Have you ever noticed that when you go into a store to buy something, there is usually an item (or two, or three) on sale that draws your attention? It's something that you weren't planning to buy that day, but you know you'll eventually need it, or you kind of need it but the price is so good that you might as well pick it up now? When our boys were toddlers this happened to us all the time, next thing you know we were forking over $50 on a credit card. At the end of the month, I'd open the credit card and be shocked at the total due and saying WOW, how did that happen, that sucks!
Marketers know that we all love sales. They use the word SAVE often and the reality is that you are not saving your money you are spending money! Marketers count on us to fall for this play on words to get us to spend more. Even the location of items are placed strategically. Milk, where is it? Milk is at the back of the store, so you walk past all those items on sale. To u the game, once you reach the register, there are the last minute items that are tossed in can add up quickly. How often I have been tempted to grab and go! Gotcha!
So what can you do?
Have a list. The list provides you direction and reminds you what you really want and need.
Leave the cart behind. It makes it less likely that you will pick up a lot of items because you can simply not carry all that with only 2 hands.
Use cash! Spending $10 out of $20 tells you brain you are spending a lot. While $10 out of $1000 (or whatever your credit limit is) feel's like a drop in the bucket, but has the potential to add up fast.
Make it a game or challenge. Count up how many times you say no to adding something into your cart. The amount may surprise you.
PS I have to have cookies with my milk!