Shop to Win

It’s time to emphasize the budget busting dangers of impulse shopping

We’ve all been there – you swing by the store to pick up a gallon of milk and somehow twenty minutes later you’ve bought $45 worth of groceries you didn’t know you needed. Agghh! If you want to save money on groceries these are exactly the type of things you want to avoid!

As a first step, it helps to recognize that grocery stores employ numerous marketing strategies to encourage impulse shopping. From the moment you walk in the door you are being influenced to buy something you didn’t plan on.

Have you ever wondered by produce is always the first thing department that you encounter? It’s because studies have shown that an initial interaction with fresh foods will make you more likely to purchase packaged items that elicit the memory of those fresh food items. So, seeing fresh cherries will make you more likely to purchase cherry flavored seltzer water. Crazy, isn’t it?!

Think about a few other things: The store layout is designed to get you to walk down each aisle (since the most commonly purchased items are located on each end); the store’s lighting is positioned to draw your attention to new items and to make produce look fresher; and manufacturers pay a premium for eye level shelf placement so their products will be easily seen – they’re targeting you and your kids!

Now, I’m a good capitalist… I don’t think companies are evil because they are trying to make money, and I understand marketing well enough to know they are just playing to my tendencies anyway. But I still don’t want to spend more money than I planned!

So, here is what I do to curb my impulses:

Avoid Panic Trips to the Store – assume that the more times you go grocery shopping, the more you are going to spend (remember, each time you enter the store you are being inundated with impulse buying influences!). Therefore, avoid going to the store for the one item you ran out of. If you pay attention to what you have it’s pretty easy to do – I keep a notepad in the kitchen where I jot down any items that are running low so I can incorporate them into my regular shopping. This is especially helpful for spices! Or if you are mid-recipe and you’re missing an ingredient try a substitution. You can find these easily with Google or this E-How Substitute Guide.

Shop with a List – If you are hoping to “be reminded of what you need” as you walk through each aisle, be prepared to overspend. If you know what you need to buy and you have it written down, you are much less likely to overspend. I use a meal plan so I know what groceries I need to feed my family each week (more on this later). I also have a “routine list” that I use to check basic house supplies before I head to the store. Do I need garbage bags? Are we low on TP? It helps me have a list to think through these basics. Go here to see the list I use.

Use your Price Book – I have recently begun to use my Price Book as a means to put some brakes in front of my impulse shopping. I have told myself that I can’t buy something unless I already have it recorded it in my price book and I can see that it’s a good deal. If I don’t have comparison data, I won’t let myself buy it. Sometimes just that little pause keeps me from acting on impulses.

Track your Spending – if you set a limit on how much you want to spend for the week or month you will have a motivation to avoid impulse spending. Some people take out a set amount of cash for groceries that needs to last for a fixed time period. Going over will start to feel like a failure, which is good (just don’t be too hard on yourself in the beginning – strive for progress!) I keep track of my spending with an excel spreadsheet that is a big motivational tool for me. I try to hit a specific mark each month and my husband is always asking me how I’m doing so there is accountability (I told you I’m competitive!). Whatever you do, give yourself a limit and keep track!

Return it! If you are feeling regret at the checkout line as your impulse purchases start to add up, act on it! Simply walk over the customer service desk (with your freshly minted receipt) and tell them you’ve changed your mind. You don’t need to be embarrassed and they won’t give you a hard time. Just say “I’ve changed my mind and I would like to return these items.” Trust me, it’s a lot harder to dig yourself out of debt than it is to return items you regret buying!

Any other good tips on how to avoid impulse purchases? Share them below so everyone can benefit.