11 Grocery Shopping Behaviors That Cost You Money

After going through a fairly intense couponing phase years ago, I eventually lost steam and swore off such time-consuming techniques. These days, I’m much more interested in simple, spreadsheet- and binder-free methods for saving money on groceries, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in this post.

Related: 10 Ways to Make Grocery Shopping Less Terrible

Here, we’ll explore small changes you can make to the way you shop to avoid overspending. By correcting these behaviors, you can save money every time you shop, regardless of which store or chain you prefer!

As always, if you have a great money-saving tip that isn’t included here, feel free to share it with us in a comment at the end of this post!

Related: This One Simple Trick Will Save You a Fortune on Groceries

11 Costly Grocery Shopping Mistakes to Avoid

1. Never Looking Down

A lot of people just grab whatever option happens to be at eye-level, but that might mean you’re missing out on less expensive options on the lower shelves! Many stores purposely place less expensive items below eye-level, so take a few extra seconds to check those lower shelves.

Related: 10 Practical Ways to Save Money When Times Are Tough

2. Making Several Small Trips

Frequent trips to the store to buy just a few items can actually cost more in the long run, and not just because you’re using more gasoline to get there. Shopping with an abstract goal in mind (like “get food for the next few days,” for instance) often results in unplanned spending, so making fewer, more goal-oriented trips to the store can help you stick to your budget.

3. Always Buying the Biggest Size

It’s important to know that the largest size isn’t always going to be cheaper! It all depends on the “unit price,” so it’s important to look for it on price tags and compare them closely.

Once in a while, you’ll notice that the smaller item is actually cheaper than the bulk option! Some stores do this on items like cereal and french fries anticipating that shoppers will reach for the larger size by default.

4. Only Looking in One Place

You can find certain items in multiple locations throughout the store, and the prices may vary between locations. For instance, you can often find cheese in up to four different sections, such as a section for specialty cheeses, alongside the salad toppings, shredded or block cheeses at the deli, and cheese sticks by the lunch meats.

If you’re willing to check a few different places, you can save quite a bit of money!

5. Always Choosing Convenience

Stores like to display certain items together to make things convenient, but they aren’t always the most cost effective options. For instance, there’s often a small selection of nuts and candies located in or near the ice cream aisle, but you can find a much larger selection in the baking aisle (along with a more favorable range of prices!)

6. Never Checking the Salad Bar

If you need a specialty food item that you don’t normally use, check the salad bar. You can often find items like olives, artichoke hearts, bacon bits, and other ingredients there, and you can save money by only getting as much as you need.

If your store doesn’t have an extensive salad bar, check near the produce or deli department for their “made fresh daily” offerings.

7. Shopping Early in the Day

If you shop first thing in the morning, you may be missing out on markdowns that may appear later in the day. Check the end caps of the aisles for special prices, along with the meat department and bakery.

8. Failing to Check Receipts

Incorrect charges happen all the time, so it’s always a good idea to check your receipt! Common errors include multiple scans, sale prices not being reflected, and coupons not being applied.

Take the time to double-check that everything looks right on your receipt before you leave the store parking lot.

9. Forgetting Your Reusable Bags

Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags, because most stores now either charge a few cents for each bag you use, or they offer a small discount for bringing your own. That money can add up over time, so it’s worth the extra little bit of effort!

10. Shopping for Recipes

When you shop for a specific recipe, chances are pretty low that those ingredients will happen to be on sale. A better way to save it to check the store website or circular to find out what’s on sale, then plan your meals around the best deals available.

It’s a little bit of extra work to shop this way, but it can save you a significant amount of money!

11. Never Looking at Store Apps

A lot of grocery store chains have an app you can download with additional ways to save money, like digital coupons you can load right onto your customer loyalty card. It only takes a second, and it’s so much easier than trying to keep track of paper coupons.

Certain stores also offer personalized offers based on your buying habits, so it’s definitely worth your time to check out your favorite store’s app!

What’s your best tip for saving money at the grocery store?

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