Supplies and Items Needed:
Pencil and Paper
Local Newspaper/Sales Flyers
Magazines
Scissors

Step 1 - To begin:
Gather your supplies at a table. Look in the newspaper, sales flyers and magazines to help you start writing a shopping list for needed personal care supplies. Cut out any coupons that can be used at stores where you shop. Make a note of the stores that are having sales. Look at the supplies that you have in the bathroom and make sure you didn’t forget anything. Is it time for a new toothbrush? Do you have enough shampoo? What about deodorant? Remember hand and body soap! Are there any “new” things that you want to try that you saw on TV or heard about from a friend?

Step 2 - The shopping trip:
Make sure you have your shopping list and money. At the store get a shopping basket or cart. Start in the first aisle and slowly look at all the items. Keep checking your list to see if you are in a aisle that has what you need. When you see an item you want, look and read it over to make sure it’s the right one. Keep going up and down all the aisles. When you are finished shopping, go to the checkout counter and pay. Don’t leave the store without your change and what you just bought.

Step 3 - Returning home:
At home you need to unpack your shopping bag and put all the new purchases away in the right place. If needed, throw out old things and put the new ones out to use right away.

Hope your shopping trip is a success!

Other ideas:

Practice your writing or typing when making up your shopping list. You can do it several times.

Practice your money skills by counting your money and reviewing your budget.

Call a friend or family member and make plans to go out to eat or to the movies after shopping.

For consumers who need more help, cut out pictures from magazines, flyers, etc., for the items you want. Paste the pictures onto 3x5 index cards; print the name of the item in block letters on the back and seal with clear contact paper. Take the cards with you to the store and have the consumer “match” the picture to the item being purchased. Practice saying the name of each item. You can collect different items/picture cards over time and re-use them on each shopping trip. If you make duplicates you can use the cards to do a tabletop activity by matching them, similar to the card game “Concentration.”