How to Make your Shopping List

This is how I make my shopping lists each week.  I'll use the example of planning my list for CVS.

The first thing I do is pull up the CVS 11/25 list that I have created for this website. These are all of the deals that are worth stocking up on, already laid out for you with the matching coupons. I look through this list and see which items I use. I find the coupons that are listed with each item, whether it's in my binder or printed, and gather them in my CVS envelope. Writing on the outside of the envelope what each deal is, how many EB's I get back, how many I need, etc.


Next, I will look through the ad completely, either in my newspaper, circling the items that I need, (whether or not it's at a stock up price or not), or I will look at the online ad at cvs.com.  So, let's say this week I need Body Wash because I'm completely out.  So, in the ad I see Olay Body Wash is on sale for $5.50, and when you buy one you get $2 ExtraBucks, with a limit of three.  Well, it's not a stock up deal, so I just want to get one or two to hold me over. 

Then, I check my coupon binder for any Olay Body wash coupons.  I find the best one, and add it to an envelope labeled CVS and write on the outside Olay $5.50, $2EB (so I know what I'm looking for).  Obviously the best coupon is $3/2 so I will plan on getting 2 washes, with $4EB back. 

• $1.00/1 Olay Bar, Body Wash or In Shower Body Lotion, excludes Simply and trial size, Limit of 4 like coupons per household per day from PG 10/28 (exp 11/30)
• $3.00/2 Olay Moisturizer or Cleanser, excludes trial size, Limit 4 like coupons per household per day from PG 11/25 (exp 12/31)
• $1.00/1 Olay Body Wash, excludes trial size, Limit 4 like coupons per household per day from PG 11/25 (exp 12/31)

 If I didn't have any, I would go to the Coupon Database to check to see if there are any printable coupons for Olay. I don't see any printable ones for Olay, so you could just get it without a coupon if you didn't have the newspaper inserts above.

Finish doing this same thing for all other items that are needed and add them to your envelope.  I check it one last time and decide if I'm going to do one transaction or two.  If I am, I split it all up, writing everything out so when I'm at the store it's very organized.