Trying to Avoid Crowds
Anyone who's spent time catching up on their celebrity-gossip magazine reading while slowly making their way toward the register knows that Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest days to shop. But while switching your weekly grocery run to a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday may save you a little bit of time, it probably won't save you money. Retailers know that most people shop on weekends, so that's when they offer their best deals, says Roger Davidson, who has held senior positions with major grocery chains such as Supervalu, Wild Oats Markets and Walmart. Stores often start their sales on a Thursday and run them through a Sunday, which is the busiest day. Another reason to head to the store on days when it's crowded: Research shows we're less likely to buy unnecessary items when we're surrounded by many people. If you really love having wide-open aisles but still want to benefit from markdowns, try Thursday or Friday mornings.
Published 09/20/2013
