You walk into the grocery store just to grab one or two things.
Maybe a loaf of bread or some eggs, and next thing you know, your cart’s overloaded with chips, chocolate, and five types of sauces you swear you’ll use. Sound familiar?
Been there, done that! Let’s be real. We all have ended up splurging more money than we planned to, often blown by discounts or sneaky buy-one-get-one offers.
With the costs skyrocketing for almost everything, how do you stay on the plan and budget?
So before you head out for your next grocery run, watch out for these 5 common mistakes people make (and how to avoid them!)
1. Shopping without a grocery list
Big mistake! Never even enter the premises of a grocery store without your list. If you don’t really have a plan, you might end up buying things impulsively, and also forget the essentials. Before heading to run the errands, take a quick inventory of your kitchen and write your list. Knowing exactly what you have will help you stick to essentials and avoid wasting cash on things already tucked away in your cupboards.
2. Shopping while hungry
That, “Oh, I just have a few things to pick, and will have my lunch later” plan? It never ends well, and you know it. Stepping into a grocery store with an empty stomach is literally begging for unwanted things in your cart. Suddenly, everything from cookies to frozen pizza looks like a must-have, and your cart ends up looking like a midnight snack haul. Before heading to the grocery store, grab a drink or a quick meal, so that you shop for your needs, not because your stomach dictates it
3. Not paying attention to unit prices
Grocery stores want you to purchase more. So, grabbing the cheapest item on the shelf is not always the smartest choice. Shoppers often overlook the unit price, which is the cost per ounce, pound, or other measurement, where the true value of a product is. Pay attention to the unit price instead of the total price.
4. Not using tools to track your spending
It’s tempting to toss items into your cart without keeping tabs on the total. The result – sticker shock at the checkout. Many shoppers don’t realize how quickly small purchases add up, especially when they’re not paying attention to their running total. In this modern day, this problem could be easily solved, by using certain tools. If your grocery store offers a mobile app with a scan-and-go feature, use it. This way, you will get a real-time tally of your spending, and won’t find it hard to stay within the budget
5. Falling for the eye-catching aisles
Supermarkets are designed to tempt you. Those colorful end-of-aisle displays or premium products placed at eye level aren’t there by accident. They are thoughtfully curated to grab your attention and boost sales. It’s only natural that shoppers assume these items are on sale or better quality, but that’s not always the case. Train yourself to skip the flashy displays and focus on your list. Eyes on the list!
