The Frugal Pig

Forget the Shopping List

Oh it is a good idea to jot down staples that you have run out of. You need to remember to pick up ketchup and milk and toilet paper if you have run out. But I am not a big fan of detailed shopping lists. For one thing, I find it tedious to have to plan out an entire week of meals, and with the way my life runs, that list seldom works out for my family anyway. For another thing, when I shop sales, I need to plan meals on the fly.

Take a Calculator and Sticky Notes

No, I think the one thing you should take to the grocery store is a small sticky note pad and a calculator.  You can use the top sticky note to jot down your very short shopping list of things you absolutely need!

Shop the sales as we mentioned in a previous post. Since price tags seem to belong to another era, use the sticky notes to put the price on the items you purchased. Then keep a tally in your calculator. C’mon, you know you are surprised every time you get to the checkout lane!

Then, if you start to go over your budget, you can rethink your shopping as you go. Replace a few more expensive items with cheaper ones, and keep your running total up. You will be surprised how much less your bill will be at the end.

And I am not saying you should do without. But if peaches are on sale, do you really need apples? I always want to keep fresh fruit in the house as a healthy snack, and buying it gets more and more challenging, but my family can be flexible on the type of fruit. And sometimes when I bring home a type of fruit that is less common, it is a great incentive to get the kids to eat them instead of less healthy snacks!

frugal shopping, groceries, cheap eats

Share This

Technorati Tags: frugal shopping, groceries, cheap eats

• The Best Way To Save Money at The Grocery Store
• How To Save Money...
• Breakfast For Dinner Saves On Groceries
• Serve Breakfast For...
• Cheap Father’s Day Presents Dad Will LOVE!
• Stuck For A Frugal...