Saving Money through Inventory Time
by K. M. Eldredge
Know what you have and what you need

It's five minutes until you have to drop the kids off to
school. As your hand hits the doorknob, Precious announces,
"Teacher says I need to bring a box of crayons." You tear your
hair out as you spend two minutes ransacking the kitchen
drawers for crayons. Burned down birthday candles aren't an
adequate substitute. Rats! It's time to hit the drugstore on
the way to school again.

Does a scenario like this occur in your home from time to
time? Maybe instead of crayons you discover that you're out of
pantyhose, stamps, or whatever tools you need to make your
life run smoothly. You can curb those instant panic attacks if
you take the time once in awhile to schedule an informal
inventory.

Taking stock of what you have lets you know what supplies are
in the house and what you need to put on your next shopping
list. There are several kinds of inventories that you can
manage, including:

* Food

I like to plan my menus, see what's in the pantry and
refrigerator, and then write down my needs on my list. The
next time I go to the grocery store, I buy what I need. If
company shows up and I want to feed my guests, I can create
something tasty from my inventory instead of asking the pizza
delivery person to come to the rescue. I check the food
inventory weekly.

* Office and School Supplies

There are certain items that every member of the house needs,
such as paper, pens, pencils, and toner for the printer. The
things used less frequently can fit on a shelf or file cabinet
drawer. This can be checked every two weeks or as needed.

* Cleaning and Bathroom Supplies

Laundry detergent, dish soap, bathroom tissue, paper towels,
and cleaners are all necessities on my list. Don't you hate it
when someone else uses up all the bathroom tissue without
saying a word? Well, you can stay on top of that problem by
keeping tabs of the inventory on hand. Check for these
supplies weekly.

* Clothing

Some of us have to keep a perpetual eye on those dreaded
pantyhose. Socks are another item that need frequent
replacement. Keep track of the basics at least once a month,
especially for kids. Does everyone have shoes that fit,
underwear that's presentable, pants and shirts that aren't
stained or torn or missing buttons, and do all the members of
the house have an outfit that makes them feel terrific? You
don't have to incur a lot of expenses in replacing a wardrobe
all at once. Instead, check out the superstores or discount
stores for the pantyhose, socks and underwear, and look around
at a variety of resources for the other clothing items. Your
local thrift shop might have something deluxe for every member
of your family, or you might hit upon a fabulous yard sale.
Department stores often have incredible end of season sales on
a number of items, including those that will carry you through
multiple seasons. Check your clothing inventory at least once
a season.

* Entertainment

Go through your home and list all your magazines and books,
videos and DVDs, board games, computer and video games, and
find all your photos that you haven't put away yet. The next
time someone complains that there's nothing to do, you can
whip out your list to prove him or her wrong. If you decide
that you need something new, try to find someone who will
trade items with you. Or take a stroll through the used book,
music, or gaming store. Try to trade your stuff for credit or
other merchandise. Organize your photos, one album at a time.
If the weather is blah, the power goes out, and the family is
stuck at home, you've got a treasure trove of activities to do
together.

Where can you keep your inventory? One solution is to make a
database on the computer. If a database program is beyond your
reach, then you can make a simple listing in a word processing
program. Make one file for each category and print them out.
Put them in a binder if you are so inclined. Always make a
backup copy of your inventory, though. You never know when the
Computer Monster will gobble your files. Another alternative
is the ever-reliable blank notebook. Paper notebooks are easy
to take around the house as you inventory, too.

This time next week, you and Precious will be able to sail out
the door with everything at hand because inventory time helped
you figure out what you need. One other inventory that might
be fun to keep is your wish list. This one you can keep to
yourself, but go ahead and put everything you ever wanted on
there, no matter how silly or extravagant. Someday you might
surprise yourself by getting your heart's desire.

Take the Next Step:
Choose one of the above inventories (or come up with your own)
and begin to take stock of what you have and what you need to
put on your next shopping list.