Flashback Friday: 44 Sneaky Shopping Traps to Avoid

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Even experienced shoppers can fall victim to overspending on everyday items. You might feel like you've cracked the code on how big retailers can lure shoppers into unnecessary money sucks, but they are always coming up with new ways to get you to part with your cash. Want to beat them at their own game? Here are 44 sneaky shopping traps to avoid.

8 Common Weekend Money Traps (And How to Avoid Them) — Oh, it's the weekend, so let's splurge! It's a very difficult mindset to break. You're fully relaxed, far away from your rigid workday routine, and you feel like you've earned a pricey reward. And you are certainly worthy of a reward, but it doesn't have to empty your wallet.

10 Classic Impulse Buys We Need to Stop Falling For — When your cart nears the register, put up those mental walls. Do not let the convenient placement of the candy, soda, and batteries cause you to spend money you didn't plan to spend. May the force be with you.

8 Sneaky Ways Wholesale Clubs Get You to You Spend More — Oof, wholesale clubs are tricky. You definitely save money by buying items you need in bulk, but you should really examine how much of that bulk you use up. If anything you buy from here goes bad before you use or eat it, you're wasting precious moneys.

The 6 Shopping Mistakes Keeping You From a Great Deal — Sometimes avoiding shopping traps is as simple as entering the store with an established strategy. Come in with any of these plans, and you'll leave with your budget intact.

4 Dumb Ways You Are Wasting Money Online — You're already at a disadvantage, because you're shopping from your home or some other convenient spot. Online retailers capitalize on your comfort by designing their websites a certain way to trick you into spending more without realizing it. The biggest culprit? The free shipping trap. There's always a minimum total you need to hit, and even if it costs you $20 extra dollars to get the $5 shipping fee waived, it seems worth it somehow.

8 Sneaky Ways You're Being Upsold — The upswell is a slippery monster. It happens in the middle of the sale, right when you've mentally justified a purchase, when the salesperson gets you to spend just a little bit more. Whether it's at the car dealership, the electronics store, or a restaurant, stay strong and only agree to the things you truly want and need.