Of all the tips and tricks I use to run my household, one of my favorites is to use a magnetic notepad.
I simply hang the magnetic notepad on the side of my fridge, and as I notice we’re running low on a pantry staple, I write it on the notepad. When it’s time to go shopping, I simply tear the list off the notepad and head to the store with my coupons.
If you take the time to do menu planning, the magnetic notepad is useful for remembering those one or two ingredients you don’t have on hand for a particular recipe. It’s also useful for creating lists of household products and toiletries whose supply is dwindling. You’ll save money at the store by shopping with a list of what you need, too.
You can find magnetic notepads at dollar stores and discount stores, but my favorite way to get them is to wait until they go on clearance in the Dollar Spot at Target. I’ve been able to amass a stockpile of notepads for just 30 cents each!
Of course, you could always just use a regular notepad and just set it next to the fridge, too, but I like the magnetic ones because when it’s stuck to the fridge I always know where it is. Or if you really want to be a cheapskate, you could glue one of those promotional magnets onto the back of a promotional notepad you got for free!
Check out our other cheap tricks to help you save time and money and be sure to share your own cheap trick with us. You just might see it end up in a future Cheap Trick post!
Michaela says
August 9, 2013 at 9:26 amI’m on the last sheet of my beloved magnet pad AND I have to go to Target this week. Coincidence? I think not! =P I’ll be checking out that clearance section!
Traci says
May 12, 2015 at 12:29 amI love those magnetic notepads, too, but I always had a problem finding a pen or pencil. One day I got fed up and grabbed a cheap mechanical pencil and a long piece of jute. Any ribbon or string would work fine. I was about to punch a hole in one of my promotional magnets when I noticed holes in a decorative one. I threaded the jute in the hole, tied at least three knots at the magnet end and around the clip of the pencil, and put the magnet back up on the fridge near the top. It works perfectly!
A somewhat related tip… We have a magnetic whiteboard on the fridge, too. That has made meal planning and rearranging very easy. I found little whiteboard markers that hang from little magnets at an office supply store, so they’re right there with the board. You can get replacements for them, too, so you pay less and don’t have extra magnets when a marker runs out, although that would be a good way to hang a pencil near the notepad, too.
Love the tips! Thanks!
Christina Brown says
May 12, 2015 at 9:50 amGreat tips, Traci! Pens like to disappear on me, too! We also have a whiteboard for menu planning – it’s on the inside of our pantry door. It definitely helps having it up where everyone can see it!
Heather says
May 15, 2015 at 11:58 amI used to do this all the time but then a friend made me a chalk board for Christmas. I keep the board on my kitchen wall and write my shopping list on that. When I know I’ll be running to the store, I snap a photo of it with my phone and pull the photo up at the store. That way, I don’t have extra crumpled paper in my pockets or purse to throw away.
Christina Brown says
May 15, 2015 at 7:55 pmThat is an excellent idea, Heather! No waste!