There’s nothing harder on a budget than forgetting the ever-important grocery list at home. This usually results in a bout of yelling and blaming. Thereafter it is followed by an attempted list-recreation while moving through the store. Generally, this causes an abundance of items ending up in the shopping basket. Not to mention blowing the budget out of the window. When you get home you find only partial ingredients to make any resemblance of a meal.

Shopping lists are only as effective as the person who makes them. The rule for shopping lists is to make sure you look through all of your items, including the shelves where you stock the goodies, to make sure you have written every last thing down. The best thing to do for keeping a good list is to hang a piece of paper on the refrigerator to keep a running tally as you use up items. This will help ensure minimal items are missed. It is still helpful to go back through the fridge, freezer and all pantries before heading to the store.

Making a shopping list doesn’t have to be an all out war. There are a few simple tips to remember when making that list that will help you endeavor to preserve.

Organize – Try and keep your list organized by where items are placed in your kitchen. For instance, have a column for frozen goods, another for refrigerated and a final one for pantry items. This will help three fold.

When we shop we find that many items are grouped together in this same way. This is great because it will increase shopping speed and leave little room for impulse buys while wandering up and down the isles. Also all of the like items will be packaged together since they are in your cart together. This helps in keeping the cold items cold and the meats away from the bread and eggs. Since the items are packed together, putting them away at home will be a breeze. They will already be grouped according to where they go.

Game Plans – Try to map out the stores you frequent. Unless they constantly move items around, you will be able to quickly find the cereal and the mustard without having to search around, wasting time and money. Being able to grab exactly what you need aids in cost savings because, again, you won’t be left to your own devices when walking aimlessly up and down the isles.

Budget Checks – Leave room on your list to write down prices. Many stores will honor prices if marked incorrectly on the shelf or even give you that particular item for free if it rings up incorrectly. Being able to keep track of the dollars you are going to spend as you walk through the store also helps to keep the budget in place. When you see the dollars adding up, it is much more difficult to justify the impulse buy at the checkout lane.

The most important thing to remember is to make sure you have the list with you before you leave the house. Make sure that list is as complete as possible by keeping a running tab of needed items on the fridge. Sort the list by common items to make life easier and know where those items are located. Finally, keep track of your spending on the same list to help with frugal shopping.