Rachael Ray and I go shopping in the supermarket. . .

Whether you think you’re a grocery shopping whiz or you feel overwhelmed just pulling into the parking lot there has never been a more important time to know your way around the aisles.

1. Where can you find the cheapest products on supermarket shelves?

Brands pay to display their wares at eye level and at the end of each aisle because this can increase sales by an estimated 15-20 percent. “These brands can afford the slotting fees, as they tend to be pricier, “says Dr. Scott Testa Beware of tie-in sale tricks in these areas: On-sale tortilla chips will be placed alongside regular-priced jarred salsa.

2.  Grabbing nonfood items like mouthwash and toilet paper at the supermarket may be convenient, but it’ll cost you. Thes items are priced 20 to 40 percent more than they are at national superstores. ‘Big companies like Wal-Mart buy large quantities so they get better deals and can charge less compared to a regional supermarket that buys less and pays more per unit,” explains Testa.  Since it’s a pain to make an extra trip just for toilet paper, buy thes goods at the supermarket only when they are on sale.

Rachael Ray Magazine