Have you ever noticed that your quick trip to the store for milk often turns into an expensive cartload of things you did not intend to buy?

Long gone are the days of "Sam Drucker's Store." You know the type- an old fashioned store where you give the clerk your order to be filled. All you went home with was exactly what you needed.

The modern grocery store goes well beyond the place to buy food. Just walk into any chain supermarket and look around. The psychology of the store layout is simple. The longer it takes you to get the basic necessities, the more time you spend in the store and thus the more money you spend. The grocery store puts the meat as far away from the fresh vegetables as possible. The dairy case is usually in the middle of the store. Brand name, more expensive items are situated at eye-level to stimulate impulse buying. The majority of generic or store brands tend to be placed lower on the shelves so they aren't as easily retrieved. The placement of items at the top and bottom of the aisles is to make you think they are on sale. Then there is the lady/gentleman with the samples to try and the coupons to entice you. On and on it goes..catch your eye, keep you there and get you to spend your money.

For discussion purposes I will "pick on" the grocery store in my neighborhood. Step through the door and you are bombarded to the point of sensory overload. Bright colors, snappy music playing, large advertisements and the smell of prepared foods. It is nothing short of a grab for those few precious dollars in my wallet.

Just to get the milk I need I have to pass the deli with its enticing displays and aromas of prepared food (oooo, that looks like it would be good for dinner so add it to the shopping cart). Passed the paper goods (add a box of kleenex), passed the laundry supplies (add a bottle of bleach). Now passed the frozen foods (oh yeah, we're out of ice cream). The end of aisle displays remind me of yet another item. Finally I reach the dairy section only to remember that we are low on cheese and eggs. VOILA!! a quick trip to the store just cost me close to $ 30 only to get home and discover I forgot the milk I intended to buy.

Is there a way to avoid the madness? How can I only get what I truly need? Next time we look at taming the madness........

J A C
Email All Consuming

* Please bear in mind that all opinions are just that - my personal opinion, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the owners/writers of this publications. No liability is assumed by this writer or publication.

"Sterling Moon is my favorite specialty coffee!" David E. Brown,
[Billy Joel's former lead guitarist for 11 years] Gloucester, MA

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