“19 Grocery Splurges You Won’t Believe You’ve Been Adding to Your Cart — And How to Finally Stop!”
Be the tortoise, not the hare! Use checkout waiting time to review your purchases and make sure you haven’t missed anything on your list. Avoid eye contact with the displays, or distract yourself by reading something on your phone.
18. Loyalty Programs: Not Always in Your Favor
Loyalty programs can offer genuine value. However, they’re primarily designed to collect data on your shopping habits. This allows stores to target you with personalized offers, often tempting you to buy items you wouldn’t otherwise consider.
If using a loyalty program, consider the offers sent your way. Are they encouraging you to spend more, or are you genuinely saving money on items you would purchase anyway? Use the program to your advantage, not the store’s.
19. The 99 Cent Pricing Trick
Studies show that our brains are easily fooled by prices ending in “.99”. We often perceive something priced at $3.99 as significantly cheaper than $4, even though it’s a mere penny’s difference. This psychological pricing has been used for decades because it genuinely works.
Round up in your head while shopping and consider whether you’d still buy the item if it were the whole dollar amount. This little trick helps put the price in perspective and counters our brain’s susceptibility to the .99 pricing illusion.
20 Things Poor People Waste Money on, According to Suze Orman
If you’ve ever watched her show, you know Suze Orman pulls no punches. She’s all about calling out bad money choices, urging people to take control of their financial destinies and ditch those pesky spending habits that derail progress. While her advice can be blunt, she aims to empower folks to build wealth and protect their financial futures.