Out of Milk

When I lived on my own shopping was never a problem. Back then my memory worked and I didn't have anyone else in the house using things. Then 2 things hapened. Firstly, I married a man with 2 sons. All 3 have a tendency to use things from the fridge or pantry and not tell me. Secondly, I became ill with stress and although I have significantly recovered over the last few years, one thing that has not recovered is my memory.

And so lists have become important. We have a perpetual shopping list in the kitchen. I have trained hubby and the boys to leave the empty cartons on the side so I know what needs adding to the list. It also means that the empty containers get recycled correctly.

But for all the planning, list writing and organising the men folk to let me know what we need replacing, it all falls apart if I forget to pick the list up on the day I am going shopping. 

And that happens more often than not.

So I was quite excited to find an app for my android phone called Out-of-Milk. It is a shopping list that you keep on your phone. I always have my phone with me so it means I'll always have my shopping list with me.

It has a barcode scanner which recognises most branded items. It struggles with own brand items but you teach it what things are and next time it remembers correctly. So, as we empty a box I scan the bar code and it's on my shopping list.

I know the store layout well and I can put the items in the order I will pass them and I can tick them off as I find them.

Yesterday was the first day I did a full shop using my Out-of-Milk app - it was so easy. 

And if I want Neil to do the shopping for me I can send him the list from my phone to his.

I'm gradually building a few apps that get regular use.  This is definitely a good one.

http://www.outofmilkapp.com/