I am guilty of soooo many of these!
Here are a few things that lead to spending too much when grocery shopping:
- Shopping without a grocery list. That can lead to you buying foods you don't need.
- Not planning meals before you shop. Planning ahead will keep you from buying things you may not use.
- Shopping while hungry. Shopping with an appetite can tempt you to put things you don't really need or want into your cart.
- You buy items at the ends of grocery aisles. Supermarkets put them there so they stand out and shoppers will think they're something special and be unable to resist.
- Purchasing only the priciest cuts of meat. It's OK to splurge occasionally, but cheaper cuts may take more preparation but generally have more flavor.
- Buying groceries with a credit card. You could spend twice what the cash customer does.
- Opting for ready-made meals at the market. These can cost more than twice as much as the same meal would have if it had been made at home.
- Not using coupons. That could mean you will miss out on hundreds in savings over a year.
- You don't belong to supermarket loyalty programs. Yes, you avoid being tracked but you miss out on savings.
- You let food spoil and have to throw it out. Poor shopping and meal planning can cost a family of four up to almost $200 a month.
**FYI: Food is the No. 3 expense for the average family in the U.S.
photo credit: Getty Images