Shopping Tips and Habits that Save Time and Money

Let’s just get to the point: I love shopping. I need to be in the *mood* to shop, but nonetheless, if shopping were a sport, my training schedule and technique would be on par with the elites.

One of the things that helps me to love shopping is I often have a strategy heading into the mall or store. Whether that is a list of items I need to buy, or a list of places I want to go. I also really try to budget my time. I think about how long I have in total to shop, and then divide up how long I can spend at each store, or searching for a certain item.

Now, you’d think that this kind of pre-planning would really only be necessary at the holiday time, when the lists, and the lines, are the longest. But I say no, that rules for organized shopping can apply to any time of the year. The following suggestions will make shopping more fun, more efficient and hopefully way less stressful.

Tip #1: If possible, try to go to the store or mall at time when it won’t be so busy. I find the hours between 10 and 2 the best during the weekdays for the mall (but steer clear of the food court for the lunch time rush). Grocery stores and big box stores tend to be more quiet in general on weekdays verses weekends. But if weekends are the only option, early mornings, or near closing are the quietest.

Tip #2: Think about the weather. If it is a gorgeous day out, odds are most folks are out enjoying the outdoors doing recreational activities. Also, I tend to head to outdoor malls when it’s raining because I’m a Californian who grew up in the Seattle area and so a few pesky rain drops aren’t going to deter me from a good shopping trip.

Tip #3: Always take a list. It can even be a mental list. But have an intention for what you are looking for and why. Also, shopping doesn’t always have to mean buying. Doing research or comparison pricing still requires a plan.

Tip #4: Divide and conquer. When making a list for the grocery store, try to divide it up by category. And ideally also in the order of the layout of the store.

Tip #5: Be Have coupons ready and organized in a separated file coupon index holder. When done shopping, scan the file for applicable coupons and have them ready to hand to the cashier at check out..

Tip #6: Never go grocery shopping when you are hungry! Every time I have done this, my wallet has paid the price. I tend to buy more impulse items that I get home and either don’t like, or never even eat.

Tip #7: Keep your re-usable bags handy. Some cities like mine, charge for bags, motivating shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. Storing bags in the car or near the exit of the house will keep them handy and not forgotten.

Tip #8: Lastly, organized shopping doesn’t end when leaving the store. The whole shopping process ends when everything that is bought is home and put away in it’s proper place. This is something that I’m actively working on a goal in my life right now.

I realized recently I had a bad habit of shopping and not putting purchases away immediately when I got home. Perishable food always got put in the fridge right away, but sometimes, other things would linger. Clothes would sit in their bag for a few days, a package of toilet paper would sit in the garage for a week or so.

At times, this bad habit not only allowed me to forget what I had bought, but also ended up making more work for me overall. I’d end up scavenger hunting in my own home, opening up and unwrapping things at a time when I have neither the energy, or the time to be doing so. That created a domino effect of mess around my entire home.

To help keep this from happening, now, the rule is: if I buy a box of soda, for example, I open it up right away and put the cans in the refrigerator. If I buy new clothes, I remove the tags and stickers and put it in the closet right away. New paper for the printer: open it up and refill every printer in the house even if I won’t be using it any time soon.

Discipline around this goal has really had a positive outcome of a tidier home. My hope is that this is the motivation that I need to make sure it becomes a habit. Indeed, I might be tired after a fun day of shopping, but I don’t want my love of shopping to come at the expense of a tidy house.

I’ve spent enough already ;)