plan. This is what I call intentional cooking. Having specific meals planned, doesn’t cause stress at 5:00 wondering what’s for dinner. I know I will have the ingredients I need for the meal and am ready to make whatever is on the menu for the night. This also prevents me from buying items that I have no use for or no recipe to use them in.

4. Saves money! You often hear “when my husband is with me, our grocery bill is so much higher!” Though this may be true, but how often do we grab something off the shelf because it is a good deal? We can be just as bad! Having a grocery list again, keeps you from buying items you do not need. In the end, your wallet or bank statement will thank you.

5. Saves time. Shopping with a grocery list, directs you to each item, instead of making you walk down every single aisle of the store, wandering and pondering, if you need this or that item. With a list, you know the exactly where to go and you move on. There isn’t any mindless wandering.

6. Peace of mind. There is something about coming home from the grocery store, knowing you are prepared for the week (yes, I still forget items, but often not with a list). Living in a small town with no grocery store, I have to think twice about going to the store. Getting a dozen eggs will cost me MUCH more than the average $1.50 in the store because I have to drive there and back. It ends up being a costly dozen eggs! Going to the store only once a week, has forced me to meal plan more strategically, be more intentional with my grocery list, and enjoy cooking at home. There is a peace of mind in that, that when I get home with my week’s groceries, that that is IT. No more, until next week.

Maybe you use a grocery list, maybe you don’t. What are your thoughts on grocery lists?