Shopping List: See how to assemble one and save more

The shopping list is a mandatory item to go to the supermarket and other day-to-day establishments. After all, with it, you can keep your spending on schedule, grab everything you need and avoid impulse purchases.

If you don’t already have this habit, we’ll explain why it’s essential and help you create efficient shopping lists.

Keep reading and start listing your purchases as soon as possible.

Shopping List: Why Make One?

Having the habit of making a shopping list is essential for having a more organized financial life.

That’s because if you list everything you need to buy in advance, you’ll have more control over what items you put in your cart or basket.

It’s also a way to calculate exactly how much you can spend and stay within the limits that your budget supports.

In addition, the list is a great ally to avoid superfluously and impulse purchases, which are the main villains of personal finance.

Often, we take unnecessary items home and spend too much due to a sheer lack of planning.

Not to mention that the shopping list saves you the effort of having to remember everything you need to pick up at the supermarket, pharmacy, bakery, pet shop, etc.

In this way, you occupy your mind with more important information and rely on the list to organize your purchases.

Shopping list types

There are several types of shopping lists that you can use to organize your routine.

See which are the main ones.

Grocery shopping list

The supermarket shopping list is the most famous, as it is the establishment with the greatest variety of products for everyday life.

Here are some categories you can divide this list into:

• Groceries: rice, beans, sugar, salt, coffee, milk, various flours, yeast, pasta, condensed milk, jam, sour cream, condiments, seasonings, oil, olive oil, vinegar, tomato sauce, corn starch, etc. ;
• Cleaning and personal hygiene: detergent, soap powder, sponge, bleach, disinfectant, shampoo, toothpaste, cotton, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.;
• Hortifruti: fruits, vegetables, and greens;
• Frozen: sausage, ground beef, chicken, cheese bread, nuggets, etc.;
• Bakery: bread, cakes, pies, sweets, cookies, etc.;
• Cold cuts: mozzarella, salami, ham, turkey breast, sausage, sausage, etc.;
• Dairy products: cheeses, butter, yogurt, curd, fresh cheese, etc.;
• Beverages: soda, juice, beer, wine, etc.

Basic shopping list

The basic shopping list is the one you make punctually for some quick everyday shopping.

For example, if you are going to have a barbecue, you need to list items like charcoal, meat, chicken, sausage, drinks, etc.

Another example is when you realize that some utensils are missing in the kitchen and you go to a utility store to buy a sieve, cutlery, basin, pots, dish towels, etc.

On these occasions, it’s important to have a list so you don’t get lost among countless products and end up taking more things than you should.

Complete shopping list

The complete shopping list can be intended for a single establishment, such as a supermarket/hypermarket, or different stores, such as a supermarket, pharmacy, and utility store, for example.

The purpose of this list is to replace all the items that are missing from the house at once.

Here’s an example list with different categories:

• Supermarket: beans, oil, pasta, 1 kg of meat, 6 onions, 1 soda;
• Pharmacy: facial moisturizer, colic remedy, nasal decongestant, mouthwash, and deodorant;
• Garden shop: compost, pot, various seedlings, gravel;
• Clothing store: Basic t-shirt and jeans.

Monthly shopping list

Finally, the shopping list of the month is intended for those who prefer to replace all items in the house to last for 30 days.

This type of purchase needs to be very well planned and, preferably, involve a wholesaler to get better prices on items with greater volume.

The tip here is to carefully check the quantities of each item consumed in a month and take advantage of promotions to get more units for a lower price.

How to make a shopping list?

To make an efficient shopping list and use it the right way, follow the tips below:

• When going to a large establishment, such as a supermarket, separate purchases by categories, as we suggested earlier;
• Take the time to check everything that is missing from the house and make the list calmly, preferably the day before shopping;
• Take the opportunity to check for items that are out of date or that need to be discarded and replaced at purchase;
• Add quantities to all items according to the desired duration of the products;
• Put some brand options on the list, but prefer the one with the lowest price when buying;
• Search prices on the internet and estimate spending, or put a limit value on each shopping list;
• When buying, go through the items on the list one by one and don’t take anything out of the plan;
• If possible, use a calculator to record the price of each item and keep tabs on the purchase amount.