Organizing grocery trips

When I started couponing a couple years ago, I realized that my grocery shopping strategy needed to change a little.  Before, I would just take my list into whatever store I was planning on visiting purchase those items (along with whatever else that caught my eye…).  There was no real grocery budget and only a basic menu plan.

After beginning to consistently plan our menu, my grocery lists started changing and becoming shorter and more concise.

Over the last year, I’ve developed a system that really works for me.

I have a small (roughly 3×5″) spiral bound notebook that I keep in the kitchen.

As I run out of or get low on a staple item, I jot it down on the list.  Then, on menu planning day (I typically plan a whole month), I just add to that list.

As grocery day nears, I tear out that sheet and break it down into smaller lists based on the store where I will be purchasing each item.

Then I go through all of my coupons and pull out the ones I plan on using.  Then I match them to the items on my list and write out beside the item if I have a coupon to be used (I also note if it’s a coupon for a free item).

Once my coupons are sorted by store, I paperclip them to the opposing page, face up.  This allows me to see them as I’m going through the store and my list.

As I put items in my cart, if it has a matching coupon, I move it to the back of the paper clipped stack, face down.  This just ensures I won’t be constantly flipping through the entire stack every time I’m matching a coupon to an item.

I do also make sure to bring along my coupon box, because I frequently find extra deals or end-caps with huge markdowns that I will have a coupon to go with!!

This system has saved me so much time in my shopping trips.  It definitely takes a little more time at home to prepare, but it helps me zip through each store much more quickly and efficiently.

This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday.