5 Costly Money Mistakes You Need To Avoid
Money Mistakes
Are you spending too much money at the grocery store? And wondering where it’s all adding up? Stress no more discover the sneaking ways the grocery store adds more costs to your bill. I have fallen victim to every single one of these costly money mistakes and more.
Save Money
If you can cut out theses 5 mistakes and the big mistake of shopping hungry you can definitely cut down the cost of your grocery bill and save money.
Costly Money Mistakes
1. Not making a grocery list or grabbing the store flyer at the grocery store
You will save more money walking into the grocery store with a plan of action. Make your meal plan, your grocery list and check the store sales flyer over before heading to the grocery store.
You can view meal planning ideas here. Write your grocery list on a simple piece of paper or use an list app. You can check your grocery store flyer online or in your local newspaper or flyer collection.
2. Falling into the eye candy, sensory marketing traps of the grocery store
The sliced fruit and vegetables look great. You would eat more healthy if the preparation was all done for you, right? The bakery smells so good, you need those artisan rolls for lunch or dinner. You need those items off the end cap (end of aisle way), they aren’t on your list but you need them.
The grocery store is full of marketing that will send your savings into mayhem. Block out the pretty eye-catching displays, the smells from the floral department, the eye level shelving tactics and the checkout lane goodies. Shop for what is on your list and you will save money.
3. The “I need that, I think it was on my list” tactic
DO NOT walk up and down the aisles of the grocery store adding random items to your cart that are not on your list or what you came to the store for. No you do not need that third jar of tomato sauce or that odd cut of meat.
If you set a plan before you head to the grocery store and make a list you won’t be adding unneeded items to your grocery cart.
Related Frugal Lesson Posts:
- 25 Frugal Living Tips To Help You Save Money
- 23 Lessons From Thrifty People
- 21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money
4. Paying full price
Shop the sales and stock up. The biggest mistake is paying full price. When items goes on sale stock up. If items you use on a regular basis go on sale buy two and store one. Start a small stockpile and add to it as the sales line up.
Meat is an expensive grocery item. Learn the sales cycles for meat at your local grocery store. Or look into farm based meat purchases. We recently did this and paid less than $3.00 a pound for premium meat cuts.
Learning what you can and can’t freeze will also help you cut your grocery costs.
5. Not using coupons or store savings apps
Believe it or not coupons are as good as money in the grocery store. Spending that few minutes clipping coupons or loading your store savings app will save you money. The best money saving app I have found is Rakuten you earn money back on all your online purchases.
Never pay full price again. If you shop on Amazon (try a 30-Day free trial right here) , you save with Rakuten. If you shop at Target or Walmart you save with Rakuten. Try Rakuten and receive a $10 gift my treat.
Learn From Your Mistakes
I have made all five of these mistakes in various ways when grocery shopping. Do I still make these mistakes? Occasionally, but I am only human.
Shopping Plan
When I actively shop with a plan, don’t fall victim to the grocery store marketing, don’t add random items to my cart and use coupons I save loads of money.
Saving Money While You Shop
If you would like to learn more about saving money while you shop check this out.
Updated June 6, 2021
