A store credit card can seem like a great deal. It often promises a high rate of cash back on all your purchases. However, these rewards programs are almost always filled with a confusing web of limits, restrictions, and fine print. The advertised “5% cash back” rarely applies to everything you buy. It is a…
The checkout lane is the final and most profitable part of the grocery store. It is a carefully engineered environment. Retailers know that you are a captive audience while you wait in line. They use this opportunity to tempt you with a variety of high-margin, impulse-buy items. Most of these products are unhealthy junk foods.…
A trip to the grocery store with kids can be a long and challenging ordeal. To keep the peace, many parents will resort to a time-honored tradition. They will buy a special, car-ride-only snack to reward their children for their good behavior. These snacks are a powerful form of bribery. They are so tempting and…
When a food recall is announced, grocery stores are legally required to pull the dangerous product from their shelves. However, the warehouse clubs Costco and Sam’s Club go one very important step further. Because they operate on a membership model, they have the contact information for every single person who has bought the recalled item.…
The self-serve salad bar at the grocery store seems like a healthy and convenient option for a quick lunch. However, that convenience comes at a very high price. When you take your carefully crafted container to the checkout to be weighed, you are often hit with a shocking total. The price per pound for the…
Most grocery stores now provide sanitizing wipes at the entrance. Many shoppers see this as an optional step. However, a huge body of scientific research has confirmed that the grocery cart handle is one of the single germiest surfaces you can touch in public. It is a breeding ground for a disgusting cocktail of bacteria…
The new generation of grocery loyalty programs promises a “personalized” shopping experience. Using your purchase history, apps from stores like Kroger and Safeway will send you special, targeted deals on the items you buy most. This is known as “personalized pricing.” It means that you may be paying a different price for a carton of…
We have all found a can of soup or vegetables in the back of our pantry that is a year or two past its “Best By” date. Our first instinct is often to throw it away, assuming that it has gone bad. However, food safety experts say that this is a major mistake. The date…
The quest for the ultimate fast-food chicken sandwich is as fierce as ever in 2025. Since Popeyes dropped its now-legendary sandwich in 2019, nearly every major chain has doubled down on crisp, juicy, spicy, or gourmet versions. But which ones truly deliver? Here’s an updated look — complete with recent taste tests and pricing —…
The self-checkout lane is a modern marvel of retail efficiency. It is also a place of great social tension. The unspoken rule is to be fast, efficient, and considerate of the people behind you. However, some shoppers seem to be completely unaware of this rule. They will engage in several annoying and time-wasting behaviors. These…
You open a new bag of chips, and it seems to be half-full of air. You notice that your new roll of paper towels does not seem to last as long as it used to. Many shoppers have the feeling that they are getting less for their money, but they are not always sure if…
We are living in a golden age of free, high-quality digital services. The internet has made it possible to get a huge number of products and services for free that we once had to pay a lot of money for. From office software to language lessons, there is a free, online alternative for almost everything.…
You are walking through the meat or dairy aisle when you see it. A bright sticker that says “Manager’s Special” or “Reduced for Quick Sale.” It promises a deep discount on a product that is nearing its expiration date. This can be a fantastic way to save money on expensive items. However, it can also…
The “Family Size” label is a powerful marketing tool. It is designed to make you think that you are getting a larger package and a better value for your money. However, in a deceptive and frustrating new form of “shrinkflation,” some companies are now just slapping a “Family Size” label on their standard-sized product. They…
The old retail wisdom says that the best deals are always on the bottom shelf. The common advice for shoppers is to “look high and low” to find the bargains. However, a closer look at the modern supermarket reveals that this is not always true. While the bottom shelf is still the home of many…
The German discount grocer Aldi has built a fanatical following for its high-quality, private-label products. The store is filled with “dupes,” or duplicates, that are designed to look and taste like their more expensive, brand-name counterparts. While some of these dupes are just a good value, a few have achieved a legendary status. These are…