When you grocery shop, you may find that you wind up with all sorts of things that you don't need or spending all sorts of money that you probably should have saved.
There are some ways to deal with that, though.
Most of them have to do with having the right attitude, as you shop.
To begin with, you should always go shopping with a two-part plan.
First, have a list of the items that you need.
Second, have a list of the brands of those items that are on sale that week.
Be careful, here, as some brands may only have certain types or sizes on sale, such as 12oz fat-free salad dressing, but not 16oz regular salad dressing.
Of course, you should always have the mind set that the list is subject to small changes.
For example, many generic brands are cheaper than other brands, even when those other brands are on sale.
So, you may find deals at the store that you hadn't known about or considered at home.
Next, think about your own personal situation, before you shop.
You shouldn't shop when you are tired or stressed, as you're likely to just want to get in and out quickly and you won't pay attention.
You also shouldn't shop when you're hungry because you'll be tempted to buy all sorts of foods, especially unhealthy snacks, that you don't need.
When you shop, you have to be alert for both hidden sales and items that are "on sale" that aren't a good deal at all.
If you think having extra eyes helps, bring your spouse or kids along.
If you concentrate better when you work alone, though, you may want to handle the grocery shopping yourself.
It's all about how your own personal mind works.