You go into the grocery store for some milk, eggs, and sugar - but you come out of the store with a cart full of groceries, from cookies that were on sale to the frozen dinners and that magazine with the great cover story.
You've just been sucked into the grocery store impulse trap.
What we don't realize is that supermarkets have been slyly studying our shopping behavior for decades.
As a result they've become masters of consumer psychology.
They employ a multitude of tactics to get us to buy more than we ever need.
In fact, studies indicate that between 40 - 60% of all our supermarket purchases are impulse buys! You can avoid the grocery store impulse trap.
Below we list eight simple ways to enter your local supermarket and return with only what you need.
Make a List and Stick to It.
OK this sounds easy enough.
Its one of the most common pieces of advice you'll find on the internet, and it is great advice.
If you use a shopping list you're much less likely to buy an impulse purchase.
The problem, however, is that we don't take this advice.
We are often simply too busy to prepare a list and we pay for it with excessive impulse spending.
Keep a Small Snack in Your Glove Compartment.
Grocery stores love to play on our senses.
They pipe in freshly baked bread smells, arrange rows upon rows of tempting fruits and vegetables, and stock their shelves full of great looking snacks and desserts.
It's no wonder then that we spend more money when we shop hungry.
One way to fight back is to always keep a small snack in your glove compartment - gum, a candy bar, peanuts.
This ensures that you'll never go into a grocery store hungry and become a slave to food temptation.
Bring Just Enough Cash.
If you're in the store for just a few items you can usually estimate how much money its going to cost.
Leave your credit cards in the car and bring in just the amount of cash that you'll need to make your purchases.
This forces you to buy only what you need.
Skip the Grocery Cart.
Supermarkets know that you'll spend more if you have a grocery cart.
In fact, they have purposefully super-sized their grocery carts over the past few years in an effort to get you to spend even more.
If you need just a few things, skip the grocery cart and take a hand basket instead.
Edit Your Shopping Cart.
Many people forget the simple fact that you can take things out of your shopping cart after you've put them in.
Before you go to the check-out counter simply take a minute or two and review everything that you've put in your shopping cart.
Do you really need those cookies? Did you really get a good deal on those canned beans? Can't you get that Windex you picked up cheaper at Target or Wal-mart? By taking a few minutes to edit your shopping cart you can dramatically cut down on your impulse purchases.
Set a Time Limit.
Grocery stores know that the longer they keep you in the store the more money you'll spend.
Background music is designed specifically to slow your heartbeat and put you in a shopping mood.
Staple items like bread and milk are placed farthest in the back.
You won't see clocks on the wall to remind you of how much time you've spent in the store.
To avoid the supermarket time trap, set a time limit for your shopping trip.
Set your alarm clock or cell phone to go off after a certain amount of time - say 30 to 40 minutes to remind you to wrap up your shopping.
Avoid the Check-Out Trap.
The check-out counter of your local supermarket produces the highest rate of impulse purchases per square foot of any area in the store.
A variety of peanuts, candy bars, and potato chips confront us as we wait to check out.
To avoid this trap, keep a small snack in your glove compartment as mentioned above.
You're much less likely to pick up a candy bar if you know you have a snack waiting for you in your car.
Magazines at the check-out counter also represent a subtle impulse trap.
Magazine publishers are experts at creating great headlines that make you want to open the magazine and read the article.
The problem is that you start reading an article and don't have time to finish it.
So you simply place the magazine with your other purchases.
The next time you're tempted to buy a magazine, remember that you can often read the same exact article on the magazine's website for free.
Send in the Special Shopper.
Many families have one person who just can't stand to shop - a person who absolutely hates to be in the store.
This is the perfect person to send in to pick up the few items you may need.
Just give them a list and see how fast they work to get out of the store.
By taking a few small steps to cut down on impulse shopping you can literally save your family hundreds of dollars each and every year.
To learn more ways to dramatically slash your grocery bill, visit our website at www.
paylessforfood.
com
You've just been sucked into the grocery store impulse trap.
What we don't realize is that supermarkets have been slyly studying our shopping behavior for decades.
As a result they've become masters of consumer psychology.
They employ a multitude of tactics to get us to buy more than we ever need.
In fact, studies indicate that between 40 - 60% of all our supermarket purchases are impulse buys! You can avoid the grocery store impulse trap.
Below we list eight simple ways to enter your local supermarket and return with only what you need.
Make a List and Stick to It.
OK this sounds easy enough.
Its one of the most common pieces of advice you'll find on the internet, and it is great advice.
If you use a shopping list you're much less likely to buy an impulse purchase.
The problem, however, is that we don't take this advice.
We are often simply too busy to prepare a list and we pay for it with excessive impulse spending.
Keep a Small Snack in Your Glove Compartment.
Grocery stores love to play on our senses.
They pipe in freshly baked bread smells, arrange rows upon rows of tempting fruits and vegetables, and stock their shelves full of great looking snacks and desserts.
It's no wonder then that we spend more money when we shop hungry.
One way to fight back is to always keep a small snack in your glove compartment - gum, a candy bar, peanuts.
This ensures that you'll never go into a grocery store hungry and become a slave to food temptation.
Bring Just Enough Cash.
If you're in the store for just a few items you can usually estimate how much money its going to cost.
Leave your credit cards in the car and bring in just the amount of cash that you'll need to make your purchases.
This forces you to buy only what you need.
Skip the Grocery Cart.
Supermarkets know that you'll spend more if you have a grocery cart.
In fact, they have purposefully super-sized their grocery carts over the past few years in an effort to get you to spend even more.
If you need just a few things, skip the grocery cart and take a hand basket instead.
Edit Your Shopping Cart.
Many people forget the simple fact that you can take things out of your shopping cart after you've put them in.
Before you go to the check-out counter simply take a minute or two and review everything that you've put in your shopping cart.
Do you really need those cookies? Did you really get a good deal on those canned beans? Can't you get that Windex you picked up cheaper at Target or Wal-mart? By taking a few minutes to edit your shopping cart you can dramatically cut down on your impulse purchases.
Set a Time Limit.
Grocery stores know that the longer they keep you in the store the more money you'll spend.
Background music is designed specifically to slow your heartbeat and put you in a shopping mood.
Staple items like bread and milk are placed farthest in the back.
You won't see clocks on the wall to remind you of how much time you've spent in the store.
To avoid the supermarket time trap, set a time limit for your shopping trip.
Set your alarm clock or cell phone to go off after a certain amount of time - say 30 to 40 minutes to remind you to wrap up your shopping.
Avoid the Check-Out Trap.
The check-out counter of your local supermarket produces the highest rate of impulse purchases per square foot of any area in the store.
A variety of peanuts, candy bars, and potato chips confront us as we wait to check out.
To avoid this trap, keep a small snack in your glove compartment as mentioned above.
You're much less likely to pick up a candy bar if you know you have a snack waiting for you in your car.
Magazines at the check-out counter also represent a subtle impulse trap.
Magazine publishers are experts at creating great headlines that make you want to open the magazine and read the article.
The problem is that you start reading an article and don't have time to finish it.
So you simply place the magazine with your other purchases.
The next time you're tempted to buy a magazine, remember that you can often read the same exact article on the magazine's website for free.
Send in the Special Shopper.
Many families have one person who just can't stand to shop - a person who absolutely hates to be in the store.
This is the perfect person to send in to pick up the few items you may need.
Just give them a list and see how fast they work to get out of the store.
By taking a few small steps to cut down on impulse shopping you can literally save your family hundreds of dollars each and every year.
To learn more ways to dramatically slash your grocery bill, visit our website at www.
paylessforfood.
com
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