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Before we started couponing consistently, it was easy for us to go into a store and leave spending a lot more than we intended. Mainly it was because we didn’t go in with a set shopping list or a set goal in mind, so if we came across something we thought was cool, we would through it into the cart, even if we didn’t have a coupon or deal for it. Needless to say, when you do that often enough, your budget gets blown out of the water.
Nowadays, we are more aware of how much we can save just by being organized and creating a shopping list, along with having coupons in hand, before heading out to the store!
Here are some ways you can organize your shopping list.
1. Use the tried-and-true paper-and-pen method. Writing it down is the best way to keep track of what you need to shop for and what coupons you plan to use. Many people use a small notebook that fits in a purse or pocket.
2. Find a printable template, such as the shopping list from Organized Home. There are other sites that offer free printable shopping lists and you can find one that suits your needs.
3. You can also use the “Coupon List” function in A Savings WOW!’s grocery store matchups to add items, along with the list of coupons to a coupon list that can be printed or emailed.
4. Try out the free Ziplist.com app. You can add what you need to purchase and even organize it based on the stores you plan to purchase the items. You can also categorize the items, making it easier to find them in the store. There’s even a notes section so you can add the coupons you plan to use (so you don’t forget them). The best thing about this app is that you can email or text the list to someone else, especially if you share the shopping duties with someone else. Since it is updated instantaneously, you won’t have to worry about both of you buying the same thing.
5. You can also create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. By adding formulas, you can have it calculate what the the total is before coupons and what it is after coupons. This way, you can tell fairly quickly if anything is rung up incorrectly because you know what to expect to pay at checkout.
How do you organize your shopping list? We would love to know – leave a comment below.
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I would love to take my shopping list(s) to another level, right now, I’m old school…pen and paper list!
I plan on trying the Ziplist.com app. Thanks for the advice.