Day 9: 7 Ugly Truths About Your Shopping Cart

Just why does your bill soar over $100 every week? You walk into the store like a sitting duck with nothing, and then buyer’s remorse sets in as you load up the checkout dreadmill. If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail. Here’s why your cart is a mess and what you can do about it:

1. There are items in the cart you didn’t intend to buy.
   Your first lesson to learn in Smart Shopping 101 is to shop with a list, no ifs, ands or buts. Do not set one foot in the store without a hard copy, either in hand or on your phone. Sit in your car outside and do it there. Better yet, keep a running tally of needs.But it’s not enough to have a list, you must see it as the full enchilada, not the just bare bones to jumpstart your shopping–if a food doesn’t make the cut, it doesn’t go in the cart.Be ruthless about disciplining your shopping sprees for a few weeks and you’ll be a seasoned list maker in no time. Shopping with a list will slash your bill considerably.
2. You buy too much perishable food.
   Oh, the vibrant veggies, fragrant nectarines, juicy meat cuts! Pile it on higher and higher and…you’ll be tossing those same beauties in the trash after a few days. Freeze all but two meats and only buy for, at the most, one week of fresh produce. Save money and waste less.
3. The convenience foods are conveniently expensive.
   Who really wants to chop a pineapple? Or julienne carrots? Sure it’s easier to buy the frozen dinners and pre-cut produce, but is it worth paying 30-60% more for it? Knives are those long, sharp metal things Aunt Mildred gave you for your wedding. Use them.
4. Junior’s gotta-haves take up half the cart.
   Learn how to gently say no to your children. And if they explode in a fiery mass of tantrum, calmly wheel your cart to the front and let the store manager know you’ll be back in a few minutes. Recover outside with Junior or have someone pick him up. If you give in, just that one time, to a demand for Hot Cheetos, the next trip will be even worse. Sure, other people are looking at you to do something, but that something is not to give in. Be a grown up and set loving limits.If you can at all help it, don’t shop with little kids. You’ll be saving a lot of sanity if you go after their bedtime. I’d even give up an hour of sleep to do it! There are so many lessons to learn by grocery shopping–math, economics, list making–but you yourself need some solid training first without the distraction of public meltdowns and sticky hands.
5. You shop without a meal plan in mind.
   What’s on the menu tomorrow night? If you don’t know, figure it out before shopping. Without a clear list and meal plan, you’ll pay close to 40% more for non-necessities and spoilage. But that robs the spontaneity of life! I’d rather be spontaneous on a beach with the money I save from meal plan shopping.
6. When unloading at home, you notice five of the same thing you just purchased.
   How did I not notice I had seven cans of mushroom soup and then bought two more? Unless it’s a steal and you have coupons on top of it, stockpiling isn’t a smart idea. That’s a lot of green bean casserole to choke down. Shop your own pantry while making a meal plan before trekking off to the store.
7. You’re forced to pay full price for expensive items you need immediately.
   With goods like diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, and detergent, be proactive and only buy on sale with coupons. Hang on to your printed deals until the store starts a promotion and then redeem. This is where it can’t hurt to stockpile.
8. You buy with plastic money.
   Your cart is busting with stuff you don’t need because you don’t really have to “pay” for it. You swipe a small rectangular object through a box and forget about it. Grocery shop with cash only and you’ll be forced to stick within your budget.