Have you ever been to the grocery store and realized that you forgot to buy something you needed only when you had already returned home? When shopping, relying on memory is not always enough. After all, supermarkets are full of colorful packaging that can act as powerful distractions.
Even the most focused person can get distracted and find out, while unpacking, that they forgot to pick up a packet of salt, a roll of toilet paper, and a box of washing powder.
Putting together a list and going to the grocery store with everything you need to note helps a lot with the process. Thus, it is more difficult to forget to buy any necessary items, you are not unpleasantly surprised to realize something is missing when you are already home and avoid a new visit to the market. It's also an added incentive to spend less: with the list, you know what you really need and you no longer have the temptation to buy other products.
? The grocery list is organized to organize at the time of shopping, it helps not forget any items, does not accumulate food and lose them due to expiration, control the impulses of unnecessary consumption, and ensure savings and satisfaction. ? says the personal organizer Helo Henne.
While shopping is a relatively simple and common activity, organizing and structuring what you need in a list makes all the difference and can optimize the task, saving you time and money. In addition, lists are also great ways to make your needs clear in cases where purchases are made by someone else.
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5 Tips for Making an Effective Shopping List
There is not just an ideal way to make an effective shopping list. After all, you need to adapt the list to your needs and how often you go to the supermarket. Even so, some tips can help in the process and make shopping time more practical. Check out:
1. Bring the written list to market
The most basic tip may seem obvious, but it is not always. Forgetting to carry the list at the time of shopping is common and relying on memory may not work as well. To make no mistake, prefer to write the list on easy-to-carry media: single sheets of paper, cell phone, small notebooks. Large notebooks, computers, and whiteboards can be very handy to list at home, but be sure to provide a version that can be brought along with you!
2. Have a ready-to-use list
Make a list of all the things you use at home, and when you go to the supermarket, make sure that items on that list need to be bought. This way, you don't risk forgetting to write something down and still take the time to check what you already have by checking quantities and expiration dates.
3. Build a menu and build your list based on it
“People usually go to the grocery store, make every purchase, and then build menus according to what they have in the closet. So that you don't waste products, leaving them forgotten in the pantry, try the opposite. Assemble your entire menu? breakfast, lunch, dinner or evening snack? according to how often you go shopping and then start building your list based on the menu set up, Helo suggests.
4. Sort by categories
Dividing the list into categories is a good way to put your thoughts in order and visualize what is needed, as well as making it easier to find products in the supermarket. You can separate what you need into: cleaning products, hygiene, vegetables, spices, meats, beverages, fridge or pantry items, etc.
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5. Keep an up to date list on a daily basis.
To keep in mind when writing everything at once, keeping a list of frequent updates is a good alternative. Leave the list in a visible place (magnetically attached to the refrigerator door, for example) and write down a product every time you realize in your daily activities that it will need to be replaced.
A shopping list ready for you to use
Having a ready-to-use shopping list makes it much easier to make a note of the products you need to buy in turn. Ideally, include in this list all products that are commonly used in your home and that are regularly purchased.
With the reference list ready, it is easier to check what needs replacement every trip to the supermarket: just edit the list according to the quantities required and what should or should not be purchased on the day.
When setting up the reference list, keep in mind that each house has different tastes, customs and needs? The products a family with children need will be different from the choices of a single person, for example. Here is a template that can be used as a basis for creating your list and that can be rearranged according to what's essential to your home.
Shopping List (Reference)
There are different and practical ways to apply the reference list on a daily basis. One option is to print multiple copies and change the quantities with each purchase. You can also edit the list on your computer after checking what is needed and printing updated versions for each occasion. The list can also be used as a basis for daily updates: keeping it in the fridge or pantry door makes it easy to make notes as products run out.
5 Mistakes You Must Avoid When Making The List And Going To The Market
Even with the list ready, some care can be taken to make grocery shopping even more practical and effective. Check out tips to avoid to avoid losing focus:
1. Take a very long break between purchases
The longer you go to the supermarket, the more items you will need to buy at one time. At long intervals, the list needs to be large and cover everything you will need, which makes the task more complicated. Therefore, if available, schedule purchases for shorter periods.
• Weekly shopping helps to replenish missing items, and you have fresh produce on weekdays, as well as not wasting or leaving forgotten food in the closet. Ideally, go to the supermarket at least twice a month ?, recommends Helo.
2. Go to the hungry supermarket
Going hungry shopping can become a stimulus to spend more. On impulse, you end up distracting yourself and buying products you don't really need.
3. Take the kids to the supermarket
If you have children and you have the option of not taking them to the supermarket, grab the possibility. The sheer amount of products is appealing to little ones, who can be filled with orders and wants, so you can take home things you didn't plan on buying.
4. Make the list without checking the pantry
Don't leave home for shopping without checking out your pantry or fridge! This avoids the purchase of products you already have, allows you to view available space and lets you know of any expired products that need replacing.
5. Buy separately
"One of the main mistakes is to buy loose or on impulse without having a schedule, as this increases the chances of buying unnecessary products," says Helo. So, avoid going to the market on days when you didn't plan for it? The chances of winding up with products you don't need are higher on these occasions.
With a well-prepared list that is tailored to your home's needs, grocery shopping is much more convenient! As well as being a simple way to make sure all products are remembered, it's a way to keep track of what you put in your cart and not overspend or waste food. Take advantage of the tips and adapt them to your daily life!
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