We all love shopping, and especially so at the grocery store where the items on display are typically arranged to strategically attract and catch our attention. The store tends to place items that they would like to clear off the shelves at the eye-level of the customer as they push their trolleys across the aisles of the different sections.
Unfortunately, to the unsuspecting customer that is untrained in the ways of grocery shopping protocol the tendency is to over-buy at the first outing to the grocery store. Additionally, often shoppers buy items that are not what they really want nor need. It is always the impulse buy at the store that upon further reflection, usually at home, that we realized that these were purchases that could have been left for another time.
The grocery store often have perishables like fruits and vegetables that they would want to clear off at a really good price. These items are usually placed at the bargain corner strategically located near to the check out registers just so that it would catch the attention of the novice grocery shopper. Like lambs for the slaughter, we almost always fall prey to impulse buying. The wasteful part of over-buying usually happens at home when we would inevitably have to dispose of these items when they are expire.
How then do we prevent impulse buys at the grocery store? The answer to that question may not be too difficult. With a little planning and financial prudence, and we would soon shop like seasoned professionals knowing exactly what we want and need for the day or week.
The key to overcoming the impulse buy is really to have a budget, and a plan before we enter into the grocery store. Sticking to that plan requires discipline, and we all know that discipline is not achieved on the first day. In fact it takes years to come to terms with our desire for instant gratification.
There just does not seem to be an easier way to curb the impulse buy. By far, the most effective method is to bring just enough money for the grocery buy and leave all the credit cards at home. That is the only sure way to prevent over spending; simply because there is not enough money in the wallet to buy anything else.
It is a known fact that the mind is unable to rationalize the difference between needs and wants, and especially so at the point when we see the bargain section of the grocery store. It is a known human weakness that the more we see, the more we desire, and the store knows this phenomenon so well and capitalizes on it just so that they are able to increase turnover on their perishables.