Shopping List is Good For Me

Friend, are you the kind of person who always rush to the supermarket because you need something today that you should have bought the last time (I mean yesterday:-)) you went to the store? Do you pay for things that you don’t plan to buy that the only money left in your pocket is just enough to pay your transportation because you were so engrossed shopping (NAPASARAP NG BILI)? If you keep doing these things, STOP IT Naaa. I’d like to inspire you today (hopefully) by sharing my shopping list story, how I’m saving much money by preparing a weekly shopping list.

In my past life (haha), I was a very impulsive buyer and I wasted a lot of valuable money buying things that I don’t really need, buying food that I don’t really eat. There were even times that I buy so much vegetables that I ended up throwing them after they go bad because I wasn’t really up to cooking them. I used to shop for my weekly needs without knowing what I really needed to buy thinking that I will remember everything when I get to the store. The result? I used to spend more than I intended to.

This old habit has changed when I started doing the old or traditional SHOPPING LIST. I couldn’t say old fashioned because I store my list in my smart phone smile emoticon . How about that? I started listing the things that I really need. I do my list at home and not anywhere, not on my way to the store so I can really see what is it that need to be included in the list.

My trick is sticking to my list. Well, there are times that I deviate from it. I’m not going to lie but if I do, I forgo some of the things listed. For example yesterday, I included dumplings in my shopping list but I saw cheap almonds on display. So, I didn’t get the dumplings in exchange of the almonds. Another helpful self-inflicted rule (haha) that I follow is, if there are things on display that I wanted to buy but is not included in my list, and I think there’s no way I can give up any of the stuff listed like the dumplings yesterday, I don’t buy them. I’ll wait for my next shopping day, once I already included those items in my list. It was like last time when I wanted to buy a squid for calamari because they were so attractive that it makes me think of a nice homemade calamari but what I listed is a fish and I was also craving for a fish. So, a rule is a rule. Buy the fish now-Buy the squid next week.

By sticking to my list and by not making a last minute revision once I get to the store helps me save a lot of money which I of course keep in my UNSPENT WEEKLY MONEY ENVELOPE (My Envelopes to Wealth). This self-inflicted rule (there I say it again :-)) also applies to my LAKADS, my outings (I’ll be talking about this next time). Believe it or not, I save 50% of my weekly money through LISTING.

There, I hope I made my point. Start listing now those of you who still don’t and stick to it. Happy Saving!!!