Your cart isn't just tracking items — it's tracking you. Here's how to dodge the algorithm.

Cute young girl sitting in a red shopping cart and holding a big box of cereal. She is looking happy. Her mother is standing next to her, smiling and looking down.

Each month, NerdWallet suggests one wallet win to help you feel more confident about your money. This month, we’re going to try to trip up the retailer algorithms that set prices for us behind the scenes.

A few weeks ago, I bought a family-sized box of cereal on one of my go-to shopping apps for a sale price of $4.79 — pricier than I'd like, but my toddler loves it, and I'm loyal to the brand. A week later, the price was back to the regular price of $5.29, so I skipped it. The next week, a coupon for that same box of cereal showed up when I logged back in.

Originally published on nerdwallet.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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