As a professional web developer, I work for big firms and make decent money. I have healthcare, I own a home. I’m far from rich but I’m doing ok for someone that occasionally gets on the subway going in the wrong direction.

Still, no one at an income level likes to throw money away. And the ADHD impulsivity makes all of us want to kick ourselves now and then. It seems like once a month I’ll look at my credit card bill and ask myself, “I spent how much money? On that??“

So today I stumbled across this article which falls under the “impulse spending” category (grocery-specific) and thought I’d share what I thought are some useful strategies.

Rule #1: Always eat before leaving the house. […] Indeed, studies show that, on average, shoppers spend 17 percent less on groceries when they shop on a full stomach.
Totally. We always make worse decisions when we’re feeling less comfortable, and having a rumbling stomach sure contributes to discomfort. I know more than a few of us can relate to this statement from the article as well: “In the end, we give up trying to decide — and buy both. What begins as a quick trip […] turns into a half-day excursion that empties our wallets and leaves our pantries overstocked with food […].”
Rule #2: Shop at a specified time each week — no more random runs to the supermarket.
Routines are the ADHD person’s friend. They give us much-needed structure.
Rule #3: Shop with a written list, created after checking the contents of her pantry, refrigerator, and linen closet (where she stores cleaning supplies).
If you’ve got a memory like mine (and I know I do), don’t trust your memory with money. Get into the habit of writing lists, and checking beforehand what you need.
The full article is here. Put the wallet down!

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