May 16 2008
Never Shop Hungry and Other Advice
Have you ever wondered why experts say not to shop unless you’ve eaten first? It is a matter of psychology, if you want to get right down to it.
If you have just eaten a meal and are feeling full, you won’t be tempted to splurge or waste money on foods that you might not otherwise purchase. Coming into a grocery store hungry is probably one of the worst things you can do if you are truly interested in saving money. Grocery stores are well versed in making their food look appealing to consumers and upselling items by placing them in easy to reach places, at eye level and on end caps (allowing the consumer to assume that the item is drastically reduced).
Another thing to avoid when grocery shopping which is much more difficult to do for some, is to avoid shopping with your children in tow. Children easily succumb to marketing tactics of the grocery store, and will ask for almost anything that looks colorful, is at their eye level or is offered with a prize. Teaching your children from an early age that they will not get to pick what goes into the cart is a level headed parenting decision. You might offer them a compromise if you do have to shop with them. “Jennifer, if you cooperate and do your very best to be helpful to mommy while I am shopping, I will let you choose one special thing to buy.” You can go a step further by offering your child a choice or two of items, especially if you worry they might choose something unhealthy (which typically they will!)
Do you have any helpful tips for the grocery store shopping experience?
