Comments on: Unconsciously Spending at the Grocery Store

By: One Frugal Girl

One Frugal Girl — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:39:00 +0000

@ Miss M -- Great suggestion. I am trying to cut shopping trips back to once every two weeks, rather than once a week.

@Juice -- I totally agree. I try to use a basket rather than a cart whenever I can. Over the years this technique has saved me a ton of money!

@William -- The backpack tip used to work wonders for me. When I lived in the city I would only buy as much as I could carry. I lived at the top of a big hill and the grocery store was at the bottom. I knew if I bought too much I wouldn't make it home :-)

By: William/The Author Of *

William/The Author Of * — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:21:00 +0000

Oh yeah, and I live close to the store so its what fits in the backpack and not much more.

By: William/The Author Of *

William/The Author Of * — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:19:00 +0000

make your own spag.sause and never buy something just because you’ve a coupon for it. Generic might not look as good but its the same thing. Not like I’ve got bank but, I waste more time pacing the isle comparing stuff. I pretty much know what I want now so shopping for me is predictable

By: Juice

Juice — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:14:00 +0000

I struggle here too. My solution has been to shop using a basket instead of a cart. You get a lot more particular when you have to lug everything around! I haven’t measured it officially, but I bet I save somewhere between $10-30 per trip. I’ll be curious to see if this works for anyone else.

By: Miss M

Miss M — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:09:00 +0000

We have the same problem so our solution has been, shop less often. If we overspend by the same amount each time we enter the store, entering less often should save us money. This month we hit the major chain store once and we’ll try to get by with just Trader Joes for produce and milk.

By: One Frugal Girl

One Frugal Girl — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:22:00 +0000

@Ryan — Great site. I love that you can choose a recipe and create a shopping list. I also love that you started “taking control of food in [your] life.” That’s a great way of putting it!

@Jolie — I’ve thought about going the cash route quite often, but I almost never go to the ATM, since we perform all of our banking online. In the past I have actually purchased grocery store gift cards using my credit card and tried to spend only the amount on the cards. It definitely kept me more disciplined, but more often than not I still went over budget. Perhaps I should try again?

By: Ryan from Going Carless

Ryan from Going Carless — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:31:00 +0000

I have the same problem. Exactly the same. It doesn't help that I don't have much experience cooking, so I end up buying random stuff and hoping I cam make meals out of it.

Plus, until recently I didn't pack lunch. I would go to work every day and hope I found food or order from our delivery, both of which are not good. I finally starting taking control of food in my life. I found this awesome site. I can browse through thousands of recipes. Then when I find one I like I can add it to my cookbook (for later use), I can add it to a meal plan (pick a day I want to make it) and save all the ingredients to a shopping list. It's pretty slick. It ensures I have a list when I shop (the only way I won't impulse buy) and that I know I will have a balanced meal instead of hoping.
No I don't work for Meals Matter. Hah!
Here's the site.

By: Jolie

Jolie — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:37:00 +0000

I hear you. I struggle everytime I go to the grocery, Walmart, etc. I just see so many things and it’s so hard to resist. I am on cash only right now so that is helping IMMENSELY. I have my list and my cash and that is that. If I had chosen to let myself buy with my debit card today I’d have had probably $100 plus. I had cash and spend just under $20.