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* * *This is a guest post by MakeMoneyFromWriting.com student, Karen Payne.  Karen is learning what it takes to make money online from writing.* * *

 Shopping with a list dramatically reduces impulse buying, and saves money. But only the truly financially disciplined among us actually follow that advice. Wallets leak money through too-frequent supermarket visits and lack of discipline.

Here is one way to stop the quick “drive by and drop in” habit that modern consumers have developed. Link the bulk of supermarket shopping to the frequency of your wage or salary payments. If you get paid twice a month, shop twice a month – if it’s monthly, then do the major supermarket round once a month.

Before you start, do some research by following these hints:

  • Over the next couple of weeks record daily your supermarket spend, and how many times you visited.

  • Review the information and look for “waste visits” i.e. times when you shopped just because you could. Also look for additional items you purchased that were not the original reason you shopped. This can be a total wake-up shock.

  • Look in your pantry and count those items still there, unused, even though, at the time, you really needed them. This exercise alone will save you money.

Now that you know where your money is going, you are ready to change your habits. Don’t just double the amount of things you buy because you are now shopping fortnightly instead of weekly. Look at what you have in the shopping cart and ask yourself “will that (bottle of sauce, can of fruit, box of laundry detergent etc.) last me two weeks?” If it will, then only buy one, not two. If it comes in a larger size for less than twice the price, think about buying that way if there’s a chance you’ll be back again for more before your next pay packet arrives.

Prepare for your supermarket bill under this system to be larger than usual, but stick with it, as the long-term gains will surprise you.

You will need to shop again next week for perishables. Resist the temptation to wander aimlessly, picking up other things. Just get what you need. Your second shop will be less than half the first one. And only do it once – it’s when you “run out” of things that you are most vulnerable to impulse shopping.

You can expect monthly savings of up to $200, which could help you to reduce your credit card debt or make extra payments on your mortgage.