Time-Saving Tips For Grocery Shopping

We all have to do some grocery shopping.  Some are born shoppers and find the chore enjoyable and relaxing.  Others, men especially, disdain shopping and can only barely endure it.  But going grocery shopping is an inevitable fact of life and should be learned well.

Here are some tips for those who are unfortunately born with a deficit for grocery shopping skills:

Let the refrigerator give you clues.

Before going out shopping, of course you need to write down a list of what you need to buy.  It also presupposes that you have a master list posted somewhere on your ref door or kitchen corkboard.  However, an often overlooked source of clues is the inside of your ref.  Peer into your fridge and look for what remains in there.  For instance, if you have some frozen cooked pasta,  that would give you the clue to just buy ground beef so you can have spaghetti later.  This way your leftovers will be cooked and not just go to waste.

Let your master list be your master.

Rather than taking so long to think of what to buy, have a master list posted on your wall or corkboard for quick reference before you shop.  It would be wise to have one master list on perishables or fresh produce which you can buy weekly and another one for dry goods which you can buy monthly.

Go to one-stop shops.

Some stores just seem to have it all while others run out of so many items.  Shop around for stores which contain all items you regularly need then patronize that one complete store so that you won’t waste time hopping around.

Map out your list according to your favorite store’s layout.

The main advantage of being a loyal patron of one store is that you get to memorize its floor plan and thus can navigate your way around very quickly.  Another advantage would be that with this layout in your mind, you can list down ingredients accordingly.  Your list would then start with items displayed on aisle 1, then 2 and so on.

Obey your list.

If you stick to your list, you wouldn’t waste much time stopping at this or that item.  Shopping would be fast and clean and right within your budget.  But if you are prone to looking at sale items which are not in your list, set time and price limits-- perhaps no more than 5 minutes and no higher than $50.

Go online shopping at times.

If you are an incurable shoppophobic, you might like the idea of online shopping.  Prices are still the same and there is the added advantage of having the grocery bags delivered right to your doorstep and even inside your kitchen.

Shopping can be very enjoyable if you have a smart plan.