Take the Stress Out of Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping can be stressful. But an organized approach and a personalized grocery list can cut stress, cost, and time. When shopping without a grocery list, often the shopper returns home minus some necessary item, usually something needed immediately.

Shopping without a list also prompts the shopper to spend more, after all, that new product sure looks good and it is just.... Shopping with kids and without a list gets extremely frustrating when the kids demand this or that and you are trying to remember what you really needed. Without a list, it is also easier to give in to the demands of the little urchins. As for time, without a list, lots of time can be wasted trying to figure out what it is you truly require.

But grocery shopping doesn't have to be all that stressful, and time and money can be saved by following a few tips that help you organize and put together a helpful grocery list.

You can organize by buying ready made grocery lists and they may work for you. When someone gave me a tablet of grocery lists when my kids were young I was grateful. Before our shopping trip, I'd faithfully check off what we needed. And, yes, it helped. (Now, there are sites with free download-able grocery lists.)

When using regular lists, I discovered that often I'd end up making a whole different list on the back because the printed, generic list really didn't serve my needs. I also realized making the list just before heading to the grocery story to shop added stress, even though having a grocery list helped me once I got to the store. I also learned that when I waited until I went grocery shopping to make my list, some items didn't get on the list.

So, I made up my own list for grocery shopping. This is fairly simple with a computer and printer. And it worked, sort of. A personalized list certainly saves time and frustration and helps keep the shopper organized. I still ran into the problem of forgetting things that should have been on the list.

With that in mind, I began keeping a notepad attached to the refrigerator with a magnet (there are any number of colorful pads you can buy). As I ran out of something or saw a need, I'd add the item to my list. It worked! The morning before grocery shopping, I take down my list, add what other items I need (checking it against that personalized computer list that helps me see my over-all grocery list needs), and I have my grocery shopping list for that grocery shopping trip. (These days, I just cut paper to list size, and staple it to a magnet attached to a cardboard backing. Not fancy, but it works.) Make sure to have a pen handy.

It helps to get the whole family on board with your on-going grocery list. When someone runs out of an item or when someone needs something, even better, when an item is used up, food or otherwise, family members can get in the habit of making a note of the item immediately on the waiting grocery list in progress. A grocery list is a great, yet simple, way to organize your grocery shopping expedition.

Do you use coupons? On the grocery list, you can make a note that you have a coupon for a particular item. (Or you can attach the coupons you plan to use with a paper clip to the grocery list when you go grocery shopping.) This saves more time, money and frustration, because you don't end up finding the coupon, unused, in the bottom of your purse later-with an expired date.

How to take the stress out of grocery shopping? Organize. Organize. Organize and do so with a grocery list.

Make up an overall list on your computer and print it out. Include specialized diet items for those with special needs within the family.

Keep an on-going grocery list on the refrigerator where each family member can add an item that has been used up or needs replacing.

Check this before shopping, adding what other items are needed from the overall list.

Add coupons to be used.

Finally, take the stress from the demanding little ones by letting them help you find the items on the list, letting them know if it isn't on the list, it doesn't go in the cart. (Remind yourself of that as well.)

A well planned grocery list can help organize the grocery shopping trip without the stress and with the satisfaction that you've saved yourself both time and money.