SHOPPING LIST 📝 perfect for saving time and money

Have you ever noticed that you forgot to buy something you needed only when you had already returned from the supermarket? When shopping, relying on memory is not always enough. Knowing this, check out the tips we have prepared to make your trip to the market more efficient!

Why make a shopping list?

According to personal organizer Helo Henne, “the grocery list is used to organize yourself when shopping. It helps not to forget any item, not to accumulate food and lose it due to the expiration date, to control unnecessary consumption impulses, in addition to guaranteeing savings and satisfaction”.

That is, in addition to optimizing your trip to the market, putting together a shopping list is also a way to save money, since you know what you really need and avoid the temptation to buy other products. In addition, lists are also great ways to define your needs when shopping for someone else.

5 tips for making an effective shopping list

There is not just one ideal way to make a shopping list. After all, you need to adapt the list to your needs and the frequency with which you usually go to the supermarket. Even so, some tips can help in the process and make shopping more practical. Check out:

1. Take the written list to market

The tip may seem obvious, but it isn’t always, as forgetting to take the list with you when shopping is quite common. To avoid mistakes, prefer to write the list on supports that are easy to transport: single sheets of paper, cell phone, small notebooks. Large notebooks, a computer, and whiteboards can be very handy for making the list at home, but don’t forget to have a version that you can take with you!

2. Have a list ready to use as a reference

Make a list of all the things you usually use at home and, when you go to the supermarket, check which items on that list need to be bought. That way, you don’t run the risk of forgetting to write something down and even take the opportunity to check what you already have, checking quantities and expiration dates.

3. Build a menu and build your list based on it

“People usually go to the supermarket, do all the shopping and then build menus according to what they have in the cupboard. So that you don’t waste products, leaving them forgotten in the pantry, try doing the opposite. Build 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”, suggests Helo.

4. Separate 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, seasonings, meats, drinks, refrigerator or pantry items, etc.

5. Keep an up-to-date list on a daily basis

In order not to forget anything when writing everything at once, keeping a list with frequent updates is a good alternative. Leave the list in a visible place (attached with a magnet to the fridge door, for example) and write down a product every time you notice, in everyday activities, that it needs to be replaced.

3 apps to make shopping list

If you like virtual lists, one option is to use an app to organize your grocery shopping. But while there are some market-specific apps, simple list apps also serve very well. See our picks:

A ready-to-use shopping list

Whether you prefer printed or simpler lists, to use in your computer’s text editor, we also have an option for you. In the next button, you will find a template that can be used as a basis for creating your list, being reorganized according to what is essential for your home.

Shopping list (DOWNLOAD)

Having a ready-to-use shopping list as a reference makes the process of jotting down the products you need when shopping a lot easier. The ideal is to include in this list all the products that are commonly used in your home and that are purchased regularly.

After downloading the list, some options are:

• Print multiple copies of the list and change quantities with each purchase;
• Edit the list on the computer after checking what will be needed and printing updated versions for each occasion;
• Print and attach to the fridge or pantry door to take notes as products run out.

With these tips, your shopping will certainly be much more organized and practical!

5 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Making a 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 on what to avoid so you don’t lose focus:

1. Take a very long break between purchases

The longer the period between trips to the supermarket, the greater the number of items you will need to buy at once. At long intervals, the list needs to be large and cover everything you will need, which makes the task more complicated. So, if you have availability, schedule purchases for shorter periods.

2. Go to the supermarket hungry

Going shopping hungry can become a stimulus to spend more. On impulse, you end up getting distracted and buying products you don’t really need.

3. Take the kids to the supermarket

If you have kids and you have the option of not taking them to the grocery store, grab the option. The large amount of products is attractive to the little ones, who can be full of requests and desires, making you take home things you hadn’t planned to buy.

4. Make the list without checking the pantry

Don’t leave the house to shop without checking out your pantry or fridge! This avoids buying products that you already have, allows you to visualize the available space and makes you notice any expired products that need to be replaced.

5. Buy in bulk

“One of the main mistakes is to buy in bulk or on impulse without having a schedule, as this increases the possibilities of buying unnecessary products”, points out Helo. So, avoid going to the market on days when you didn’t plan to do so – the chances of ending up taking home products you don’t need are higher on those occasions.

Now that you know how to make a shopping list, how about learning how to store food at home when you get home from the supermarket?