Last updated: January 5, 2018 at 1:38 am
Have you ever gone shopping for groceries with no plan or list? Planning what you are going to buy before you go grocery shopping has many benefits. This article will discuss 6 reasons to use a list while shopping for groceries.
1. It builds willpower
Forcing yourself to use a list while grocery shopping, and only buying things on the list certainly can be difficult. I used to feel that it was just a pain to make a list before grocery shopping. But, the payoff is well worth the effort. Just like any other store, grocery stores will often put up appealing displays, have good, unannounced sales, which can cause you to splurge. But, although forcing yourself to use a list while grocery shopping can be somewhat difficult, at least initially, it can build willpower. Just like exercising and eating well, only buying items from a list while grocery shopping can be difficult, but the payoff can be huge. The good feelings of self-respect and accomplishment can make it all worth the effort. Building willpower can also have beneficial in other parts of your life, and you can apply your improved willpower to things like working on goals and to-do lists etc.
Below is the list of items that I used on my list while shopping for groceries today:
- 4 ears of corn
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 4 pack of Red Bull
- Toothpaste
- Bananas
Today, I can definitely say that I was tempted to buy some items that weren’t on my list, and that I might have bought them had I not forced myself to only buy things on my list. I actually feel better knowing that I built my self-discipline even just a little bit, than I would have felt buy buying those items which weren’t on my list.
2. Can Save You Money
If you plan your purchases before you buy them, you can often save money. For example, if you look online for the grocery store’s prices or sales going on, or even compare prices for identical items between grocery stores, you can decide to buy based on that. In addition, you could look in your local newspaper or online for coupons or vouchers for saving money. And, if you have a weekly or monthly budget, planning before you go shopping will certainly help keep you within with your budget(s).
3. Can prevent you from buying too much food which might later spoil or get moldy
If you buy too much food and don’t eat it all in time, sometimes, food can spoil, get moldy, etc, and then you would effectively just be wasting money. I personally don’t usually buy food in bulk because I go grocery shopping nearly every day, and I feel that I waste less food by doing it this way. But, sometimes buying in bulk can be good and help you save money if you have the self-discipline not to eat more than you planned and you properly store and/or refrigerate your food.
4. Helps Prevent frivolous purchases and regretting your purchases later
Like the saving money reason, using a list can help prevent frivolous spending. While companies certainly encourage impulsive buying, by having a list, you can help prevent this. It may take a little bit of time, say for example 5 minutes, to think of what you will need to buy, but you can prevent buying unnecessary items which you might regret buying or forget about later.
5. Can Train You To Be More Frugal
Being frugal is not being cheap or stingy. Being frugal just means being wise with spending money. Oh course the more money you save while grocery shopping, you could spend in other places, invest, or plan for the future. As the saying goes, “a penny saved is a penny earned”. Smart, successful people usually don’t get rich by accident. In fact, you don’t have to earn a high income to eventually become rich. You just need to be wise with the money you have, and save and invest well.
6. Can Help You Save Time
Time is the one commodity we can never get more of. Planning itself does take time, but overall, by planning, you will most likely save yourself time shopping than if you just went into the grocery store, without a list or plan, deciding on the spot what to buy. So, making a list before shopping, and only using that list can have a major payoff in terms of saved time.
Conclusion
I only recently started using a list while grocery shopping. But, I feel that it is quite a rewarding experience. Planning on what you are going to buy shouldn’t take very long. Let’s say that on average, it should take 5-10 minutes to make a grocery shopping list. First, go through your pantry and refrigerator, and think about what you need to buy. And, if you want, look for prices of the products you want to buy online and/or do price comparisons between stores. Then make your list as you see fit.
So, why not you try making a list before grocery shopping, if for just 1 time, and see what you think. What did you think of this article? Do you use a list before grocery shopping? Let’s discuss this in the comments below.