Sticking to a grocery list versus compulsive buying

[classic33]

If there's an item on your list, but not on the shelves, what do you do?

 

[Maggie Magpie]

If there's an item on your list, but not on the shelves, what do you do?

Stop at the supermarket next door and get that one item.
Seriously I always write a list of what we need. Generally if it isn't on the list it doesn't get bought. That said I always review the special offers and bulk buy items for things that do not go out of date. I rarely bulk buy or double up on fresh food on offer. The buy three cauliflowers for the price of two doesn't work for me when half will end up on the compost heap. If I know I need two courgettes there is no point buying four.

I always combine grocery shopping with another journey, usually the trip home from work which takes me past at least four supermarkets. They are two a plenty in the UK.

So back to the question what if the store doesn't have something on my list then yes I just stop at the next one for things I'm missing.

MM

 

[Maggie Magpie]

Yes, I take a list and I am very compulsive about this. I make a menu of meals that I want to eat for about 2 weeks, then I write each ingredient I need for each meal on the list. Then next to each ingredient I write the price and round up to the nearest dollar. I pretty much have all my local store prices memorized, so if something is usually priced at $4.50, I will write it on my list as $5. When I am done writing the prices next to everything, I add it up, include the 9.25% sales tax in my state, and write the total at the bottom.

This allows me to overestimate how much I will spend. If I get to the store and something is priced higher than what I estimated, then I know I have already added a little extra and it does not hurt my budget too much. If everything is priced as I estimated, then I know I can pick up a few extra treats that were not on the list and still be within my budget.

I think that is pretty good.
We also plan all our meals on a weekly basis and from this make up a list of ingredients. That list gets referenced to what's in the cupboards, fridge and freezer before we go out. We also add anything from the blackboard which is where we always write things that we finish.

I don't go as far as the pricing you manage. Food is our top priority so if it costs a bit more than usual one week then we cut out something else.

If we really overspend one week then the next week we will plan meals with cheaper ingredients.

I couldn't manage to cook everything and feed everyone without a menu planned out in advance. That would be too stressful.

MM