Do NOT Take Your Children With You to a Surf Shop Sale

They WILL find something they LOVE that is NOT on sale and you'll either leave the store a LOT poorer or will leave with a sad child.

Shopping When Stressed or Depressed

Image via WikipediaStores of all kinds use quite a bit of psychology when it comes to colour, sound, smells and so on. They work hard to "trick" you into spending more. In a stressed or depressed state, you are more vulnerable and may be tricked into spending a lot more than you would in another mindset.

I found for many years that I shopped as a way of escaping my life or as a "pick me up" if I felt down. At these points I was much more immune to caution in terms of spending and much more likely to shop with reckless abandon. Kind of a "stick it on the credit card and worry about it later".

Shopping when stressed or depressed is a terrible way to save money and can get you into all kinds of problems.

Don't Shop When Hungry

It sound so simple but it's really NOT a good idea to shop when you are hungry.

Not only do you buy MORE but there's a tendency to buy a lot more carbohydrate or sugar-loaded foods if you shop when you hungry.

Have a bit to eat before you go and you'll save money easy.

Send the Partner Shopping with Too Much Cash

If you're the regular shopper in the household, it can be a challenge for your partner to be the one to shop. If you hand them a wad of cash, they WILL spend it. ;)

Best to give them your budgetted amount with a specific shopping list and hope that they'll come home with the right stuff. :)