4 Reasons Consumers Overspend

Staying on budget is a constant struggle for many of us. There are simple steps that can be taken to save money though. The first step is to recognize the reasons for overspending. Make small changes to save big on future purchases.

Impulse Buys – We’ve all been in the checkout line waiting with the candy and magazines staring at us. Did you know that marketers intentionally set these displays up to intake you to spend money? Stick to your shopping list and don’t get persuaded by fancy displays encouraging you to spend more money. Learn how to curb impulse buys.

Jumping on the Band Wagon – Whenever the latest and greatest technology toys hit the shelf, consumers are lined up willing to pay top dollar. Don’t be so eager to get the newest cellphone, television or tablet. The prices often drop considerably after they have been on the market for a few months.

Failure to Comparison Shop – From food to clothing to electronics, everything goes on sale at one point or another. For big ticket items, make sure you comparison shop. Check different stores and different brands of products. Doing a little research ahead of time with save you money. Plus reading reviews are helpful in knowing what products hold up longer than others.

What is a Good Price? – I can’t tell you how many people don’t know the average price of food products they buy weekly. Instead of looking at prices, items are just thrown in the shopping cart. When the average price is known, it is easy to know if a sale price is worth it or not. Just because an item is listed in a sales circular, doesn’t mean that it’s a good price. Learn the prices of things you buy regularly and then stockup when they go on sale. For a good baseline, checkout my posts on a good price for produce and a good price for meat.

For more on ways to save money, checkout my series Save More at the Grocery Store.

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Renae Chiovaro

Renae is a married working mom of two handsome boys. She works as a registered dental hygienist by day and blogs here at How to Have it All by night. She enjoys cooking from scratch, working in her vegetable garden and functional training.