How to go grocery shopping

Grocery shopping is something everyone has done by the time they are our age. Most of us have done serious grocery shopping by now. This blog will give you more tips and tricks to going grocery shopping effectively, and hopefully not have to make another trip out an hour later.

• Make a list: Through the week write down things you need as you run out of them. This is most easily done on a dry erase board you can keep on your fridge, or somewhere else easily accessible. Then, on your grocery shopping day transfer this to your list! As for the rest of the list, it would be best to plan out your menu for the next week, to save gas on multiple trips a week. Write down all the ingredients you may need and buy them then. 
• Make a menu: At the beginning of each week write a menu for the rest of the week. Add these things to your list. Include, or don't include, date nights. I listen to Cosmoradio on Sirius, and they talked about one girl who would arrange her dates in the beginning of the week and then write her menu to save money. 
• Take your list! Make sure you make a list and take it with you! Otherwise, you may forget something. Organize your list based on your grocery store, to avoid having to double back. 
• Coupons!  Before you go, gather up your coupons. Check expiration dates, and pick up staple items that are about to expire even if you don't need them. I'm talking about paper towels and tissues, not chicken broth. 
• Eat! Don't go to the grocery store hungry. At least buy some fast food on your way, if you really have no food at home. Otherwise you may buy things that look good, but that normally you wouldn't actually buy.
• Check prices! Buy the less expensive brand, unless you really like a certain brand and are willing to pay extra. But things like rice, buy the store brand. 
• Check expiration dates! Before you buy something, check the expiration date. Think about when you plan on using it, and try to figure out if it will be used before the expiration date. 
• Double check your list! Before you leave, run back through your list and check for everything. Make sure you got everything you needed. 
• Pull out your card! I usually save dollars, as much as $10, just on food for me between my coupons, and my membership card. They usually don't sell your info (I have about 10 different cards and have never gotten anything, but I have heard some do), they just want to know what you buy. So make sure you have one to every grocery store you may shop at.

Make sure you bring you list everytime you go shopping! It will be your life saver. And if you don't know what you want to get because your new to grocery shopping (like me) base it on what you have coupons for. 

Always look professional

It is always important to look your best. You never know when you may run into someone you may want to impress, such as your boss, your significant others parents, or a future significant other. And if you are anything like me, this always happens when you just run up to the grocery store for some laundry detergent on laundry day. So every time you leave you house, at least look presentable. Here are some tips to doing this.

• Iron: As you fold your laundry, look over it and make sure there are any wrinkles. Don't let your laundry lie around, in the dryer or on the floor, hang it immediately! If you forget about it, set up your iron and ironing board in front of your TV, and just work on laundry for about 30 minutes. Then hang it up immediately! Also, don't stuff your nice clothes together. Make sure they have plenty of room. And as soon as you get home either put them in the clothes hamper, or hang them back up immediately, don't sit around in your nice clothes. 
  
• Hygiene: This doesn't necessarily mean heels and dress pants. Even in jeans and a t-shirt you can look put together. Take a shower everyday, or at least make is seem as though you did. Pulling your hair back is a great way to make it look nice. A low bun is very sleek, or for shorter hair, pulling half your hair up in a clip is simple. If you're hair looks like a 90s headbangers, definitely wash it, which only takes about 5 minutes. Even wet hair is better than grease and dandruff. If you worked out that morning, and have just been sitting around for a few hours, at least bath. This only takes about 5 minutes. Check yourself! (Privately) smell under your arms, maybe even ask a close friend what they think. Depending on your body, you may be able to risk a quick trip without a complete shower. A suggestion would be extra deodorant, brushing your hair, and definitely wearing clean clothes. Don't wear perfume, especially not anything expensive, this is pretty obvious. Also invest in febreeze. This may make it fairly obvious, but it is fresher than cigarette smoke and liquor if you were at a bar the night before. 
• Put a mirror beside you door: Take a fast look in the mirror on your way out, just to make sure you are acceptable. Keep a few necessities in a drawer beside it. Keep a brush, a hair tie and some bobby pins in it. Concealer and mascara. Deodorant. Lint Roller. And anything else you may think of.
• Keep a bag with you: Make sure you have a few necessities with you at all times, just in case something happens or you miss something. Most of these are for ladies, but guys can pick and choose as you see fit:
• Deodorant
  
• A small make up bag: concealer, foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara...
  
• Red eye eye drops
  
• Breath mints
  
• Perfume
  
• Lint Roller
  
• Brush, hair tie, bobby pins
  
• Stain remover sheets

The key to looking presentable at all times is to think ahead and check yourself out. Even just a quick run up to the grocery store, make sure you look clean, smell clean, and look put together. Always dress as though you may run into someone you need to impress. Check yourself on your way out the door. Remember, that one time you run out right out of bed, will be the one time you run into your hot neighbor! 

Apartment necessities

This post was written several years ago. This post is a comprehensive list of odds and ends necessary for an apartment. I would encourage you to look at other posts for tips on decorating on a budget, and stocking your kitchen.

So you've moved your few belongings into your new apartment, and you realize that you don't have much. Depending on your living situation in college, you may have everything you need already. Go through this list to make sure you have everything:

Kitchen- you need to be able to cook, so it is wise to spend your money here first. This is a list of what I use most often.

• Microwave- this is a very fast way to cook, but you have to make sure your apartment doesn't come with one.
  
• Four saucepans- the more you have, the fewer times you have to run the dishwasher. A 1-quart saucepan will cook an entire can of soup, so if you only cook for yourself you don't need huge saucepans.
• Iron skillet- these are cheaper, but more maintannce. It also deposits iron into your food, not enough to harm you, it's like taking an iron vitamin. At the bottom I have included a paragraph about caring for your iron skillet.
• Large kettle
• Ribbed grill- I don't have one, but with this you can grill burgers inside.
• Casserole dishes- casseroles are great for cooking and then freezing for work.
• A few good knives- you don't need a 20 piece set. A simple set of 4 has everything you need.
• Spatulas- at least a metal one
• Spice rack- I have spice containers that are magnetized for the fridge. These are great for small apartments
• Tupperware- make sure it is microwave and dishwasher safe. Ziploc makes great cheap, safe tupperware. Cheap enough that can be thrown away, but they won't fall apart.
• Plates, glasses and flatware- the more you have the less washing you have, and the more you can entertain.
• Papertowel holder
• Measuring Cups
• Cutting board

You may also need:

• Toaster
• Blender
• Food Processor
• Roasting pan
• Rolling pin
• Much more

Caring for your iron skillet:

• When you first get it, after you wash it, you need to spray it down with pam (pam will become your best friend with this thing) and cook it on low heat for about 10 minutes. Then just let it sit out, but keep it greased. If you only use it once in awhile then you only need to do this when you use it for the first time when there's no grease in it. If you make scrambled eggs in it everyday, keep it greased by spraying it down after every use. Do not run it in the dishwasher! After every use simply wipe it out. If necessary you can scrub, or soak it (often necessary after you cook meat), but it is handwash only.

Furniture- you will need a few items of furniture to live. It is possible to get good furniture for less than $100 a piece from Goodwill. You can also check the classifieds and craigslist. But you are often in charge of transportation. If you want new furniture, try Ashley furniture or Rooms-to-go. Ikea is a great store for everything you need at good quality. They are very simple, but geared towards younger people. They also usually require assembly. With the economy doing not so good, many places are having huge sales, or are even going out of business. This would be a good time to stock up. I was able to buy a very good futon on special when I bought my mattress.

• Sofa- a futon can fold flat for guests, or your own bed. Or you can buy a sleeper sofa.
• Dining room set
• Bed
• Dresser
• Entertainment center and TV
• Coffee table
• Side tables and lamps