Our consumer-driven world conditions us to always want more. But you can simplify life and save money by taking a more thoughtful approach to shopping. What does mindfulness have to do with shopping? Read on for mindful shopping tips to save you money and simplify your life.
This post was originally published in May 2020, and updated in February 2023.
Living on autopilot
In our busy world, we spend much of our time on autopilot. Have you ever arrived home from a trip to the supermarket and realize you forgot to buy something you needed? On the flip side, have you come home from the store with more than you planned to buy? If you’re like most people, you probably answered yes to both of those questions.
The pandemic changed the way we shop. Some stores closed temporarily. Others reduced their hours and made changes to control the flow of traffic and the number of shoppers. This forced us to do more planning because it wasn’t as easy to just hop in the car and go to the store whenever we wanted.
But, while the temporary closures gave us an opportunity to rethink our relationship with stuff, the minute stores began to reopen, people jumped right back into the shopping habit. On the first day stores reopened in Ontario, I remember driving past a local big box home décor store and seeing hundreds of people lined up around the building. I shook my head and wondered just how many picture frames, vases and other home décor items people actually need.
If you feel like your need to shop is getting out of control, it may be time to give mindful shopping a try.
What is mindfulness?
If you’re not familiar with mindfulness, it’s all about maintaining awareness of our thoughts, feelings and what’s going on around us. It’s about being fully present in the moment—the here and now. In simple terms, it’s the opposite of being on autopilot.
So, what does this have to do with shopping? Applying mindfulness principles can save you money by reducing impulse purchases and improving the choices you make.
How to bring mindfulness to your shopping trips
If you look at your credit card statement and can’t remember what some of the charges are for, shopping may have become a habit for you. Here are some tips to help put you back in control.
Make a list and stick to it
This is so simple but just the act of writing a list will focus you on the purpose of your shopping trip. It will also save time by avoiding unnecessary trips back to the store to pick up items you forgot.
Stop and think before you buy
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I’ve spent a lot of time decluttering over the last couple of years. One of my key learnings is our homes are cluttered with single-purpose tools and gadgets. Even worse, we often buy the latest trendy item, use or wear it once or twice, and then toss it in a cupboard or closet where it never sees the light of day again.
Save yourself the pain of decluttering down the road by asking a few questions before any purchase:
- Do I really need this?
- Why do I need it?
- How often will I use it?
- Do I already own something that will do this job?
Since I started asking these questions, I buy very little.
Don’t be tricked into buying more than you need
Who doesn’t love a good sale? Knowing you got a great deal on something you need is an awesome feeling. But the key word here is need. I’ll let you in on a little secret. We don’t really need many of the things we buy. There’s a reason “Do I really need this?” is the first question on my list.
Similarly, beware the bulk buy and multi-purchase discount. When I decluttered my medicine cabinet, I was shocked at the number of expired medications I found. Buying large quantities of anything doesn’t save you any money if you end up throwing half of it away.
Avoid going up and down every aisle in the supermarket
If there’s nothing on your list, skip that aisle. You’ll spend less because you won’t end up tossing extra items in your cart. And, your weekly shopping trips won’t take up as much time.
Don’t treat shopping as entertainment
Many people shop when they are bored. If your first thought when you have a free afternoon or evening is to head to the mall, make a list of other things you can do to break this habit. A long walk, a workout, coffee with a friend or a good book are healthier, less expensive ways to pass time.
Hit the pause button on impulse buys
You’re in a store and something fabulous catches your eye. It happens to all of us eventually.
It it’s something small and you can afford it, go ahead and treat yourself—but remember to ask yourself the mindful shopping questions first. If it’s a larger purchase, wait a few hours or days. You may not give it another thought after leaving the store. If you still want it and you don’t already have several similar items sitting at home, go ahead and buy it.
It’s okay to treat yourself – from time to time
As you become more mindful about your shopping, you’ll get more pleasure out of the occasional treat or unplanned purchase.
Years ago, I was in Montreal on a business trip. Being on my own and having lots of free time on my hands, I spent a fair bit of time wandering through stores in the area near my hotel. One evening, the most amazing purse caught my eye. It was bright and colourful and perfect for summer. I looked at the price tag and it was about four times the price I would normally pay for a purse. I told myself I couldn’t justify spending that much money on something I really didn’t need and left the store. When I got back to my hotel, I couldn’t stop thinking about that purse. I really, really wanted it. So, I went back the next day and treated myself.
I had no regrets about buying that purse. I’m sure I got more enjoyment out of it because I took the time to think about it and made a conscious choice to treat myself. That’s the benefit of mindful shopping.
Make a plan to get started today with these mindful shopping tips to save you money. Your bank account will thank you!
Do you have other mindful shopping tips to share? Tell us your ideas below.
When I get into a hobby, I go in deep, and that often happens in the beginning. Then I peter out and end up wasting all that space and money. Case in point—learning to cook. A cast iron skillet was a good investment. But then that turned into shopping for the accessories, like the chainmail scrubbers. Then it was knives. Then the chopping boards. Then special spatulas to scoop eggs easier without breaking them. Then stainless steel pans. And pots. And strainers. A Chinese chef knife. Garlic crusher. The list goes on and on.
In the end, I still default to just the cast iron pan, lol. The rest kinda go unused.
Anyway, here’s to me being more mindful with any future hobbies I get into!
It is hard not to go “all in” when you’re excited about something. Kitchen gadgets are the worst! It’s so easy to get drawn in to the hype about needing this and that when we often have something that will do the job just as well.
Thanks, as always, for dropping by and joining in the conversation Stuart.
I love this post! A couple of your tips really stood out to me as I look back at how my shopping habits have changed over the years. I always shop with a list and I do avoid aisles that don’t contain anything I need. Since becoming disabled in 2010 I have had to give up shopping as entertainment and can say I don’t even enjoy the necessary shopping anymore. I find I spend less if I shop online and do curbside pickup – the one good thing that came out of the pandemic. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Roze! Yes, the pandemic definitely changed our shopping habits, but I’m surprised how quickly many people ran back to the “old ways” as soon as they could. I appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment.
These are good ideas. I agree with not going up and down every supermarket aisle. I am tempted to buy a load of stiff I don’t need regularly.
I used to just routinely go up and down every aisle. I notice a difference in how much I buy since I’ve stopped doing that.
I think we would need to apply your tips to online shopping, too.
Even moreso! With online shopping, the temptation is always there. At least with real shopping you have to make the effort to leave the house. Thanks Rachel.
The impulse spending had been so much harder to curb in the last couple of months. Great ideas for how to incorporate mindfulness into shopping!
I am hearing that from a lot of people but personally I am finding the opposite. I am shopping less and spending less, mainly because I want to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible so I really stick to my list.
We’re a bit of impulsive spenders. We recently got a costco membership finally, so we can buy at a better price in bulk, and not need to make as frequent restocking orders.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Costco. It’s great for some things and I do think it saves us money but I always end up buying things I didn’t go there for. I think they are very good at strategic product placement.
Fantastic post. Number 4 especially caught my eye; it’s something I never thought about before, but it makes total sense!
Thanks! I have definitely been guilty of #4. Nothing to do? Go kill some time at the mall, whether I needed anything or not! There are so many other ways to spend time…like working on my blog. 😀
Great tips. I don’t enjoy shopping so it’s pretty easy for me to save money shopping!
That’s good to hear! When I was younger, I used to go shopping out of boredom. Now I don’t enjoy shopping. I only go to the mall 3 or 4 times a year. I go with a plan, get what I need, and get out!
Great post! I have found that mindfulness and focusing on my values helps me avoid overspending. I will usually ask myself if the purchase matches my values and if I’d rather make this purchase or put the money in savings. I’m working on catching-up retirement savings after a late start, so I’ve cut out a lot of spending. Shopping is no longer an entertainment sport for me!
Thank you Kathy! That’s a great question to ask yourself. Money and spending are all about choices and priorities. Some people do so much with very little. Others earn high incomes and have nothing but debt to show for it. I’m fascinated with the psychology behind it all.
Making a list is a glorious thing I learned to do after watching my mother roll through the grocery store buying whatever she saw on the shelves and liked. I love having a focused idea of what I need, but do like to buy a crispy bar or bag of chips (dare I say ice cream) on occasion!
Ha ha. Well we all need those little treats from time to time, especially when we hear them calling our name. 🤭
Thank you for these tips!
My impulse buying has been really bad recently. So adding some mindfulness to my shopping routine is definitely a must.
Glad you found the tips useful. Good luck!
Thanks for a great post. Sticking to the list is vital. I’m often guilty of wandering around aimlessly and end up with a basket full of things I don’t need!
Thanks Dave! I think the list is the most important thing to do. I have got much better at that since the COVID restrictions came into effect.
Great post! Wonderful advice!
Thank you Kat! 😃
I try to work mindfulness into as many aspects of my life as I can. Lovely post, and some helpful tips that I’ll definitely be taking with me next time I head to the shops!
Life these days is so hectic. Mindfulness can help us in so many ways because it forces us to slow down and think – something that we don’t do enough. Good luck with your shopping!
Mindfulness is so important! Thanks for writing this, really interesting take on how you can apply mindfulness to shopping and ultimately saving money.
Thanks Gabe! Mindfulness is important! We can apply it to so many areas of life. We all spend way too much time multi-tasking and not focusing on what’s going on. 💕