Practical shopping tips help you save time, money and nerves, especially if you don’t go shopping haphazardly. Of course, we know that beforehand, but we are usually not really aware of it when we go shopping. Therefore, it makes sense to think about a few things before you go shopping so that you can then shop more target-oriented.
The classic shopping tips
Avoid shopping with a child.
It distracts you from the essentials: Focusing on shopping Furthermore, so-called “eye catchers” are set up in the supermarket. You can still avoid that, but a supermarket is pure paradise for a child. So many products, so many people and colorful signs everywhere – in short: your child wants to see and discover everything. It’s best to touch it and wrap it up right away. Not to forget the oh-so-great candy stands at the cash register. “Mom – I want it” – parents know such sentences from their children only too well. Therefore, avoid shopping with children as much as possible.
Not a good idea: go shopping when you are hungry.
It has already been scientifically proven several times that consumers on average spend more money shopping if they shop with a feeling of hunger. This is due to the fact that with a growling stomach you get more of an appetite for different things; especially if they are held fresh in front of your nose. Of course there are situations where there is no other way. Still, it doesn’t try to shop with a growling stomach.
Avoid rush hour
It takes more time and nerves to go shopping during rush hour. So try to run your errands outside of peak hours. You shop far more relaxed when there is less traffic on the streets and in the supermarket. If this is difficult for you for professional reasons, change your shopping strategy by buying more household items and groceries – also online – in advance. (Reading tip food in stock). So you only have to go out locally for little things. That saves time, nerves and money. In addition to these classics, there are many other shopping tips that you should know. First things first:
Your shopping list – the master plan
It is remarkable what power such a small piece of paper can have. We’re talking about the shopping list that is already hanging on your fridge at home or lying close at hand on the shelf. Missing household and groceries should be noted there that you have already noticed days or even weeks ago. If you want to go shopping now, take this note and add what is still missing. A detailed look into the refrigerator and freezer is a must. It is also important to look into your dry storage – where you keep pasta, rice, etc. Something is missing – get on the list. At the latest when you write your shopping list, you should already have a good idea of your dinner. In addition, there is the rough planning for the next few days.
Therefore you should always have a few basic groceries in stock (reading tip: groceries – buy in stock ). So you have enough different foods to choose from for the next few days and you don’t have to go shopping every other day. Once you have noted down all the food you need, check your bathroom briefly for missing hygiene items. Now you know exactly what you need and thus minimize the likelihood that you will have to leave for the next few days because something is still missing. If you know your supermarket, try to design your shopping list in such a way that you write down the products you need in the same way as you walk the aisles in the supermarket. This avoids strolling back and forth through the supermarket and reduces the risk of spending more money. On the other hand, you save your nerves and time. Structured shopping is worth its weight in gold.
Shopping tips: In front of the supermarket
Child and dog in the car
You don’t want to go to the supermarket with your dog or child and therefore leave them in the car? Bad idea; especially in summer. Articles about heat death in the car can be found regularly in the media, especially in summer. In blazing sun, the temperature inside the car can have life-threatening consequences after just 15 minutes – for both child and dog. And even if you only need a few things from the supermarket – you don’t know beforehand how much is going on inside, much less how long you have to wait at the checkout. Therefore – especially in summer – do not leave children or dogs in the car!
The Shopping Cart
When you arrive at the supermarket, the next step is usually to the shopping cart. However, he would like to have a coin or a chip, otherwise it remains locked. Either you always have a suitable coin ready in your car (usually 50 cents or 1 euro) or you are so clever and buy a shopping trolley remover with a key fob. This can then be conveniently attached to the car key and the question of a coin or chip no longer arises.
Thanks to this part you can unlock the shopping cart without coins or chips and you can continue immediately. The practical thing about it is: This plug does not get stuck in the lock of the shopping cart, but can be removed and plugged in again immediately. This saves time and nerves and you can immediately concentrate on the essentials -> shopping.
Shopping tips: In the supermarket
Beware of shopping traps!
A bakery, a kisok, a kebab shop or chips shop – you can often find such shops in front of or in the supermarket. These are designed as a sales strategy for the supermarket. (Reading tip: Marketing tricks in the supermarket ) In short: Pass it by. You save time and money.
Fancy fresh fruit?
When you buy fruit, pay attention to the goods in the boxes below. These have not already been touched x times by other customers compared to the open box. If you use a shopping cart, then open the child seat and put the fruit in there. If your toddler can sit in it, then stow the fruit in the front part of the shopping cart. You stow the heavy goods in the back of the car. You can protect fruit in particular better this way. Nobody likes crushed strawberries or peppers.
Uses baskets or boxes
One of the most famous shopping tips is your own boxes. It’s not only good for the environment, but also for your food, as you can transport it better protected. Especially in the fresh department you will find sturdy boxes that you can use. Eggs or milk are delivered in large boxes, which are stacked up with the goods in the supermarket. Such boxes made of hard cardboard are very stable and last a long time. The reusable bags in the vegetable department are also recommended – you can buy them there or bring your own. It would be more advisable to use boxes. They last longer and are far more stable.
Check the best before date
When you buy eggs, you usually pay attention to the best before date (MDH) as a matter of course. Even more attention is usually paid to meat or sausage. Interestingly enough, many people don’t do that with all other products and grab them blindly. You shouldn’t do that. Therefore, pay attention to the best before date, especially with food. And that means all (!) Food. If you look further back on the shelf, you will often find the same food product with a longer shelf life. This is because the goods are always refreshed from back to front. Means: The customer should first reach for the required goods that are ready to hand. The goods at the back – with the longer shelf life – then automatically slide forward.
Avoid products at eye level
These places often offer the most expensive products. Just grab it, put it in the shopping cart and go on. This is exactly what the supermarket wants from you – not thinking about it. On the other hand, look for inexpensive alternatives by bending down and inspecting the shelves.
Favorite alternative products?
If you have some time, then compare the prices of your products. Often there are inexpensive alternatives that are only sold by the same manufacturer under a different label. Many supermarkets also offer their own brands. It is worth taking a closer look.
Shopping tips: the way to the checkout
Many supermarkets do not have full checkouts at all times. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that supermarkets also want to save on staff, on the other hand, the supermarket also comes in handy when the customer has to wait a little at the checkout. Then the customer has time to assess the sales promotion measures at the checkout. In order not to stand unnecessarily long at the checkout, pay attention to the contents of the shopping carts of the customers in the queue in front of you. If there are a few more people standing in front of one checkout, but with fewer products in the shopping cart, you will usually get it faster at this checkout than at the other, where fewer customers are waiting and their shopping carts are more full.
This way you can better estimate at which cash register it will take longer and possibly save some time and nerves.
Caution at the checkout
As soon as you reach the checkout, sales promotion measures patter down on you again. Whether sweets or special offers – the area around a cash register is designed to lure you with “bargains” or products in the “Yes, I can still use that…” category. Ignore is the order of the day. Anyone who goes shopping with their children has a lot to do at this point.
The correct order on the shopping
belt Once you have reached the checkout, first place your frozen goods on the belt so that they can quickly be put back into a freezer bag when you put them away. Then your heaviest and most angular products come onto the belt. The last products in your shopping cart should be fragile foods like fruit or eggs. In this order, you can now start loading the goods more easily and stack them more stably and safely. Especially when you use baskets or boxes, the goods can be stowed away safely and safely.
Don’t forget: In order to keep the interruption of the frozen food chain as slow as possible, you should stow your frozen goods in a reusable freezer bag while shopping and on the way home. This tip is primarily intended for the hot summer months.
