How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store

How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store Tip #1: Make a List

When you go to the store without a list it's easy to get distracted and purchase items that you don't need. Impulse buys will quickly pill up in your cart and before you know it, you've purchased a few hundred dollars of groceries without buying the items you actually came for.

How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store Tip #2: Stick to the List

When you take a list to the grocery store, make sure you actually stick to your list. When you find an item, check it off and move onto the next item. This not only helps you to avoid impulse buys, but it also helps you to quickly get through the grocery store.

How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store Tip #3: Set a Budget

Another good way to avoid impulse buys is to set a budget. Setting a budget for your grocery store purchases not only ensures that you don't overspend on impulse buys, but it leaves money for other items like DVDs, books, a new pair of shoes, etc.

How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store Tip #4: Only Take a Certain Amount of Money

Only having a certain amount of cash ensures that you don't have extra money for impulse buys. When you choose to the use this tip, make sure to take a calculator with you so that you don't accidentally overspend.

How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store Tip #5: Avoid Items You Don't Need

It doesn't matter if the grocery store is having a huge sale on some new canned item that you've never heard of. Leave it. Grocery stores setup displays like this hoping you'll spend more money. Don't fall victim to these impulse buys. Buy what you need and get out.

How to Avoid Impulse Buys at the Grocery Store Tip #6: Avoid "Sale" Items

A little secret that grocery stores love to use is placing items on the end of aisle. Most customers see these items and think they are on sale, when it reality they aren't. Grocery stores will even change the price around. For example, the item may have originally had a tag that said $0.75, but now it says 3 for $4, which is the same price. Surprisingly this works really well because people don't stop to do the math.