Impulse buys are the bread and butter (so to speak!) of the grocery store’s profits… all those things people don’t really need but buy on impulse anyway, especially because they have a prominent spot on the end cap or the middle shelf. But did you know that shoppers without a grocery shopping list spend 40% more on those pesky impulse things than those without a list?
Do you have an extra 40% you can add to your grocery budget? If not, it is one more reason to make sure that before you hit the grocery store, you have a list of exactly what you need to buy, and most importantly – stick to it.
Before you put anything in your cart that isn’t on your list ask yourself:
- Do I really need this grocery item?
- Is it on sale? Be careful, some stores make it seem as though the items are on sale with flashy signs, but they are just regular priced, or with a very tiny markdown.
- Is this a new item? Companies will pay grocery stores to give prominent spots to products they are launching. If it is new, you can probably find a coupon for it.
And as an added bonus, when you have your list, you also won’t forget anything you were supposed to buy while at the store.
