Extreme Couponing Tip: Eat Before You Shop

You have everything planned out just right: coupons clipped, transactions planned, even a map of the store to help you get around as quickly as possible. As you shop, your cart fills with just a few more items than planned. Those crackers look so tempting, and the ice cream!

This was my demise not too long ago, before I made one simple change: I eat before I shop. While I was saving upwards of 50 percent on the things from my list, I continually added extras to my cart, just because I was hungry! The convenience foods we tend to pick up on an empty stomach are priced several times higher than fresh items, making them complete budget busters.

If you find yourself adding too many extras into your cart or unable to stick to your list, eat a quick snack before going in to shop or keep a snack in your purse. Not only will you feel better, your wallet will, too!