Price Book

I recently started keeping up with my price book again. Actually, I call it a "price book" loosely based on the idea of the same name from "The Tightward Gazette." However, mine is only a two-page spreadsheet versus a little notebook. The price book idea is basically keeping track of the cheapest price you can get for each grocery item that you typically buy. In a notebook (or on a spreadsheet), you list each item, the package size, the price, the unit price (per oz. or lb.), the store where you can purchase the item the cheapest, and a column for any notes you might want to make. I use this list most frequently when visiting discount or surplus stores. I compare their price to my list to see if it's worth buying or if I can get it at my regular store for cheaper. (The best priced store in our area is Aldi. If you have one is your town, check it out. They have a consistent selection of the same Aldi brand items.) I mostly buy generic items but do purchase a few brand-name items. This list is handy when shopping at other name-brand food stores to compare sale prices. It takes a bit of time to set up - you have to write down all the prices at the store (or just do a few at a time), then plug them into the computer and print them out to keep with you. But I've found it's well worth the work as it was driving me crazy trying to determine if I was getting a good deal by keeping prices in my head!