Make a list before your weekly supermarket shop

…and more importantly, stick to it.

Many people with a finance and debt management problem have a needless over spending problem.

One place to cut down on this is in the supermarket. How many times have you bought food on impulse only to throw it in the bin when it’s gone off?

Make a list before you go. When arriving at the checkout, anything in the basket which is not on the list, get rid of. If it’s stuff you just want, then you can’t actually need it as you didn’t know you wanted it unitl you saw it.

If you’re feeling brave, budget how much you’ll need to spend and take cash only with no other means of payment.

Exceptions can be justified if the item is on offer and by making a calculated, non-planned purchase now, there is reduced planned spending at a later time, and hence a net saving.

Another example of turning planned spending in to overspending is doubling up when clothes shopping.

How many times have you gone out to buy for example a jumper, and come home with having bought two from the same shop. You couldn’t decide which you prefered so you bought them both. Worse still, they are the same, except in colour. What always happen’s is that you will prefer one over the other and that one you will wear more and get better value from it.

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