15 Sneaky Ways Supermarkets Get You to Spend More

Ten for $10 sounds like a great deal. However, you'll get the same savings even if you only buy one item, according to The New York Times. A grocery store survey recently found that people bought way more items when they saw 10 for $10 deals vs. five for $5 and one for $1 sales. Even if you aren't buying 10 items, your mind will trick you into thinking that the item is such a great deal that you end up buying more of it.

Precut veggies look so attractive, with their colorful packaging and promise of less work (no need to wash or chop!). However, they aren't exactly a good deal. CBC News found that precut veggies and fruits can be a lot more expensive than the whole items. You should try to avoid them as much as possible.

You think you have the layout of your local supermarket down pat when you find out they changed shelves again! Darn it. The stores are actually doing it on purpose, because if you don't know where the items are, you'll end up spending more time in the store. More time to browse means more chances to tempt you into buying more items.

Items that are placed at eye level on the shelves tend to be pricier name-brand goods, which are the products the supermarkets want you to buy. Check out the lower shelves for the similar items that have lower prices and fewer markups.

A lot of items in the circulars are full-priced and not necessarily great deals. Watch out for them, and don't assume they are all on sale.

Many of the essentials are in the back of the store or in the middle somewhere, and not in the front. That's because supermarkets want you to walk through the store to reach them and hopefully pop some items into your cart along the way. Similarly, essentials and common buys are also located in the middle of aisles, which will draw you deeper into the supermarket.

Being hit with splashes of color in the produce aisle right when you walk in the store will put you in a good mood and will make you want to buy more. It sets the tone for the whole shopping experience and makes customers think more favorably of the particular supermarket.

You may think you are saving a bundle by shopping in bulk. Even if you are, buying more may mean that you'll consume more than normal, which is what supermarkets are hoping you will do.

The music is strategically chosen by the supermarket to keep you in a relaxed frame of mind. Music that's too fast can cause you to speed up your shopping and leave the store as soon as you can. Slow music can influence you to take your time and linger around.