Dread the grocery less when you set your own limits

<p>In the first month of a new year, we’ve seen grocery stores featured in the news more than once. Each time a snowstorm approaches, shoppers hustle through the aisles en masse. For some reason, each individual in the store has run out of three essential ingredients at home — milk, bread, and eggs.</p><p>Whether you relish in weekly trips to the store or you abhor the process, grocery shopping regardless of the weather is a necessity for the majority of us. Just showing up at the store likely means you’ve taken strides toward healthier finances. After all, if you’re grocery shopping, all signs point toward eating at home rather than dining out on a regular basis.</p><p>Recent studies indicate Americans spend more money at restaurants now than they do at grocery stores. So each time you place your hand on a cart, give yourself a little pat on the back. You’re at least attempting to get a good handle on your spending by preparing your own foods, saving countless dollars.</p><p>It’s still easy to go overboard at the grocery store. Without smart shopping strategies, you might end up with an overflowing cart that drains your bank account. These tips should help you spend less and actually eat what you do buy.</p><p>Begin shopping at home</p><p>Before you head out the door, you should do a bit of shopping in your own house. Open your fridge, freezer, cabinets and pantry. Take a good inventory of what you already have. Build a meal plan around the items already in your kitchen. You may be surprised that you need less than you realize. Your first step should always be shopping at home.</p><p><p><strong>Build a list</strong></p><p>After taking stock in what you already have, take things a step further by building a list before you head to the store. Ideally, you should keep a running list throughout the week, adding items each time you realize you are out of something essential. I like using the app Cozi to manage grocery lists as a family for a handful of different stores. Each family member has access to the app and can add items needed on their own. And when one of us is in a store, a quick check of the app allows us to know what others in our family need.</p><p>Digital or not, every time you shop you need a grocery list, though. Choice distraction in stores causes us to overspend. Any place where we shop forces us to repeatedly say “no” to ourselves. Each time we say “no,” we grow a bit more weary. Economists call this process choice distraction.</p><p>When we shop with a list, we’ve already said no to most of those unknown items. We’re there for a specific handful of things. Granted, we may pick up a product or two not on the list, but by and large when we have a list most of us stick to it.</p><p>So even if you scribble your list on a piece of scrap paper in the car before entering the store, you’re helping eliminate choice distraction and its overspending trap.</p><p><p><strong>Focus on the perimeter</strong></p><p>While you’re in the store, spend as much time as possible on the outside perimeter. The foods on the outer edges of your grocery are typically both healthier and more economical, too. Dairy, produce, fresh meats — these are the products found around the edges of a store. These foods are more nutritionally dense and keep you fuller for longer periods of time.</p><p>In the middle aisles, you’ll find more junk food items. There are a few exceptions to the rule. After all, oatmeal is both nutritious and affordable and found in those center aisles. But for the most part, it’s smart to keep your blinders on when you travel outside of the perimeter or skip entire aisles altogether.</p><p><p><strong>Set a timer</strong></p><p>Did you know that some stores use a music with specific beats per minute to entice you to stay in the store longer? This practice is used because research shows the more time you spend in the store, the more money you’ll spend. If you notice your store plays music, it may be smart to put in headphones. It also might be a good idea to set a timer. Or, shop right before you’re due at an appointment. You’ll limit your exposure to products you didn’t know about or don’t need.</p><p><p><strong>Make the most of technology</strong></p><p>Stores are providing more and more ways for consumers to save money, too. The rise of shopping services like Instacart and Ship It or in-store services like Kroger ClickList or Walmart Free Grocery Pick Up means you can shop from the comfort of your home. On the surface, it may seem like you pay more for some of these technologies due to service fees and tips. However, when you factor in the potential of buying something not on your list, those charges are probably a wash.</p><p>If your store offers a shopping service, especially if it’s free, try it out this year. You may get hooked on the ease of use and ability to have your groceries delivered directly to your door or at least the store’s parking lot.</p><p>If you’re not already, be sure you’re using coupons and rewards.</p><p>Shop smart in the new year, using the money you save toward greater financial goals.</p>