00:00So, the average American family spends over a grand a month on groceries.
00:05But that can vary based on location and family size.
00:08In California, families shell out around $297 a week on average, making it the most expensive
00:15state for groceries.
00:17Compared to that, the Midwest appears to be a deal, with families spending less than $240
00:22a week.
00:23But it's still costly.
00:24Grocery prices have risen about 20% in the last 4 years.
00:28But let's be honest – supermarkets are scientifically designed to separate you from
00:32your hard-earned dough.
00:35When you enter the supermarket, you can instantly see a whole bunch of healthy options right
00:39off the bat.
00:40No matter what chain you go to, it's meant to make you feel good.
00:44If you start off by grabbing some veggies, you won't feel that guilty about throwing
00:48some junk food into your cart later.
00:50Also, there's this primacy effect.
00:53It means that we tend to remember and give more importance to the stuff we see first.
00:57Bright colors, vibrant fruits, and no towering shelves blocking the scene – it's a little
01:02oasis of calm and comfort right when you step in.
01:08You know those adorable kid-sized shopping carts at the supermarket?
01:12As tempting as they are, it's best to leave the little ones at home.
01:15When you're flying solo, you can browse at your own speed and make smarter shopping
01:20decisions.
01:21Bringing along friends or kiddos can turn your quick trip into a never-ending adventure.
01:26And let's be real, you might end up with a bunch of stuff you didn't even want.
01:33You know how in the grocery store they always set up the essentials, like bread, milk, and
01:37eggs, in their own little corner?
01:39It's all about playing with our brains and that sneaky thing called loss aversion.
01:45Loss aversion means we feel worse about missing out on something than we do about snagging
01:49something new.
01:51So when those must-have items are tucked away, it forces us to wander the aisles.
01:56And while we're on our little treasure hunt for our basic groceries, our eyes might just
02:01end up landing on some other goodies we didn't even know we needed.
02:07Imagine strolling through the aisles of your go-to store when suddenly BAM!
02:12You catch a whiff of something ridiculously tasty, like the heavenly scent of fresh bread
02:17or smoky roasted chicken.
02:20Before you toss everything that smells amazing into your cart, let's chat about what's
02:24really going on here.
02:25A lot of stores pump out delicious scents to lure you into spending more cash.
02:30So while that aroma might feel like a warm hug from the universe, take a second to ask
02:36yourself, does your cart really need that item, or is it just the smell pulling your
02:41strings?
02:44The products on the shelves right at your eye level seem to jump out at you, and there's
02:48a good reason for that.
02:49It turns out that where products are placed on the shelves can really sway your shopping
02:54choices.
02:55Studies have shown that items positioned at eye level are much more likely to catch the
02:59shopper's attention and end up in their carts.
03:04Supermarkets typically organize shelves into four levels – the stoop level at 0-3 feet
03:09where kids can reach, the touch level at 3-4 feet, the eye level at 4-6 feet, and the reach
03:15level at 6 feet plus.
03:18You might need a ladder to get there.
03:20The eye level is the buy level.
03:23Brands and manufacturers are super keen to snag that sweet spot, often paying big bucks
03:27for that – sometimes up to 50% of their promotional budget.
03:32And make sure to pick foods that are in the middle or deep on the shelves – they're
03:35usually fresher.
03:37Those nearing their expiration date are at the front.
03:42Next time you're cruising through a store, pay attention to what's playing in the background.
03:47If the tunes are slow and smooth or catch enough to get your foot tapping, watch out.
03:52You might be walking right into a shopping trap.
03:55Stores love to mess with the music to slow you down and keep you browsing longer.
04:02Supermarkets are like time capsules with no windows or clocks in sight – it's totally
04:06by design.
04:08This crafty setup helps retailers boost those sales by encouraging us to linger a little
04:13bit longer and throw in a few more impulse buys.
04:19Just touching something can trick our brains into thinking it's ours.
04:22That's why you've gotta tread lightly when you're out shopping.
04:26Don't go fondling everything unless you're ready to adopt it.
04:30You could end up falling head over heels for that adorable stuffed animal or that sweet-smelling
04:35candle you don't need.
04:37So a little advice – keep your hands to yourself until you're ready to say, I do.
04:44End-caps are the best when it comes to grabbing attention.
04:47Retailers play the mind game with shoppers using a little trick called cognitive heuristics.
04:52You've probably noticed those colorful and flashy end-cap displays that seem to scream
04:58BUY ME!
04:59These displays tap into the availability heuristic, making you think that whatever's featured
05:04on that end-cap is super popular or top-notch quality.
05:08It's no surprise that a survey found nearly 44% of people remember getting sucked in by
05:13those end-caps, with almost half of grocery stores decked out in these attention magnets.
05:20Nothing is free in this world – not even those small ham samples you're offered in
05:24a supermarket.
05:25Here's how it works – once you pop that scrumptious sample into your mouth, they've
05:30got you.
05:31And you'll probably be itching to grab a whole package of whatever tasty treat they're
05:35serving up.
05:36Say goodbye to your money!
05:39Most grocery stores are designed to nudge you to the right when you stroll in.
05:43But hey, why not be a bit of a rule-breaker and head left instead?
05:47Your wallet will thank you!
05:49You see, our brains are wired to take things in from left to right, like when we read.
05:54So when we force ourselves to break that habit by veering right, it messes with our thinking.
05:59This little brain hiccup can lead to those sneaky impulse buys that can drain your cash.
06:06Shopping carts at the supermarket are clever.
06:09They can play a little mind game called anchoring and adjustment with us.
06:13Basically, we humans have this habit of letting the first bit of info we get – the anchor
06:18– steer our choices down the line.
06:21So when you use a big cart, that cart size becomes your anchor.
06:25It's like your brain is saying, hey, look at all that space, let's fill it up.
06:29This can lead to this thing called shopping momentum, where you just can't help but
06:33toss more items in, often ending up spending way more than you planned.
06:40Ever notice those misty sprays in the produce aisle?
06:43They make fruits and veggies look all fresh, but that water can actually speed up the rotting.
06:48So when you get home, don't forget to give your produce a nice little towel-dry to help
06:53it hang around longer.
06:55You know when you see a price tag that says $1.99, and it feels better than seeing a whole
07:00$2?
07:01It's called the left-digit effect.
07:03It's a little quirk in our brains.
07:06We tend to read prices from left to right, and the first number we see packs a punch
07:11when it comes to how we feel about spending our cash.
07:14So these 99-cent things trick our minds into thinking we're scoring a much sweeter deal.
07:19Even though it's really just a penny difference.
07:24Another trick supermarkets like to use is something like 10-for-10-buck sales.
07:29However, this promotion doesn't always mean you gotta buy 10.
07:33Sometimes it means the price per piece is $1.
07:36So make sure to always read the fine print and only buy what and how much you really
07:41need.
07:43Butcher counters may make you think it's something cool and fresh, when really, the
07:47only thing you're paying for is your ability to pick the cut you want.
07:51But if you go to the freezer section instead, you can purchase the very same things at a
07:56fraction of the price.
08:00Large packages have this reputation of giving you the best prices.
08:03But the truth is, sometimes, they're bulky just to be bulky.
08:08Companies make bigger packages just to make our lives easier.
08:11But they sometimes charge us a lot more for it.
08:14So just double-check the unit price for each item before you buy.
08:18Oh, and while you're at the store, can you pick up some chocolate chip cookies for me?
08:23Thanks!
08:24That's it for today, so hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like
08:31and share it with your friends.
08:33Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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