Customizable Grocery List and Fancy Dishtowels
I found these two Homemade Christmas Gift ideas over at u-createcrafts.com.
These are both great ideas! First the Customizable Grocery List would be perfect for someone like me. I would LOVE to have something like this. It would make life so much easier to be able to just see what’s marked on the list and have it in the same place every time I go to the store. It would also help with the problem of getting to the other end of the store and realizing that I forgot something on the other side, since like items are together! I probably won’t get it done for myself but I think it’s brilliant!
The next one is a favorite because I LOVE pretty dishtowels. These homemade dishtowels look pretty easy to make. I don’t understand why people have dingy and ugly dishtowels hanging in their kitchen. (Yes, I admit, I’m one of those people and it drives me nuts!)
You could do this to match the decor of the person who will receive it instead of just making a Christmas gift towel. You can find inexpensive plain towels at Walmart or the dollar store.
-Tawra
One way to start this project is to go to your grocery stores and list the things in each aisle.
produce section
then what is in aisle 1 aisle 2 do the entire store.
that way when you make the list of things put them in
line one line two.
Our store has a weird shelf grouping.
aisle 1 has noodles and ethnic sauces then pickles then oils vinegar and salad dressings.
then way over in aisle 7 you get the condiments and sauces for bbq sauces.
Now if you grouped your list for sauces condiments and marinades together you would have to back track wasting time. Or get frustrated looking for something you think should be there.
Stores group things strangely so that you are almost forced to go down each aisle so you spend more money as you wander.
So make the list to follow the store layout and you will save money.
My husband years ago made me a program for groceries and it was great the printer gave you a sheet a bit wider than a large cash register receipt and I actually used it.
I only had one complaint and that was it asked me 3 times if I had remembered everything and when I pushed the key to print it asked are you sure.
But it really was handy as I didn’t have to jump all over the list and use a pencil to mark off what I got. I just picked up as I walked with no or little impulse buying.
I would also say which store I was going to pick the item up in. like Tom Boys, or Dominion, or superstore. that kept me from looking for the item in each store.
I love the dish-towel! I think I may make some for us as a “trial” first. And the list idea is something my mom used to do when all the kids were still at home. She made her own list, according to where things were located in the store, and included all items she normally bought. She had my dad xerox copies for her to hang. She even had check off boxes for us (when we were old enough) to check when we needed toothpaste or shampoo or something like that. I had never thought of that as a gift idea, though. What a good (cheap) Christmas idea!
I do something similar. For now it’s just hubby and me, but I usually list everything I need to buy for the week, then re-list items on the bottom of the page “in order of appearance” in the store. It saves us so much time in the store!
I love the dishtowel idea. Cute, and yet very useful. Thanks for sharing it.
Grandma, stores “scatter” items around forcing you to walk all over them because the more time you spend in them the more money you spend! That is why its good to have a list. I go by the figure the cheapest cost per ounce and stock up when its on sale at the store with the lowest price. I group items by category such as frozen or canned goods. It would read something like:
Store 1 Store 2 Store 3
Butter 3.69 3.99 3.87
Cheddar 6.99 7.25 6.87
Milk 2.69 2.78 2.87
I don’t drive around all over the place. I pick up items on my way home from work. Normally, everything is cheapest at Sams or Dollar Tree.
Grisly, in town we have 2 grocery stores.
not much driving around but I have to wait until Don is home from work on thursdays to do any shopping.
Can’t walk very far.
When we hit the city I shop at 2 stores. One I use my grocery store credit card and we go after we get gas because because we get about$5. back to use in the store.
The other is what I call the ugly store. warehouse with good meat, lots of paper products, and less expensive brand names than the 1st store.
We do go to a bulk store because they have different teas at better prices that my husband likes.
small town life is great but getting groceries can be very interesting.
hope you don’t mind grissly my hands usually hurt too much to type and sometimes I forget to cut and paste.
grandma or lynda whichever anyone wants to use for me.
What frustrates me no end is that places like WalMart shift their products around so that I can never be sure where they will be. For an example, I took my sister today, who is legally blind and deaf, grocery shopping and was looking for her some mixed nuts. Every time before they had been on Aisle 14. Yes, you guessed it-today, they had been moved to Aisle 8 and the stockers even said they needed a map to keep up with it. I don’t have the energy to walk all over the store 2 or 3 times looking for a single item as I have to be concerned where my sister is at all times. I know they do it so we will buy more, but it makes me not want to go to their store at all. Thanks for listening to my gripe!
Julia, I know just what you mean! I HATE Walmart. As much as I can get all my stuff at places like Dollar General and Family Dollar if I can.
I too hate walmart. In our city they have been adding to the store. Nice I guess.
I do not walk well and definetly not far so when we have to go to walmart we park at one set of doors because that is where the buggies are. WRONG, they changed them to the other new door at the other end of the store.
Finally someone went and got me a buggy because I couldn’t even see the other end of the store.
You need a map just to find ladies clothes and then heaven forbid if you need to try something on. That area is at least a 1/4 kilometer away.
We are also getting 2 more here they bought out our nice comfortably sized zellers stores which actually have products made in Canada.
In my opinion the price saving of these giant stores is not worth the frustration, stress and down right rudeness you experience.
want mom and pop stores for at least a change of pace.
HA! You think shopping at WalMart is bad – try WalMart.com. I will never, ever, EVER shop at WalMart again, either in person or online after the hideous experience they put me through (and I’m still not done with it, evidently). Over a month ago, I ordered numerous household items to start a new home for their “site to store free delivery.” Of course they deducted the over $465 from my bank account immediately. BUT, when I went to pick up the items, nothing had arrived. I waited 3 hours while various people ran around looking, then they told me the computer was down. I ended up receiving ONE of set of 4 TV tables, although I’d paid for 4, and to get the other 3, they made me pay cash for them on the spot. After that, almost daily different amounts kept being withdrawn from my bank account. When I called several times to get it fixed, I was literally screamed at and hung up on. When the dishes finally arrived, I opened the box only to find they were smashed to pieces. I returned them to the store, and was told I had to have the $ credited to my account and re-order them online (I’d ordered 2 sets so I’d have 8), so I had no choice since I’d already used one set. The credit never appeared on my account, but I was charged for them again TWICE more. Four items never did come, but they refused to give me a refund, as “once they’ve been shipped, the order cannot be canceled.” I don’t know what to do except ensure that the whole world knows what horrible customer service they give and how they rip people off, and NEVER, EVER, EVER use a debit card to buy from them. Crooks!
I avoid Walmart as much as possible but I have never had any problems with Walmart.com. (Yet)
I have to go there for my med. plan and luckily it is only 4 miles from my home. I prefer to shop the dollar stores. Better prices and a lot less walking.