Fewer visits to the store equals less spending

By Cheap Kate | The Orlando Sentinel • Published October 05, 2009

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When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to have me sit in the car while she got a loaf of bread. What seemed like a century later, she would come out with a couple of grocery bags. It became a running joke in the family.

I bet this happens to a lot of us. I don’t usually have this problem when shopping for food, but get me in Target and my whole wallet seems to start leaking bills.

So here are some tips that keep me from overspending when I just need one thing:

• Go when you have to be somewhere else. I have found the less time I have to shop, the less likely I am to pick up something extra.

• Make a list before you walk in the door. And stick to it. No matter how good the sale item might be. This is a toughie. But if you really needed it, it would be on the list.

• Try to limit the number of stores you visit. Yes, I might be able to save $1 by going to another store, but if I get $20 worth of extra items, then I am not really saving money, am I?