How to Plan Your Grocery List to Avoid Impulse Buying

For most of us, grocery shopping is one of those tasks we squeeze in between other more important activities. Rushing up and down the store aisles, it's easy to grab items you wouldn't normally buy. However, with a little upfront work, grocery shopping can be planned and unnecessary purchases can be avoided. With the advent of computers in our everyday lives, you can compile a master grocery list tailored to your routine needs to make shopping easier and to help you avoid impulse buys.

The easiest way to get started is to develop a master shopping list. Use meaningful headings for items you often purchase. Here are some likely headings:
*dairy,
*deli,
*fresh bakery,
*fruits and vegetables,
*meats and fish,
*pre-packaged meats
*frozen items,
*cleaning products,
*paper products,
*pet foods,
*baking items,
*canned foods,
*special snacks.

Next, expand each heading to include specific items you often buy. For example, under the "fruits and vegetables" heading, you may list: apples, grapes, lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, jalapenos, green onions, sweet potatoes, white potatoes. The goal is to list the items under each heading that you most commonly purchase. Remember, this is your shopping list so it should reflect your choice of items.

At the end of each listing under each heading, leave a few blank spaces for items you don't typically buy, in the event you want to add such items to your list. To make it even easier for you to zip through the store, arrange your headings on the paper in the order those items are found in your store. If the fresh bakery is at the front of the store where you enter, then place that category first on your list. If the deli is next in the store, place that next on your list, and so on.

When it's time to do your "big" grocery shopping (if you typed up the master list on the computer), print a copy. You can even have a few copies pre-printed in the kitchen drawer, to have them ready and on hand. Then, circle all the items you need. Add any special items you want to get this week in the blank spaces you left at the end of the listings.