Shopping with a Price Book

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Did you know grocery prices fluctuate every few weeks? You may have noticed an increase on an item one week and then several weeks later the price as decreased. Learning when prices are at their lowest so you can stock up helps save money. The first time I heard about using a Price Book, I was amazed at the whole concept of learning when to buy and when not to buy. It’s been eight years since I first started using a Price Book and I won’t plan a grocery list or shop without it.

Saving money can be easier when you use a Price Book to compare prices and record them so you can get the best deal. Free Printable. {day 21} 31 Days of Homemaking. frogslilypad.net

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Grocery Shopping with a Price Book

Before you start to have a heart attack... I only write down the items and brands I purchase. There’s no need to worry about items you never buy until you buy them.

It is always nice to know what I’m going to be spending before I even go to the grocery store. My grocery list acts as a price book, so I can tally up my bill before I even head to the store. Sometimes there is a minor difference, but at least I’m not shocked to death over the bill.

For me, instead of carrying around a huge notebook and fumbling through pages and tabs, the best idea I came up with was using a smaller spiral notebook.

I write my grocery list in the book and all the prices while I’m in the store. One of the major factors for me doing this is because our Walmart is notorious for mislabeling items. I have caught items mislabeled anywhere from just a few pennies to over $2 on an item at the register. That money adds up in a hurry! When I find a change, I mark it and then highlight it when I get home.

There are many ways to create a price book. I started off using colored 3x5 cards. The colors were for categories: Grocery, Frozen, Dairy, Produce, and Household (health/beauty and cleaning). I didn’t shop with these, I came home and wrote in the price differences. Then I moved on to full-size paper and keeping them in with my coupons when I was couponing. I even tried creating a spreadsheet which drove me insane.

My grocery list and price book method has been working for several years and I’ve been happy with it. I like being able to flip through and see when the changes in the prices were made so I can be on the lookout for new changes.

I'm sharing a FREE PRINTABLE of my original price book page. While I don’t use it anymore, it may be of some use for you in planning your own price book.

Do you shop with a price book or something similar?