Frugal Americans presents you: bad grocery shopping habits you need to stop NOW!
We all need to go to the store and buy food and supplies for the house, regardless of whether we love this type of activity or not. If you’re not a pro, you’ll definitely be after reading this article, because there are some bad grocery shopping habits you might have that lead to wasting money and feeling like you have nothing to eat.
Smart grocery shopping isn’t exactly easy-peasy, but with a bit of attention, planning, and work, you’ll discover that you can save more money and actually have enough items to last you for the week.
So, if you want to know more about all those bad grocery shopping habits that make you waste food, spend more on things that aren’t good for you, and make you wonder where all of your money went at the end of the month, this article is for you.
Don’t worry, we’re not going to talk about checking out different stores to see the best on-sale items. These are simple things you can start doing now that will make a huge difference in the long run! Without further ado, let’s talk about all the bad grocery shopping habits you need to stop NOW!
1. Going shopping hungry
We start off this list of bad grocery shopping habits by saying that one of the most terrible and money-consuming things you could do is go to the store on an empty stomach.
Just imagine that you walk around different aisles and hear your stomach rumbling. The first thing you might be tempted to do is grab a snack, like some chips, a chocolate bar, and other things that aren’t good for your body.
Not only do you consume more carbs and empty calories that you don’t need, but you might also fill your cart with all sorts of food items that you wouldn’t normally get. Maybe you wanted to pick up a few essentials to last you for the week, but when you’re crazy, those cravings start to hit, and you need a lot of willpower to hold back.
Besides that, hearing your stomach rumble might cause you to prepare foods that you can easily heat up when you get home. Unfortunately, this is still part of the bad grocery shopping habits that you need to stop ASAP because these items are more expensive due to their convenience, and they’re also filled with artificial ingredients that aren’t nutritious.
2. Shopping from trendy boutique stores
If you always go to fancy health stores to get food from the house, I’m sorry to disappoint but is part of the bad grocery shopping habits that make you lose money.
Checking these stores out every once in a while isn’t going to create a hole in your budget, but it will help you experiment in the kitchen and make your taste buds happy.
The sad thing about these exquisite stores is that they hike up the prices of essentials and basics, so you basically get the same things as in other stores, but with more dollars.
There are grocery stores that have supplies that are just as tasty as the brand-name ones. Some customers say that they’re even the same product but put in different packaging.
Don’t shy away from getting generic products, because they’re just as good. Food is already pretty expensive as it is, so there’s no need to pay lots of dollars for some fancy labels.
3. Not considering what you already have
Many people have these bad grocery shopping habits, but we all need to get them out of our systems. Before you head out to get supplies for your kitchen, you should take a look in your fridge, pantry, and freezer because you might have particular foods that can’t wait to be cooked.
If you already have supplies in your kitchen but you still get new things, it can lead to food waste and money spent for nothing. Make a quick inventory, and then write down the things that you want to buy from the store.
You’ll be surprised to discover how many things you already have at home, and you can plan your next meals based on them. Don’t forget to consume the foods that will expire soon first before others, because it can help you decrease waste and also lower your grocery bill for the week.
4. Getting convenience foods
These bad grocery shopping habits might not seem that terrible at first, but if you combine them, be prepared to waste money, because it’s not nice. We live in a fast-paced world, and we need things to be ready for us when we need them, and that rule also applies to food.
Those who are busy are more likely to purchase things that are pre-sliced and put in containers and plastic bags. Of course, they might be convenient and time-saving, but if you want to live frugally, that’s not a good option.
The reason you pay more for these foods is because there’s extra packaging that you either have to throw away or recycle. Even if it takes more time (only a couple of minutes, don’t worry), it’s better to purchase the food you want and then cut it yourself for meal-prepping.
5. What about deals?
Sales are great, but as much as we love them, they’re not always the best thing for shoppers. You’ve probably seen that the sale price is typically highlighted when items are on sale, so they quickly grab your attention.
These little tricks will make you blindly put those things in your cart, because, why not? They’re on sale. Maybe you didn’t need them in the first place, but if you end up purchasing them, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you save money, because you’re actually losing it.
If there are things on sale that you don’t need but still get, this is part of the bad grocery shopping habits you need to get rid of ASAP. Before you think about putting items in your cart, take a look at the tags on the store display, so you know how much you’re paying per ounce.
You can then compare it to other brands of the same thing and decide whether it is worth buying or not. The same thing applies to products in bulk, tricking you into thinking that you get more for less, but it might be the other way around. Take a couple of minutes to check out more offers, and you’ll succeed in kicking these bad grocery shopping habits out of your life.
6. No budget
You surely noticed that most of your income goes on your basic necessities, like food, housing, and bills. But with a little bit of planning and attention, you can save money on your kitchen supplies and succeed in keeping these bad grocery shopping habits out of your life for good.
Make a list of items you need to get, and then set a budget for your food shopping session. Don’t try to restrict yourself, because that’s not going to turn out well either, but try to be realistic and think thoroughly about what you plan on cooking for the week.
This way, you won’t be tempted to put unnecessary items in your cart, you’ll save money, and you’ll also be more mindful about the things you consume, but without any restrictions.
These bad grocery shopping habits can easily make room in your life, but pay attention to them, because if you’re mindful of your habits, you have a higher chance of succeeding in your goal of saving money.
If carrying grocery bags is too hard for you, you should consider getting a cart because it will make the trip a lot more enjoyable! Check out this offer, and trust me, your back will thank you!
What do you think about these bad grocery shopping habits? Are you guilty of any of these? Leave a comment down below and let us know! If you want to read something else from Frugal Americans, here’s a good article for you: I Changed 3 Grocery Shopping Habits and Saved $4,800
