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God, what did I buy from the supermarket? How did the bill come up to RM XXX? I still don’t get it.

Something like the above is likely to be expressed if you’re smart enough to realise that you’ve spent more than necessary at the supermarket. While this isn’t entirely your fault, given that many supermarkets are secretly designed to entice as many customers to “grab some more” or “Try me!”, these are some factors that contribute to the high amounts on your bills.

1. Rushing out without a thorough check on available and long-lasting food items

Admit it. There are times when you just dash out to the supermarket without doing a complete check on the food items that are available and long-lasting. If you’re constantly doing this, not only are you wasting precious time and money, you might want to also check your waste bin because I cannot imagine how much food waste is in there!

2. Leaving for the supermarket with a growling stomach

Many might not realise what an empty stomach can do to a person, especially to someone who’s shopping for groceries and other items. If you find yourself hungry while shopping for non-food items at the supermarket, you can be sure that you’ll end up buying food and drinks that will be reflected on your receipt. What if you happen to buy them on impulse and they aren’t up to your expectations?

3. Over-buying organic food

There’s no harm in buying something organic, once in a while. Take for example, how my parents would sometimes buy organic vegetables. While nobody can stop you from purchasing organic food items, unnecessarily purchasing everything organic can be wasteful.

4. Failing to compare prices of items

Always remember to compare prices. Who knows? There may be a rival supermarket that has a cheaper version of the same product or item with its quality uncompromised. In fact, a difference of a few cents can sometimes lessen your bill amounts by a few dollars.

5. Indulging in last-minute items

I know what you’re thinking! I’m sometimes guilty of it myself. Who isn’t familiar with grabbing things off the shelves or stands you see while waiting in the long queues at the cashiers?

6. Purchasing items without checking their ingredients

I never realised that what the item is made of can have a major impact on our bills until I read somewhere that some items are priced the way they are due to their high salt and sugar content. So, the next time you find yourself munching something exceptionally sweet or salty, you know that it probably costs a lot!

7. Not checking your trolley or basket before heading to the counter

Sometimes, it’s easy to overlook the simple task of checking your trolley or basket, especially when you’re in a hurry to pay. When you have multiple items stacked on top of each other, this can deter you from doing a final round of checking, just before going to the counter. Performing this step will not only help you filter out items that can be bought later, but also ensure that there is no mix-up between the trolleys or baskets of other customers!