1. Not get a cart

When you go to the store for one thing, that one thing turns to three things, and those three things turn to five things. Next thing you know, your piled deep in random items that you know you don’t need and most definitely can’t carry.

2. Go hungry

Everyone knows this rule of thumb. Never is it a good idea to shop on an empty stomach, especially at the grocery store. Getting food to make dinner for the night leads to 12 midnight snack choices and enough canned goods to survive an apocalypse.

3. Go “window shopping” with a friend

It takes a special type of person to survive window shopping. When your friend calls and asks you to go shopping, you tell them, “Yeah I’ll go, but I’m just going to look.” No way. You end up with three new shirts, a new pair of shoes and a gift card for your second cousin Stephanie’s birthday.

4. Do not assume that the shortest line to check out will be the fastest

There are so many variables when checking out. Between coupons, returns and certain items that need to be weighed to scan, it could take twice as long for someone that has four items to check out.

5. Don’t go with a boy

Shopping with most guys is the absolute worst. They like to go for the one thing they need and get out. Women, on the other hand, like to look at everything in the store. They go for a black dress and leave with everything in the store, except the black dress.

Moral of the story: always be prepared for your shopping plan to go wrong!