How to outsmart these marketing tricks

Plus, how to optimize your circadian rhythm

View this email online This newsletter is brought to you by Life Kit producer Clare Marie Schneider Sales can feel urgent and exciting, the pressure to buy exacerbated by language like: Extra 20% off, today only, last chance!  But we all know that feeling of getting swept up in the promise of a deal, only to be disappointed by the quality of an item or embarrassed when we stop using or wearing the item after the sparkle of its newness wears off.  So before you buy, consider these tips from Brian Vines, a reporter at Consumer Reports, and Lindsay Weekes, editor-in-chief of Brad's Deals, a site that curates promotions from online retailers.  They share common marketing techniques that companies use to entice shoppers to buy more — and tips on how to make smarter purchases.  Smart shopping tips Mininyx Doodle/Getty Images Common marketing tactics — and how to outsmart them 👉 Calling out the "original price." When you see a price tag that displays an item's "original price," say $200, next to the current price, say $75, that's called price anchoring. "It makes people fixate on that [higher] price versus the sale price," Weekes says. It can also make the product appear higher-value, making you want it more. A lot of the time, that "original price" was never the original price — or hasn't been that price for a long time, Weekes says.   Outsmart the gimmick: Focus on the actual price of the item. If the tag says it's $75, then assess for yourself whether you think that's a good deal, regardless of that original price.   👉 Inflating the base price. Some retailers raise the base price of an item just before the busy season, then offer a steep and enticing percentage discount, like 40% or 50%. But since the base price is higher, the item might cost the same as it did last week, or maybe more. This tactic is called "high-low pricing."    Outsmart the gimmick: Do a price comparison, say our experts. Look for historical pricing data online, or how much the retailer has charged for this product over time. You can also see if a product is cheaper at another retailer or a secondhand website. You can also add an item to your online cart and check on the price over a few days or weeks to see if it changes. 👉 Building a fantasy. Marketers sell you the idea of that picture-perfect holiday dinner where everyone's connecting and nobody's fighting. Or the vision of you as your sexiest, most confident self.    Outsmart the gimmick: If you find yourself typing in your credit card information while fantasizing about some idealized version of yourself or your family, pause, say our experts. You don’t have to buy this particular item. You can also get creative when it comes to gifts. Bake their favorite cookies. Plan a group dinner or a family hike. Find a treasure they'll love at a secondhand store. These gifts can be just as meaningful as something you buy from a store. Make purchases you won't regret Newsletter continues after sponsor message More Life Kit on avoiding tricks Moor Studio/Getty Images Scams can happen to anyone — here's how to protect yourself. New, sophisticated scams are popping up all the time. Experts explain how to safeguard your data and money from being exploited or stolen by fraudsters. Read the story.  Easy practices for online privacy. If you're online, your personal data is at risk. It might feel impossible to protect your data from hacks and breaches, but there are methods to make it slow and expensive for bad actors to target you. Our experts share simple measures to better protect your data online, including practices you can pick up starting now. Listen to the episode.  To avoid fakes when shopping online, watch out for these 4 red flags. Counterfeit products, especially medicines and safety gear, can be dangerous. Here's how to spot them on e-commerce platforms like Amazon. Read the story.  How to spot misinformation. Where can you find accurate news? In this episode, tips to help you ask important questions to spot fake news and take steps toward correcting misinformation. Read the story.  Reader roundup: Your tips on stretching groceries urbazon/Getty Images Last month, we shared an episode on how to afford food when money is tight. We asked you, our readers and listeners, for your own tips on stretching food budgets. We’ve edited this roundup of responses for length and clarity. For more tips, read this story and this story on saving money at the grocery store.  🏠 Start at home before you shop Shop in the cellar and pantry first. Then make your grocery list. — Kathleen Harbert 💧 Just add water My mother would often say "L'eau fait la bonne soupe," or water makes good soup. Simply add water to stretch canned or homemade soup. — Françoise Wilson 🎨 Mix and match to make food items last longer Most food pantries give out diced tomatoes. I have a lot of those in my pantry. I stretch out my pasta dishes by only adding half a jar of spaghetti sauce to a full can of tomatoes. I save the other half of the pasta sauce for a second pasta dish.  — Maria de Jesus Ayala 🥕 Go vegetarian  People can save a lot of money by limiting or even not eating meat or fish. There are many resources online to show you how to balance your diet so you get the nutrition you need. A vegetarian diet is not only less costly than meat but also promotes good health. The final benefit is knowing you are not contributing to the suffering of the animals. — Katherine Howard This week on Life Kit's Instagram Follow @NPRLifeKit on Instagram for mini versions of our episodes on money, health, relationships and more — and meet the team that makes the podcast. Recent posts include: 💃 A comic on dancing  😰 A reel to watch when you’re feeling anxious  🪑 Tips for transforming your living space I wanna follow Life Kit on Instagram! Try a free month of Life Kit+ Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening and even some specially curated playlists of episodes by theme (Master your budget, Organize your life, Move your body, and more).   Check out all the NPR+ benefits available at plus.npr.org and use the code "freemonth" for a 30 day trial of Life Kit+!   Explore NPR+ In case you missed it Julia Neroznak/Getty Images The key to a less frantic holiday season. There can be a lot of stress when it comes to the holidays: figuring out travel plans, preparing the perfect meal, spending time with the whole family for days on end. There can also be a lot of pressure to do everything perfectly, but Niro Feliciano, psychotherapist and author of All Is Calmish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays, says that letting go of the need for perfection can actually make your holiday less stressful. Listen to the episode.  Curious about investing? Here's what to know. Investing can be intimidating. How do you know which funds to choose? How do you diversify? How much should you be setting aside in a retirement plan versus a savings account or a brokerage account? This episode, we talk to Mary Childs, co-host of NPR's Planet Money, about these questions and more. Listen to the episode.  How to optimize your circadian rhythm. Research shows that too much light at night and not enough daylight is taking years off our lives. NPR health correspondent Will Stone has tips to tune up your body's internal clock. Listen to the episode.  Stream your local NPR station. 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