K M
Über Member
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.
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.