Tips for saving money at the supermarket

Do you think there's a hidden catch to every good deal at the supermarket? You may be right.

Jonathan Dahl and editors of Smart Money, a Wall Street Journal magazine, have written "1,001 Things They Won't Tell You: An Insider's Guide to Spending, Saving and Living Wisely" (Workman, $16.95), an enlightening handbook to managing budgets for all aspects of your life.

In the chapter "10 Things Your Supermarket Won't Tell You," the authors cover everything from how subliminal lighting to product placement can effect how you spend your hard-earned grocery dollars. Here are three tips to better manage your money:

1. Leave room on your shopping list to jot down advertised prices so that you can notify the cashier when something doesn't ring up correctly.

2. Can't switch to generic foods? Check the Web sites of name brand products for special promotions or coupons.

3. Look up and down as you navigate the aisles. Supermarkets tend to put the most expensive items at eye level.

(c) 2009, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).