How to Make a Grocery List

Shopping with a grocery list is recommended by thrifty and frugal shoppers. Sticking to the list is a way to save money and buy only what you've planned to purchase. It's also recommended by weight loss experts as a way to keep from making impulse buys that won't be good for the waistline.

Keep a Running List of Basic Groceries that Need to be Replaced

Designate a pad of paper, a chalkboard or dry-erase board as a running grocery list. As soon as a basic item is gone, write it on the list. For example, when you've used the last of the baking soda, put it on the list right away. When it's time to make the official grocery list for the shopping trip, you've got a good starting point and won't forget anything crucial.

Organize the Grocery List

Rewrite the grocery list using categories. Try to organize it the same way you would walk through the grocery store. Group all dairy items together, all fruits and vegetables, all meats and so on. This makes for the most efficient use of your shopping time. If you typically go to more than one store for bargain shopping, make a list for each store.

Consult the Weekly Grocery Store Sales Circulars

After all the needed items are added to the list, consult the weekly sales circulars. Check the coupon book to match coupons to needed sale items. Add all of these items to the grocery list. But, be careful to avoid buying something just because it's on sale. If it's not needed and won't be used, don't add it to the shopping list. It's not a good deal if you don't use it.

Consult the Price Book to Find the Best Deals

A price book is a list of items that you routinely buy. The prices for each item at several different stores are included to allow the shopper to readily find the best prices on grocery items. It can take several weeks or months to develop a price book, but it's a convenient tool for bargain shoppers.

For each shopping trip, once the basic grocery list is made, consult the price book and compare prices at different stores. Try to go to the store that has the best prices on the majority of items on the list. This may mean that you have to go to more than one store to get advertised sale items and another store to get the least expensive basics.

Add Coupons to the Grocery List

For convenience, it's a good idea to attach coupons to the grocery list. Either paperclip them to the list or create the list on the back of an envelope that you can tuck the coupons into. Recycle envelopes from junk mail for this purpose. Or, bring the entire coupon book with you, but be sure to put the coupons you plan on using in a front pocket so they are easy to find.

Shopping with a grocery list is both a convenient and money-saving tool. Know how to organize a list and use it in conjunction with a price book, sales circulars and a coupon book to get the most savings on weekly groceries.