There are a lot of tips and tricks for saving money in the grocery store. You can clip coupons and research the circulars, but an easy way to stop yourself from buying too much is simple… don’t use a shopping cart.
When my husband and I shop together we always get a shopping cart. Time and time again I find myself buying more groceries than when I shop alone. The primary reason, when I shop alone I almost always use a hand basket instead of a shopping cart.
Shopping without a cart forces me to think more thoroughly about each and every purchase. With only two hands and one basket there simply isn’t enough room for unplanned purchases.
I use this same technique when shopping in Target, Walmart and Marshalls. While other shoppers are filling their carts with an assortment of items, I usually manage to walk out with only one or two items.
In fact, I’m always amazed by the random items shoppers pull out their shopping carts. At the checkout you’ll inevitably find a woman purchasing cookies and crackers, a baby outfit, a desk clock, a yoga mat….
The most random and unrelated items come out of those shopping carts. I highly doubt the shopper planned to purchase all of these items.
If you tend to fill your shopping cart with unneeded and unnecessary items that clutter your home, I urge you to try this technique. Of course, there are times when you’ll need to purchase a cart full of items.
For example, on your weekly trip to the grocery store. But on shorter trips, when you only plan to purchase a few items, try this technique, if you have the willpower it will save you money.