Have you ever just stopped the grocery store on your way home from work because you just need four items for your family’s meal that night? And what usually happens when you get to the checkout? You know what I am talking about. Your cart is now half way full of junk you really didn’t need or even wanted. What happened to just running into the store to only purchase what you really needed?

This happens to everyone in all walks of life and a lot of has to do with the Supermarket tricks that they use to lure us to spend more of our hard earned money. Did you know that Supermarkets hire teams to help them get more of your hard earn money? Of course the do from teasing you with all those items on the ends caps of the check outs, to the wonderful smells wafting out of the bakery, the freshly watered produce and so much more. Your grocery store chain has spent millions of dollars in research just to find out the best ways to get you to overspend in their store. But what I am going to do today is to educate you so that you do not fall victim to the million dollar supermarket chain.

Shopping Buggy versus Hand Held Basket:

How many times have you run into the store just to buy a few items and the first thing you see when you walk in the door is aisles and aisles of shopping carts all ready for you to use? But where are the hand held baskets? Like most stores you have to go a little further for those like to the customer service office. Now ask yourself why wouldn’t the hand held baskets be by the front door along with the shopping carts? Because research has shown that if you have shop with a shopping cart even for a few items it makes it easier for you to throw in extra purchases you normally wouldn’t of even thought of purchasing, where using the hand held basket you are limited to only purchasing those few items you really needed when you walked into the store.

Hiding Your Everyday Items:

Supermarkets are masters at luring you through their produce and bakery and meat sections just to get to the EVERY DAY Household items that we all need and run out of. Like toilet paper and cleaners and health and beauty items. Think of your stores layout do they make getting your every day household items easy are they located by the front of the store? No you have to go through the aisles and departments of temptation before you even get to your everyday items you need.

Avoid Buying Items at eye level:

Look at your grocery store next time you go shopping, you will notice the name brand or high dollar version of products are right at your eye level while the generic versions are either up higher and out of eye shot range or down on the lower shelves. Supermarkets bank on the fact that you are in a rush probably with your kids in tow and you are simply going to grab the first item you see which nine times out ten means the name brand higher priced items. Take those extra few minutes to do your comparison shopping and see which versions of the product are cheaper.

Avoid End Caps and Impulse Items at the checkout:

We have all been there we are waiting and waiting in the checkout for the line to go down and there is a box of Qtips or Kleenex you forgot to buy how convient that it is right here at the checkout. But what you are forgetting is those impulse items are overpriced and usually smaller in size then what you could get by simply going back out into the shopping market and buying that item in the right section. From household items, children’s toys, bakery items, snack and magazine the stores make a killing banking on customers buying their impulse items. Same is true for the the items on the end caps how many times have you been shopping and the items you need are on the end cap and ON SALE how convient. Most of the times if you actually walked down the aisle you are going to find that same item in a different brand usually cheaper.

Get your shopping done and get out:

Grocery stores love it if you take your time in their store and stop and look around. In fact they hope you will try their samples or see their colorful displays and buy the latest new products they are offering. Don’t fall prey stick to your lists with as little stops along the way as possible your goal is to get in and get out.

Here are simple ways to avoid the Supermarket traps

1. When picking up a few things use a hand held basket not a shopping cart
2. Go straight to the aisles you need avoiding the departments like bakery and produce that might prompt you overspend on unnecessary things
3. Stick to your grocery lists and don’t buy things that are NOT on your lists
4. Compare your prices, sizes and brands for the best bargains
5. Shop for generic items over brand name items
6. Avoid end caps for any items instead go into the aisles and shop
7. Calculate how much is in your cart or basket so you have running total
8. Don’t buy it if you wont’ use it this week and if you don’t really need it
9. Don’t buy anything at the checkout remember those are impulse items

About the Author:

Angie is the owner and host of Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio a show dedicated to Moms and Work at Home Moms http://frugalwahmstalkradio.com

Last 5 posts by Angela Wenke

• Potty Training doesn’t have to be a chore. - April 6th, 2009
• Teaching Your Children to Start Saving Their Money - April 6th, 2009
• Congratulations on your new store, now where are the sales? - March 30th, 2009
• Couponing 101-Organizing Your Coupons - March 30th, 2009
• Do You Provide Good Customer Service? - March 30th, 2009

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