Wondering why you can’t seem to save? The answer may lie in your kitchen cabinets.
Stores offer loads of ready-to-eat foods, and after a long day, it’s tempting to let someone else do the cooking. But precooked chickens and frozen entrées cost a lot, and such foods tend to be high in sodium and additives.
Grocery shelves are also packed with cookies, chips, ice cream, candies, and other delicious indulgences – and we don’t even have to leave the couch to get a frozen lasagna or a bag of chips. Many supermarkets now deliver the sugary goods, and companies like DoorDash and Instacart let us order groceries or fast food 24/7.
Fortunately, a simple tactic called “goal-oriented shopping” can help you get a handle on your spending – and a leg up on your dreams.
Prioritizing Our Goals
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Here’s how goal-oriented shopping works:
- Make a shopping list, and vow to follow it. No unnecessary items!
- Start that list with a short- or long-term goal. Use all caps and write it with a black Sharpie; if you’re using Notes or some other app, use bold and/or larger type. You want this goal to stand out!
- Every few items, either repeat that goal or write down a new one.
Your shopping list might look something like this:
BreadApples
Aluminum foil
PAY OFF CREDIT CARD BALANCE
Toothpaste
Canned tomatoes
Oatmeal
CONTRIBUTE TO ROTH IRA
Pet food
Lotion
Laundry soap
DOWN PAYMENT FOR MY FIRST HOME
If you’re tempted to toss unnecessary items in the shopping cart, the list reminds you of goals that will make your life better, either in the short or long term.
Does goal-oriented shopping always work? Of course not! We’re human, after all. On high-stress, low-willpower days, our snack cravings might overrule our good sense.
But writing your goals in bold capital letters is the first step toward achieving them. It’s a reminder that the more aimlessly you spend, the further away your dreams get.
Our Choices Have Consequences
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Thinking, “Oh, it’s just a bag of chips” or “I deserve chocolate chip cookies after the week I just had”? According to government research, the average cost for chocolate chip cookies and potato chips are $5.35 per pound and $6.63 per pound, respectively
We’ve done the math for you: The weekly costs represent $278 to $344 per year, or $2,780 to $3,400 gone from your wallet over the next decade. (Or more, if you really like chips.)
What could that money have done for your bottom line?
We get it. Life is chaotic, and sometimes a little treat is what keeps us going. But if we consistently overspend, we give up the right to complain about how hard it is to get ahead.
It’s tough to change long habits, but it can be done. Start slowly. For example, you could:
- Cook once or twice a week instead of relying mostly on takeout or supermarket meals. (Pro tip: Cook more than you need and freeze the rest for lunches or for fast dinners later in the month.)
- Make cupcakes or a batch of brownies (a boxed mix is fine!) instead of buying $7 treats.
- Stop automatically buying new pet toys! Your floof is probably just fine with the ones you already have.
- Instead of hitting the pub every Friday, pick up a craft six-pack and invite friends over a couple of times per month.
And so on.
Use goal-oriented shopping to take control of your spending. You’ll be surprised at the wiggle room this gives your budget.
