Master Shopping Lists 

My great grandparents in their grocery store

The less time I spend writing lists and shopping at the store means more time to be with my family.

For each store I shop at, I have a list in the computer that I can print off to bring with me. If you want to, you can even have copies of those lists within a planner.

I organize my lists based on the way I walk through the store, so that I don't have to backtrack. When I go to a store, I print up the list for the store I am going to and I highlight the things I need. No time is spent writing a list or trying to remember all the things I need. I try to never run out of anything, so I just get what is on sale, or get more of somethng that is running low, like toliet paper. I don't buy everything on the list every time--just those that are on the lowest sales. I buy as many at a time as I can use before they go bad, so that I don't have to go to the store again for a while.

Another advantage of having a master shopping list for each store is that if you need to send the list with someone else (if you're sick, for example) you can hand the list to your husband or another person to have them pick up things for you. For this reason, you may want to be extra-particular on your list, listing brand names and sizes of items, if needed.

Here's an example:

Smith’s master shopping list

Carrots
Butternut squash
Lemons
Limes
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Bananas

Wheat bread (Smith’s )
White bread
Dry mustard
Poppy seeds
Kroger Instant Powdered milk, 4 lb box
Kroger steak sauce
Rice Vinegar
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
Salsa
Canned tomatoes

Dried black beans

Dried kidney beans

Dried navy beans

Corn tortillas
Flour tortillas
Chuck roast (I only buy these when they go on sale for the lowest price, $1.79/ lb, and then I put 5 or 6 in the freezer).

4lb bag frozen chicken breasts (About every 12 weeks, these go on sale for half price. I only buy them when they reach that rock bottom price).
Washing soda
Borax
Eggs, large
Blue bonnet light margarine
Lemonade
Orange juice concentrate

Sour cream
Whole milk

Ice cream (only on sale) 
Frozen blueberries
Frozen raspberries
Frozen strawberries