Why You Should Avoid Going to the Supermarket After Work

You leave the office tired. Traffic has drained you. Your phone has buzzed all day with emails, WhatsApp messages, and reminders about bills. On your way home, you decide to pass by the supermarket “just to pick a few things.”

You walk out with snacks you didn’t plan for, a more expensive brand than usual, and a receipt that’s far higher than expected. This isn’t a coincidence. It’s psychology.

The reason you spend more after work has a name: decision fatigue.

Also Read: How Supermarkets Trick Your Brain Into Spending More

What Is Decision Fatigue?

Decision fatigue is the scientific explanation for why your willpower weakens as the day goes on.

Every decision you make, like what to wear, which matatu to board, how to respond to an email, and whether to take a call, uses mental energy. By the end of the day, that energy is depleted. Your brain becomes tired and starts looking for shortcuts.

When that happens, it doesn’t ask, “Is this a smart financial decision?” It asks, “What’s the easiest decision right now?”

In a supermarket, easy decisions usually result in spending more.

Also Read: Why People Lie About Money

Why Supermarkets Love Tired Shoppers

Supermarkets are not random spaces. Every shelf, aisle, and display is carefully designed to influence how you buy, especially when your brain is exhausted.

After work, decision fatigue makes you less likely to compare prices, more likely to grab familiar brands, more responsive to discounts and promotions and more open to impulse buying
That’s why ready-to-eat foods, chocolates, and discounted items are often placed near the entrance or checkout counters. Your brain is too tired to resist, so it says “yes” faster than it should.

Even promotions like “Buy One Get One Free” feel like savings, even when they push you to buy things you didn’t need in the first place.

Also, decision fatigue doesn’t usually lead to one big financial mistake. Instead, it causes small, repeated overspending.

Individually, these purchases seem harmless. But over a month, they quietly eat into your budget without you noticing.

This is why many people feel like their money disappears faster than expected, even though they don’t recall making any major purchases.

Also read: Why Some People Are Always Borrowing Money from Friends & Family

The Best Time to Shop If You Want to Save Money

If your goal is to spend less, the best time to shop is when your brain is fresh.

That usually means earlier in the day, on weekends, before you’re exhausted or after resting, not rushing.

When your mind is alert, you’re more likely to stick to your shopping list, compare prices, resist impulse buys and walk past promotions you don’t need

Shopping with a clear head gives you back control.

Simple Ways to Beat Decision Fatigue

You don’t need to stop shopping after work completely. But a few adjustments can make a big difference.

1. Shop with a strict list
A written or digital list reduces the number of decisions your brain has to make inside the store.

2. Avoid shopping when hungry or tired
Hunger and fatigue amplify impulsive decisions.

3. Limit “browsing”
The more aisles you walk through, the more temptation you expose yourself to.

4. Consider scheduled shopping days
Planning your shopping ahead of time removes last-minute, tired decisions