One of the things I have started doing is taking my calculator with me when I go to the store.  I’ve found that keeping a running dollar total of the items in my cart helps me to determine if an item is a “want” or a “need”.  Do I really need this or is it something that I simply want?  Nothing like seeing the bottom line to help make this decision.  It is especially helpful to have my calculator along when shopping in the larger discount stores like Target or Walmart, where you can purchase so many different kinds of items instead of just groceries.  I’ve also found it forces me to check the price of an item, which then makes me more aware of price differences between stores.

As I put each item in the cart, I add it to the calculator.  I also write this number down on the price notebook that I take with me.  This way in case the calculator totals get messed up, I don’t need to go through and re-enter all the numbers.  I also like the fact that I can see the purchase total before checkout.  It gives me time to re-evaluate purchases. 

I thought at first it would be a hassle to take the calculator but after doing this for all of last month it is a habit now.  I think I would feel lost in the store without my calculator now.

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