I'm Going to the Store for Just a Few Items

How many times have you said that, then amassed a surprisingly large total at the supermarket checkout and brought home many bags instead of just the 1 or 2 you were planning on?

Yeah, me too.

Why does this happen?

1) We don't make up shopping lists or stick to ones we do have

2) We pay with plastic instead of cash

3) We LOVE shopping

4) Supermarkets know we humans succumb to impulse buying if the display looks nice and plentiful and the prices are good (and easy to see).

It isn't always a bad thing, but for some people, impulsive buying controls their life. For these people, some major changes are in order that are well beyond the scope of this blog. For most of us, some simple reminders will help us keep more of our money in our pockets:

1) Feed the Beast - your Shopping Monster
Allow yourself to buy one or two things you weren't planning on, but keep the number low and engage yourself to make a decision between 2 or more things that catch your eye. This will allow you to prevent explosions of buying. By deciding between impulse buys, you may even decide you really don't need/want any of them.

2) Would the item make your list?
Ask yourself the question of whether the item you are about to buy would have made your shopping list had you thought about it and been aware of the current price. If yes, then maybe you have a good purchase. If not, you may be more interested in the concept of buying it than in the actual use/consumption of it.

3) Do Not buy anything within 5 feet of the checkout register
This is where supermarket managers do some of their best psychological experiments. They know you are captive and highly worn down having 'completed' your shopping. These items would hardly ever make your shopping list and for good reasons.

4) If you decide you don't want it, will you return it? Really?
Some of us are good at returning items we get home but then decide we don't like/want/need. Most of us see the barrier to return items as being much larger than the one we overcame to buy it. Don't trick yourself into buying something by saying you will return it if you don't like it if that isn't the type of person you are.

5) Don't go shopping when you are hungry
An oldie but a goodie. This doesn't apply just to food hunger but also to emotional hunger. If you are depressed, don't feed your pain with your AMEX. If you find that you really need to shop to get out of your funk, then definitely follow my last suggestion:

6) Pay in Cash
I have mixed feelings about this one which is why I list it last. If the only way to control your shopping fever is to restrict the money you have to pay with, your self-control problems are probably big enough to be causing lots of other problems. It can have some benefits for those times when you want to cut loose to make yourself fell better as in #5 above. That way, you can make a conscious decision on how much you want to spend when you are still marginally sane. This is kind of like deciding how much money you want to lose before going into a casino.

Impulse buying can be good as long as you wind up using the item(s), don't wind up consuming (much) more than you would have otherwise and is a small part of your monthly shopping.