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10 Mistakes That Cause Us to Overspend on Food


We visit supermarkets almost every day, yet we rarely think about how some of our shopping habits are downright wrong. However, such seemingly trivial things can be a serious drain on our budget.

To help you, Bright Side has made a list of the most common shopping mistakes. More importantly, you'll learn how to save on purchases without sacrificing on quality!

10. Shopping for products in the wrong order

We often find it difficult to limit the number of items we buy at supermarkets. But there's nothing unrealistic about starting to choose more products that are good for our health. If you just can't resist filling your cart to the brim, try starting your shopping at the vegetable department: greens and vegetables will take up lots of space, so there'll be less room for the pricey and unhealthy stuff.

9. Not knowing the prices of products you buy regularly

Try to memorize, or even write down, the prices of the products you buy regularly. This will help you not to be fooled by fake sales when the price remains the same yet the price tag screams about a massive reduction. Next time you go to a supermarket, you'll make fewer unplanned purchases and take better advantage of genuine discounts.

8. Not planning ahead

This concerns not only your shopping lists but your home meal menus for the coming week as well. By preplanning your meals from Monday to Friday, you'll always know which products to buy to prepare the dishes. This way, you'll be less likely to make useless purchases.

7. Not paying attention to the weight of the product

Let's say there are 2 similarly sized packages of butter on the shelf, one of which is slightly cheaper than the other. Don't rush to buy the one that costs less! To begin with, check the products' weights. It might turn out that the pricier package weighs more. So, in terms of the price/weight ratio, it'll make more sense to buy this item as opposed to the cheaper one.

6. Ignoring the store's own brands

Almost every supermarket sells a variety of goods under its own label. Such foodstuffs cost less than those produced by well-known manufacturers. At the same time, their quality is in no way inferior, and the only difference is in the less colorful packaging. Besides, such products are made by the same factories that service popular brands.

5. Not trying new products

Many of us keep buying products belonging to one single brand, afraid of trying something different. However, manufacturers of new, little-known brands often sell quality goods at significantly lower prices. Don't be afraid to experiment. This will not only save you money but also help you discover tastier and healthier foods.

4. Not keeping an eye on discounts

There are special apps that collect information on discounts in supermarkets near you. Such programs allow you to compare prices on the same products in different stores to find the best offers.

3. Avoiding inexpensive products

Various cereals, sugar, salt, spices, and other similar products can be bought at very reasonable prices. For instance, ordinary packaged sugar is just as good as the products sold in attractive packaging.

2. Choosing items that are nearest to the front edge of the shelf

To find the freshest products, always look at the back of the shelves. Shop employees are known to reserve the front of the shelves for food with a use-by date that's about to expire.

1. Falling prey to marketing ploys

Vegetable oil "with vitamin E," salt "without GMOs," eggs with orange yolks... All of these marketing gimmicks have a good effect on sales. But before you purchase any of these "unique" products, ask yourself if they're really so exclusive? Vitamin E is present in sunflower seeds, hence it's sure to be present in sunflower oil as well. On the other hand, GMOs can only be found in foods of plant or animal origin (so this excludes salt by definition). As for the brightly colored yolks – manufacturers achieve this by adding special components to chicken feed.

Preview photo credit depositphotos
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