Grocery Store Shopping and Making Lists

15 years ago

Yesterday I decided to get my Grocery Shopping List together, as it's the day everything you may need for Thanksgiving dinner goes on sale. (I also thought it was a good idea to GO before everyone else decided to, as the stores get crazy this time of year.) Because I didn't have the sale flier in hand, I went online to look it up. OK, I feel remiss in that I didn't know that my store had a ''shopping list'' that I could make by clicking on the sale item in their flier. It even puts it in store categories for me like Produce, Dairy, Center Aisles, etc. I printed out my list with 80% sale items and it was so easy! Where have I been?

I didn't notice anyone else at the store using this print-out list, and wondered how many of you already know about this? Does your store have this feature and do you use it?

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Comments (12)

caliloo
15 years ago
Yes and yes! I love it and use it on a regular basis. I've also noticed that if I am trying to buy a sale item and they are out of it, my account "stores" the coupon until the item is back in stock.

Isn't technology grand?!?!?!?!

Alexa
jude31
15 years ago
So I must have done something wrong because my security system kicked in with "high risk" so I quickly exited.

jude
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Do you mean store specific? Or that has icons for all the items? If you just mean written lists, any app that allows you to have several lists open at once would work, even the built in Notes app (that's what I mostly use). In Notes, create a note for each store and select that note to add an item to the list. If you want something of the sort, but more powerful, look under Productivity and Organization. Maybe something like Listaway or Evernote. The basic Reminders app lets you share your lists through the cloud. If you want to share lists with a partner, AnyList is a good choice. I'm pretty sure it allows multiple lists, but I think you could also use customized subheaders for the different stores. I haven't looked at it recently. It has organization by department within a list, with autofile, and does some high level tricks like recipe import. "Groceries" app is a little clunkier, but for sure does multiple lists, and has autofile and autocomplete, but I don't know if those will work on the hardware, et al. Pushpins includes offers from major stores. I used to have a great app for this that was for entertaining, but I can't remember the name, and I don't have my phone to look it up. There are errands managers. Errands To-Do List would work, but I think it's clunky, and I'd rather just use Notes, but it's the best one I've seen in this category. Some of the above also let you scan bar codes, but I find spelling it out is easier. I got Amazon Echo when it was first out to see if my folks would like it. It's not all that useful, really, but what I like enough to keep using it is that it has a shopping list function. You can be up to your elbows cooking, and tell it to put something on the shopping list. The list can be accessed from your phone or tablet (Fire or Apple, I think). It's just one list, but like having a kid around to write it down. :) It will also read back the list. :)
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rachelellen
15 years ago
I have never thought to look and see if my grocery stores have websites. I tend to be in them at least 3 or 4 times a week, picking up this or that...milk, fresh fruit or veggies, some little thing I have a craving for,...so I only make an actual list if there are a number of the more obscure items I want to make sure not to forget. My list stays on the counter, and my husband knows to jot down anything he particularly wants.

I enjoy meandering up and down the aisles, and find lots of "managers specials" that aren't listed in the sale ad (the ads are put out by district, not individual store) for things I use regularly.

I know many people don't particularly enjoy grocery shopping and find it a chore, so the thought of going several times a week might horrify some. But for some reason, though I loathe shopping for clothes or shoes or suchlike, I really like stopping at the grocery store. :)
lyfia
15 years ago
I use a smart phone that has a grocery shopping app on it. It even allows me to scan bar codes if I want to. I have it sorted by the aisles and the order I shop in so I can check things off as I go. It has a favorites section where I've added my normal purchases to and over time added in prices as well. Now most of my purchases comes from that and I can see before I even go how much things are going to cost me at checkout.

Since getting this app - the whole grocery list making and time I spent on it has gone down a lot and it is so easy to add to the list if I remember I need something during the day as I usually have my phone with me.

I no longer forget to add or miss some base stuff that often needs to be bought every week because I just scroll through the favorite section and add as needed. It serves as a reminder in a way too.

I still don't like grocery shopping as it is still a chore, but things go so much smoother now. List is in isle order and no going back and forth because I didn't see it on the list when I was at that side of the store. I'm in/out in
wizardnm
15 years ago
I use my grocery stores web site and make my list whenever I doing a major grocery stock up.

Like now!

Nancy
dgkritch
15 years ago
I access the ads online, but use a scribbled list from home.
Most of the things I buy aren't on sale. Sometimes I add things that are after checking the ads.

We are well stocked and my list is pretty basic.
When we open the last jar/box/bag of something, it goes on the list. When I decide to go shopping, I grab the list.

Rarely do I need to make a stop at the last minute.
I only shop for groceries about once every 2 weeks other than fresh produce or dairy. Even those are once a week.

Deanna
User
15 years ago
One store I shop at has computers on the shopping carts. You make your list on their website at home and then access it from the cart. It is very cool....no paper list!

The computer also has a "find" option. You input the product name and it tells you exactly where it is in the store.
sushipup1
15 years ago
Safeway has just rolled out a computer based program here, where they give you special coupons based on your own shopping. But I took at look at the "privacy" policy and see that it isn't very private after all. That's what I don't need, oodles of more spam, and not the kind that comes in a can, either.

I'm not signing up any time soon.
annie1992
15 years ago
My grocery store doesn't have a website anymore, it had one for a while, I don't know what happened.

I do write a list, which I forget most of the time. I don't have a smart-phone and my cell phone is not charged most of the time, so that doesn't work for me either, LOL.

Like Rachelellen, I do not enjoy shopping for shoes or clothes, etc., but I like to grocery shop and I like to shop for cooking/kitchen items. Go figure...

Annie
cross_stitch
15 years ago
I'm one who would rather do anything than go shopping, grocery or otherwise. It occurred to me that if I used my head I could eliminate the backtracking that nearly doubled my time in the grocery store. Since I typically shop at the same store, I mapped each aisle and used the aisle numbers to organize the list of items I buy most often. I laid this out in Excel, allowing a few blank lines here and there. This list fits 2/page on letterhead size paper. The last section is dry cleaning/fish market/pharmacy/library/hardware so I can plan my route, save gas and reduce the number of side trips. I print 2-3 sheets at a time and post one on my refrigerator. Whenever I am low on something it goes on the list and it's rare I run out of anything. We staple coupons to the list and when it's time to go shopping, half the work is already done. Even DH, who is ultra disorganized, has gotten with the program. If he knows his errands will be near a grocery store, he will take the list or call home and I can rattle it off in seconds. Any store layout changes (a pet peeve) are easily updated in the Excel file. The 15 minutes this took years ago has repaid me many times over.
sally2_gw
15 years ago
Wow, Cross Stitch, I never would have thought of mapping a store on paper, but I pretty much know where everything is in the stores I shop the most frequently. Besides, I mostly shop the perimeters of the store. The only aisles I go down are the baking, frozen veggie, canned veggie, pickle-condiment, and pasta aisles. Oh, and the detergent/soap/etc. aisle.

All that hooking into their system with my system, then connecting to it at the store would make me nervous. It sounds a little too big brother to me.

As for making lists, I'm terrible at it. I should write down what I'm out of when I run out, and I should look up recipes and write down what I need for it, but I usually do things backwards, and try to fit what I have on hand to a recipe, or just wing it. I need to improve on that, and start planning ahead, as the way I do it gets us into ruts of the same-ol same-ol.

Sally
arabellamiller
15 years ago
I wish the peapod delivery service from Stop & Shop was more complete. I love that my lists are stored on the site and it's so easy to check off items for delivery. Unfortunately, they don't carry many of the items I need, so I only rarely use the service.

I keep a list on the refrigerator that we all are supposed to add to, but I'm the only one who ever does with the exception of the kids writing things I'll never buy (cocopuffs, pringles, etc). My phone has an app, but I never use it, I find it easier to email myself a list.

AM

Grocery Store Shopping and Making Lists

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