Grocery stores are designed to make you spend more than you planned.

Walking into a grocery store without a strategy is like walking into a casino—the house always wins. Supermarkets are set up to tempt you with unnecessary purchases, sneaky price tricks, and impulse buys that quietly drain your budget. You might think you’re being smart by grabbing deals or sticking to familiar brands, but without realizing it, you’re probably overspending on food every single trip.
Cutting your grocery bill doesn’t mean sacrificing quality or eating like a college student on a ramen-only diet. The key is knowing where your money is leaking and making simple shifts to stop wasting cash on overpriced items and bad shopping habits. If your grocery budget keeps creeping higher, you could be making these common mistakes. Here’s what’s wrecking your wallet at the store—and how to fix it.