Our grocery bills are much higher when he shops.

And I stick to it!

You've got to walk past all the tempting goodies in the bakery and deli to get to the produce.

The milk and eggs are at the very furthest point from the entrance.

I had no idea they even made that and I certainly don't blame you for adding it to the basket!

Who could resist?

I waited until it was 80% off. Guess what? I never came across the 80% off shelf. Everything I could have lived without, but was interested in anyway, was 40% to 25% off. But mentally, it worked. I took more crap than I should have and was sick to my stomach when I realized how much I spent.

I did better when my hubby and I came back to raid the liquor store.

You live in Weggie's territory? YEAH!!!!

Ooooh I love Weggie's

I even have a Wegman's card for those rare times when we are driving by one on a long trip. Alas, the "nearest" one to us is four hours away.

How hard could it be to remember two items? What could possibly go wrong?

Three or more items, I'd better write it down if I want to come home with at least one of the items I went out for.

Currently I need coffee filters. I've forgotten them twice now, even though I wrote them on my list the first time I forgot.

You see, the second trip to the grocery store I forgot to bring the list...

You pick up the item you want and you think "Gosh, I really do need a year supply of batteries and I am running low on cheese.....oooo.....Orange Chicken."

I always take a list.

Damn the evil grocery store / drug store / hardware store moguls and their insight into my inability to avoid impulse buys!!!

here. I loved that when I was down in Princeton.

I often buy more than I wanted to, especially if I go just after work and I'm hungry when I get to the store. Usually then I'll try to stay on the outside so it's just produce, meat, dairy and beer.... the necessities.

way too conveeeeniently....

Carts full of scratch and dent cans, and items that are about to go out of date with everything from day old bakery to huge sales on dairy and meat products. I'll go in with my 3 item list but the sin bins will have organic peanut butter in there for a buck, a huge bag of organic peppers I can process and freeze for a buck, T-bone steaks at 60% off, and quarts of 1/2 and 1/2 for a buck. That usually changes things up on the menu front for the week where I'll sub in quiche and steak for whatever else I had planned but by staying flexible, I'm actually saving a ton.

I almost always forget to take the list with me.

I shop at discount grocery stores such as Aldi or Save-A-Lot which have a more limited selection than regular grocery stores. This helps me avoid impulse buys. I also shop at Costco where I avoid impulse buys by only going down the aisles where the items on my list are located. I also avoid taking my teens shopping with me.

Have you ever heard of a "loss - leader"? That is a deeply discounted item that is designed to get you in the door.

Once you are in the supermarket, the eggs, the bread, the milk are always always at the farthest reaches of the floor plan. You will have to walk past the cookies and the chips to get to them.

If you want a plain can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup - It will be on the bottom shelf. The more expensive, single serve microwave soup will be a eye-level.


The American supermarket is the FRONT LINE of the attack on the American Consumer. Whenever you go grocery shopping, you are going to war.

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Except for not making out a list (and sticking to it -- my poor ass is STILL sore
from the spanking CaliforniaPeggy gave me upthread), I'm an EXCELLENT grocery
shopper. I hate shopping in general, but food-shopping I enjoy.
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I've read about grocery-store marketing placement, but I would think anyone
even remotely observant would be able to pick up on it.
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Going store-brand is often a good way to save, though occasionally major brand
names are worth the cost. Avoiding processed foods is another, though it took
a sodium-restricted diet to push me in the direction of things like dried beans
instead of canned (sodium in canned beans is huge -- dried beans zero -- plus
the added advantage of MUCH cheaper). Prep work is more, but just making sure
there's no pebbles and boiling for two minutes and letting them soak for two
hours, etc.
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Sometimes, I even impress myself with how little my total is at the register.
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