Groceries Part 1: the old way

Lately I've been readjusting our grocery shopping methods to try to get the most bang for our grocery buck. When we first moved in together we came up with a system of keeping a running list on the refrigerator door. So as we ran out of something, we would write it down, then we would take the list with us to the grocery store and buy what was on the list. This worked really well for us because we wouldn't forget things to buy (because we had a list).

Although this worked on the surface, underneath there were many problems with this method. First, we weren't very disciplined to sticking with what was on the list. The items on the list were the things we knew we were going to buy. But everything else in the store was optional. My boyfriend actually enjoyed going to the grocery store because it was a place to find new things to try. Of course anyone will tell you going to the grocery store and viewing it as a free-for-all is not a good way to save money.
Second, we would buy the items on our list regardless of the price. We might switch brands or buy generic if we bothered to look at the price, but either way, we would buy it if it was on the list.
This brings me to the third problem. Remember, the only reason the items were on the list was because they had been in the refrigerator, not because we planned on using them. We often bought things (produce) that would go bad before we got around to eating them. You know what we'd do after throwing them out? PUT IT ON THE LIST!

Now that we have financial goals and try to give purpose to the money we bring in, we have had to pay attention to the money we spend. Next time I'll share what our newest method is and how we've cut back our grocery budget by half.