Best of Shopping Tips

Here are the best of my shopping tips for adults with ADHD:

Before you go out shopping write down everything that you want on a list. (Stick to the list) It will help to limit impulse buys. I was tired today and forgot to write down a list and I purchased cookies that I did not need to buy. Almost all stores are set up to take advantage on shoppers who are impulse buyers(One of the main traits of adults with ADD). I think setting up a list is more important when you are planning on going shopping at large department or warehouse stores, there are many times that my wife and I have gone to the store with the intent of only purchasing a few items, but left with a cart full of items that we did not need. (We seemed to always forget one of the items that we went there for in the first place)

I find it helpful when going to my favorite grocery store to write out my list exactly like the store is set up. I think it can be very helpful to better visualize your shopping list (click on my list on the left)

Here are two other tips I think are useful when shopping

1. Try to avoid the malls and the gigantic superstores.

Malls and superstores can be over stimulating for an ADD adult. Everything in a mall of superstore is designed to be more distracting; there are more people shopping, the music is loud, there are more choices, and more displays. It is easy to make poor impulsive choices or to get discouraged and not buy anything at all. A lot of adults with ADD like to go to smaller stores that they are familiar with in order to reduce the stimulation, I find that in the smaller stores there are more unique choices to help you better fit your needs.

2.  Divide you shopping into smaller trips.

Don't try to buy everything you need into one trip or one day. By making shopping trips smaller it will allow you to focus more on what your buying and what your actually need or more importantly what you don't need.

Comments

[Kenneth Kaye, Ph.D.]

good suggestions, John. I'd add, taking the time to check store prices on the internet before you go will often save time as well as money. Where you have a choice between big stores that cover the same products, it's easy to check their prices online. For example, yesterday I needed a vanity and a mirror to renovate a bathroom. There's a Home Depot about a mile from me and Menard's a couple of miles beyond. One of them had about 10% lower prices on comparable items. By going only there, and knowing exactly what I was going to buy, I avoided wandering uncertainly through two stores.

[Lauri]

Very interesting, I have often had a lot of trouble shopping at malls and department stores because I find them overwhelming, but I never related it to ADD before. I panic about buying clothes- I feel I never have enough clothes to wear and get through the week and look good. It's also hard for my to shop for clothes because I have a difficult body to fit. As a result I tend have a freak out and try to do all my clothes shopping at once, and I panic that I'm not finding anything and end up buying stuff I never want to wear. Then I forget to return it.

One thing I have found that has sort of helped with this is shopping online. I know stores where the clothes fit me well and the sizes I take there. When you shop online, you can clearly see all the information- the cut of the clothes, the color, the size, the price- and compare it to other choices. Plus you can do it in a calm atmosphere and at the end before you check out you can see the whole break down of what you're spending and make adjustments. The only problem is that it does often involve returns that adds an additional chore to take care of.