Tip 36, for 7/22/08

It is common knowledge that grocery stores put things that you make a quick stop for at the back of the store. Items such as eggs, milk and bread are located at the back of the store, not to inconvenience you, but to make you walk past other items you may purchase.

I have had many a food shopping experience where the aim is to get a few things like milk, eggs and orange juice, and the result is a full or half-full (or is it half empty?) shopping cart and a more expensive trip to the store than planned. Obviously the grocery store layout people know what they're doing.

I have a solution to this problem. You might be thinking to have a written list and stick to it or set a strict budget or something along those lines. Some of you might think about this differently. What those people are thinking about is what bring us to today's tip:

If you are going to the store to get 1-4 items (can multiply the max. number if there are multiple people), don't use a cart, don't use a basket, just walk through and carry the stuff you are buying. You can't pick up stuff and throw it in the cart or basket, you have to carry everything you are buying and you are very aware of what you are leaving the store with.