Earlier this week I talked to you about starting off the year by doing an inventory of the products you have on hand. Did you do it? If you did, then you have started your standard shopping list for yourself which is what you need to start living by in order to save money on your groceries.
Here's mine just to show you I really do this. Yes I use a Spreadsheet
Air Sanitizer | Sprays | 6 |
Ajax | Canister | 3 |
Allspice | jar | 1 |
Baking Chocolate 8 (1 oz) Squares | Boxed | 4 |
Baking Powder | Boxed | 1 |
Baking Soda - Small | Box | 5 |
Bar Soap | Bars | 40 |
Bay Leaf | jar | 1 |
Bisquick 20 oz | Box | 2 |
Bleach | Container | 1 |
Butterscotch Morsels 12 oz | bag | 4 |
Campbells Chicken Gravy | can | 2 |
Campbells Cream of Chicken | canned | 1 |
Campbells Sausage Gravy | Canned | 3 |
Campbells Tomato Soup | Canned | 4 |
Campbells Turkey Gravy | can | 1 |
Carrots | canned | 2 |
Cheerios | Box | 2 |
Chef Boyardee Ravoli | Canned | 2 |
Chicken Broth | Canned | 3 |
Chicken Broth | Canned | 2 |
Chocolate Topping | Jar | 1 |
Cinnamon | jar | 1 |
Cinnamon Toast Crunch | Box | 4 |
Cocoa | Canister | 1 |
Coffee Filter 200 Ct | Packages | 5 |
Collard Greens | can | 4 |
Cooking Oil | Gallon | 2 |
Corn 15.25 oz | can | 6 |
Corn Starch | Boxed | 1 |
Cotton Swabs 500 count | Packages | 4 |
Cottonelle 12 Roll Pk | Packages | 4 |
Cough Drops - Assorted Flavors | packages | 7 |
Cream Corn 14.75 oz | can | 6 |
Cream of Tartar | jar | 1 |
Creole Jambalaya Mix | bag | 1 |
Crystal Light Raspberry Ice | Canister | 3 |
Den Tek Dental Floss - LARGE | Packages | 7 |
Deodorant | Stick | 18 |
Diced Tomatoes | canned | 2 |
Dill Weed - Spice | jar | 1 |
Dish Detergent - 11 oz | Jar | 20 |
Dry Noodles - Assorted | Bag | 6 |
Enchilada Sauce | can | 1 |
Fabric Softener Sheets 40 ct | Box | 18 |
Feminine Hygiene Pads Large Pkg | Packages | 4 |
Flour 5 lb | Bag | 2 |
Foaming Bathroom Cleaner | Can | 4 |
Frozen Veggies - Assorted | Bags | 15 |
Furniture Polish | Jar | 1 |
Garlic | jar | 1 |
Ginger | jar | 1 |
Glass Cleaner | Container | 1 |
Green Beans 14.25 oz | can | 12 |
Hamburger 1lb package | Roll | 4 |
Hamburger Helper - Assorted | Box | 4 |
hand/Body Lotion - Large | Bottle | 4 |
Hidden Valley Ranch Dip | Packages | 1 |
Honey | Jar | 1 |
Hot Cocoa Mi | Boxed | 1 |
Hot Dogs 10 pk | Packages | 5 |
Jello - Assorted Flavors | Boxed | 10 |
Johnsonville Sausage - 2pk | Packages | 1 |
Karo syrup dark | jar | 1 |
Kidney beans | can | 3 |
Libbys Pumpkin Mix | can | 6 |
Light Bulbs | Packages | 2 |
Lipton Cup A Soup - 4 Pk Ckn Ndle | Box | 5 |
Lipton Cup A Soup - 4pk Veggie | Box | 5 |
Lipton Recipe Secrets Vegetable | 2-Pk Box | 1 |
Lipton Soup Secrets - Chicken Noodle | 2-Pk Box | 11 |
Lipton Tea Bag 100 ct | Boxed | 3 |
Manwich | can | 1 |
McCormick Taco Seasoning | Packages | 7 |
Meat Tenderizer | Jar | 1 |
Nestle Milk Chocolate Morsels 12 oz | Bag | 4 |
Oregano | jar | 1 |
Oyster Crackers | Bag | 1 |
Oyster Sauce | jar | 2 |
Pasta Roni | Box | 1 |
Peanut Butter | Jar | 3 |
Pepper | Tin | 2 |
Peroxide | Jar | 2 |
Pop Tarts Brown Sugar/Cinnamon 12 ct | Box | 1 |
Pop Tarts Chocolate - 12 Ct | Box | 1 |
Pop Tarts Strawberry 12 count | Boxed | 1 |
Pork Chops 4pack | Packages | 2 |
Poultry Seasoning | jar | 1 |
Quaker Oatmeal packets | Boxed | 1 |
Ramen Noodles 12 Pack - Beef | Packages | 1 |
Ramen Noodlws 12 Pack - Chicken | Packages | 1 |
Razor Blades - Refill Packages | Packages | 6 |
Razors | Packages | 10 |
Rice - Plain | Box | 1 |
Rice A Roni - Assorted | Box | 6 |
Salt | Canister | 5 |
Scrub Sponges - 6 Pk | Packages | 4 |
Seasoned Rice Vinegar | jar | 1 |
Sesame Seed Oil | jar | 1 |
Shampoo/Condition | Container | 13 |
Snack pak Chocolate Pudding 4 pk | Packages | 3 |
Soft Scrub 24 oz | Container | 5 |
Soy Sauce | jar | 2 |
Spaghetti Noodles 1 lb pkgs | Packages | 17 |
Spic N Span | Container | 3 |
Stewed Tomatoes | canned | 2 |
Strawberry Jelly - Homemade | jar | 5 |
Strawberry Topping | Jar | 1 |
Sugar 5 lb | packages | 2 |
Swanson Frozen Dinner | packages | 1 |
Sweet Baby Rays Marinade | jar | 1 |
Sweet N Low 1500 Count | Box | 1 |
Sweet Relish | Jar | 1 |
Tomato Sauce | canned | 13 |
Tonys Pizza | Packages | 2 |
Toothbrush | Single Pk | 3 |
Toothpaste | Tubes | 7 |
Trash Bags | Box | 1 |
Vlassic Bread N Butter Spears | Jar | 1 |
Whole Grain oats | Canister | 1 |
Worcestershire sauce | jar | 1 |
Zesta crackers - Large Box | Box | 4 |
As you can see, there is a lot of stuff on here.
The purpose of having an inventory is two-fold.
#1 - You always know what you have and how much. When you make that impulse decision as the store to fix spaghetti tonight for dinner, you know (using my inventory) that you already have the noodles and everything you need to make the sauce. It will definitely help you cut down on impulse buying if you see that you don't need something. For instance I have 7 tubes of toothpaste so I don't need any for a while. However, I only have 3 toothbrushes so I will be keeping my eye out for them.
#2 - The second reason for doing and having a current inventory is that you have started a shopping List. These are the items we use in my household. There are more items that we use that aren't on there such as Laundry Detergent. It's not there which tells me that a) I forgot to add it to the list because I didn't have any unopened containers in my storage. b) I need to add it and it is definitely an item that I need to keep my eye out for at a great price.
Additional benefits to having an inventory is that you can start being selective on how much you are willing to pay for certain items. For instance. I have 18 (40 ct.) boxes of fabric softener sheets. I won't need to purchase any for a long, long time. Now I can be selective on how much I am willing to pay, if anything, for this product. Because I have a stockpile of the item doesn't mean that I just close my eyes to it. What it means is that I set a price for myself that I am willing to pay. Maybe it's $.50 or $.40 or $.25. The point is I won't need it for a while so I will only purchase it if I can get a really really good deal on it.
Now let's talk about the shopping list for a second. Now that you have your inventory of current items on hand, you have the beginning of your inventory. Now there are two things to do:
1) Print it out and put it in your coupon binder;
2) Every time you purchase something that your normally use (no impulse purchases), if it's not on the list, add it. By the end of 2 months, you should have a pretty set in stone shopping list. That's what you will always take with you when you go to the grocery store, drug store, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.
Once you have your inventory and shopping list set, you are definitely on your way to cutting cost and savings money on the everyday items that you use.
Once you print out your list sit down and take a good look at it. It's very important that you add those items that you use that you are currently out of. For example, I don't use a lot of mustard during the cold months, but come summer time I will definitely be using the product. Guess what? I'm out and it's not on my list. So, I will add it in the appropriate spot and leave it blank because I don't have any in the stockpile. Now I do have a container in the frig but that doesn't count because it is open. I'm only talking unopened items here.
And there are 3 things that I don't put on the list because I call them running products. They are milk, eggs, bread. Odds are that you use them almost daily and need to purchase them weekly. So do I. On those items I keep my eye out for who has the best deal. Now don't get me wrong. All three of those items can be frozen. However, with just the two of us at home anymore, it's not worth it financially to me to stockpile those items because someone will always have them on sale. However, if you have kids at home, freezing these items when they are on sale is definitely something you should consider.
If you haven't done your inventory yet, get busy. It's a must have to start cutting down the cost of your groceries.
Hugs,
De
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