MAKING YOUR LIST

This step is nice for some who love list and for others (like me) you have to get use to it. Using a list when you shop I have learned is going to save you a ton of money. So if you are on a buget do not skip making a list!! It helps you be organized, get in, get out, and get on your way.

My shopping list will have the following things on it to help guide me and keep me in check: -

-Name of store(s) (seriously I HAVE to have this!)
-What I am getting, including sizes
-How many of what I am getting
-What coupon I am using and where to find it
-How much I am spending
-Any special instructions I need, like how many of this to get that discount.

So to get my shopping list I go online to the GROCERY LIST page and I pick the store(s) I will shop at usually depending on sale items, needs, and distance of travel for me. If you are not in my area you can compare this list with your local ads. Now go to your copy of the Excel worksheet. If you still don't have one leave me a comment with you e-mail and I can get you one.

It will tell you how much you could spend which helps you know if you need to remove things from your list OR if you can ad things, yeah!

**TIPS**

I like to have a list for each store so if I am going to shop at Walmart, Albertsons, Smith I will print a worksheet for each store.

Also I like to get my list and coupons ready at the begining of the week and put them in my glove box or bag. The reason behind this is because sometime when I go out to dance or if my husband calls and needs me to take him something, I have my list and coupons ready and I might have a little extra time. So if I am close to one of my stores I can just run in and spend a min. getting what I need. Then on my real shopping day I might have less places to go.

I do all my shopping on mondays because I have time while my girls are at dance. I plan my shopping trips around my everyday week, I hate spending time shopping at the grocery store.
In the first few months plan on spending your normal budget.

You should be able to stock up your pantry with three times as much on your budget then you would have before. Then when you are all stocked up you don't have to get as much lowering your monthly budget.