The Big Picture

Perhaps you have a written inventory of all of the groceries and other staples you have in your home. Perhaps you carry this list with you when you go shopping. When you see a special on toilet paper, you know immediately whether you need some now or whether you are already storing all you can handle.

You may pick up some tips here on using a list more effectively, but if not, don't assume that only superwoman and a few of her nearest and dearest are capable of organized shopping. You may never have the perfect shopping list or the perfect storage system, but anyone can improve on what they are doing now!

Most of the mistakes we make in shopping involve not paying attention. We take it for granted that we need bread and milk and eggs. It never occurs to us that there are days or weeks when we can get a better deal, or even that we could buy extra and freeze it so we don't have to pay whatever the going rate is every week.

Start by planning your shopping trips. Trying to find ingredients for tonight's dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon doesn't work. If you are using a weekly plan, schedule one day for running errands and doing your shopping. You can shop once a week or once a month, but you need to have a specific time set aside. It is good to schedule your shopping after your desk or menu-planning day so you can make a list that includes the items for this weeks menus as well as anything that is almost used up.

The shopping list should be in a convenient spot between trips so that any family member who notices that we're about to run out of something can jot it down. Teach your family the importance of updating the shopping list and it will save YOU trouble.

It is frustrating if you don't notice that someone used the last of the sour cream on chips if you are in the middle of a recipe. A quick glance at an updated shopping list might have given you enough warning to think about substitutions.

I've seen the preprinted lists where you check off the items you need. These never seem to have all of the items I usually buy or even enough "other" lines to include them. If you want to use these, consider making your own master list and photocopying it.

When preparing to go to the store, stop and think. Do you have your list? Are you bringing coupons? Have you read the ads and made decisions about what to stock up on? Peek in the refrigerator and see if there are any empty bottles (blame it on the kids!) and check the cupboards for empty boxes (rotten kids - plenty of fruit, but they left the Oreo box empty in the cupboard!) Update your list.

Have a quick snack before you go. Never shop on an empty stomach or right after a big meal. Somewhere in between leaves you alert and strong.

Listen to relaxing music in the car and take a few deep breaths. I get the experience of "overwhelm" sometimes in the grocery store and that works against a productive shopping trip. "Overwhelm" is a common problem to those of us who have organizational difficulties. Relaxation really helps. It is also easier if I know exactly what I am doing - less aimless wandering.

A price book keeps track of the bargains. It is simply a file of old grocery lists with prices written next to each item. It can be a simple or as complex as you want to make it - the idea is to give you a guide to what the normal price is. I have seen people seriously stocking up on a "sale" item that is actually 2 cents MORE than the usual price. They see the sale sign and assume they are getting a great deal. WRONG.

A few tips that would help even those who are already pretty well organized:

1. Bring a calculator if you need one to compare prices. Don't assume that the big sizes or the generic brands are always cheapest. It doesn't always work that way.
2. Consider buying perishables the store is discounting near their expiration dates and freezing immediately. You can save a LOT on meat and cheese this way. These items will be good several days after the expiration date if frozen before that date.
3. No matter how good a deal, don't buy what you won't use. Not as obvious as it seems, but think about it.