Things All Smart Grocery Shoppers Know

Grocery stores are designed to make you stay for a long time and buy a lot of things you don't need. But smart grocery shoppers know how to get the best deals on the things they actually want to buy while leaving everything else on the shelves. Here's how to make the most out of your trip to the grocery store.

Did you know that grocery carts are three times larger than they used to be? That's because when you have a larger cart, you tend to buy more. In a 2011 experiment, researchers found that when you double the size of your shopping cart, you're likely to buy about 40 percent more groceries. In order to avoid over-purchasing, choose a smaller cart or a handbasket if you can. If only a mega-sized shopping cart is available, don't be tempted to fill it up.

Have you ever noticed that you walk the same way around the supermarket every time you go? That's because stores are specifically designed to get you to walk a certain route. It starts with the flower display and bakery, where the tasty smells will activate your salivary glands and make you hungrier so you'll buy more. Then you walk by the deli counter. If you're hungry, you may decide to stop for a bite to eat or grab some cold cuts.

By the time you get to the dairy section, your cart is already full of impulse purchases. Instead of falling into that trap, skip the perimeter of the store and go straight for the middle.

Have you ever heard a fast-paced song playing in a grocery store? Probably not. Usually, they play slow background music to get you to slow down and spend more time in the store. In a 1982 study, researchers found that when a grocery store played faster music, customers walked more quickly through the aisles, which resulted in lower profits for the store. While you can't change the background music in your local store, you can speed yourself up by wearing headphones and listening to a nice dance playlist on your phone. That'll get you zipping through the aisles.

Store brands are often just as good as other brands, and they usually cost less. That's because they don't have the same marketing costs as bigger, national brands. While store brands were once lower quality, now they're actually quite good in many stores. Trader Joe's, for example, only sells its own brand and is known for having high-quality groceries.

In 2014, a study by the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business asked chefs which items they were most likely to buy generic. At the top of the list were bakery items, dried fruit, and spreads like jams or jellies. If these items were good enough for professional chefs, they're likely good enough for you, too.

Brands pay stores a lot of money for their products to be placed at your sight line. Often, they're the most popular brands but also the most expensive ones. To avoid spending extra money for brand names, look at the top and bottom shelves instead. While those companies can't spend as much money as the larger ones for premium shelf space, they're likely to be more cost-effective and just as good.

Pro tip: the top shelf is often stocked with smaller, regional, and gourmet items that are chosen by store managers. If you have an item you'd like to see at your local grocery store, talk to the manager.