BEWARE: Stores are doing this to get your money

Yesterday, my wife and I visited a local science museum that is featuring an exhibit on the brain that I very much wanted to check out.

While the exhibit was phenomenal, I came away with a bitter taste in my mouth after visiting the museum's gift shop.

When we finally made it to the front of the line to pay for our items, the cashier informed us that they'd run out of plastic bags, but that we had the option to purchase one of their tote bags for $3.

Interestingly enough, this happened to be the third time in as many months where a merchant I'm buying from has tried to coax me into purchasing one of their tote bags.

As someone who earned degrees in psychology and marketing, I can tell you that this is likely a clever sales ploy retailers are trying to pull just to earn more money.

Think about it: If on a given day, say, 300 people opt to buy a $3 bag, that's $900 bucks the store would not have if they used regular plastic bags!

And most people -- especially those who are purchasing a bundle of items -- will probably buy the bag just so that they don't have to carry everything in their hands and under their arms.

While paying even $5 for a bag may not seem like a big deal for many people, it's not really about the price tag. It's about the sneaky tactics retailers are employing to get you to part with your hard-earned cash.

It's important to be mindful of these schemes when you're out shopping. The more informed you are as a consumer, the less likely you are to take the bait.

In the end, companies aren't looking out for you; their goal is for you to shell out as much money as possible. That's why you have to look out for yourself so that you don't get duped.

So the next time you're at a store and the cashier prods you into buying a tote bag because they've exhausted their supply of plastic bags, don't be so quick to buy into it (pun intended).

It makes you wonder what will come next: paying for napkins or ketchup at restaurants?

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