The prices of fast-food items have been rising steadily over the years — and some restaurants use a technique that entices people to pay more than perhaps they were planning to, a psychotherapist told Fox News Digital. 

The so-called "charm pricing" technique is why many menu items are not priced at full dollar amounts, Jonathan Alpert, a New York-based psychotherapist and author, told Fox News Digital.

"Our brains process numbers quickly and often emotionally, especially during purchasing decisions," Alpert said.

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When an item is priced at $9.99, "our minds latch onto the '9' as the anchor, associating it with a smaller cost, even if logically we know it's close to $10," he said. 

This is called the "left-digit effect," according to the food and culture website The Takeout. 

"This can trick you into feeling like an item is less expensive," according to The Takeout. 

"If you're buying three items priced at $5.99, your brain might immediately assume the total is $15, when in actuality it's closer to $18."

It added that people may feel they're "getting a bargain or a deal." 

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Aside from this "charm pricing," restaurants try other ways to get people to spend more money than they planned, Alpert said.  

These include offering an "appealing menu design or descriptive language that makes the purchase feel more worthwhile and indulgent," he said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the National Restaurant Association, which declined to comment.

Fox News Digital also reached out to several fast-food chains seeking comment.

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Alpert noted that there are ways to combat the pressure to overspend.

"A helpful tip is to always round up," he said. "When you see $9.99, think of it as $10."

Doing this, he said, "can reduce the emotional impact of charm pricing and help you make more rational decisions."

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

Another technique is to think through purchases carefully and make a decision to spend less impulsively. 

"Pause and ask yourself if the item is really worth the cost or if you're being swayed by how it's presented," Alpert said.

"Developing mindful spending habits can help you resist psychological tricks and make choices that align with your goals," he also said. 

Walmart stores recently recalled more than 12,000 cartons of chicken broth from two states amid concerns that the product's packaging was compromised.

The recalled product is the Great Value brand of chicken broth, which was sold in 48 ounce containers, according to a release from the Food and Drug Administration.

The recall was initiated on Dec. 11, but the notice was published on the FDA's website on Jan. 8. 

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The recalled cartons were sent to stores in Alabama and Arkansas, according to the FDA's announcement. 

The reason for the recall is "potential for packaging failures that could compromise the sterility of the product, resulting in spoilage."

A total of 2,023 cases were included in the recall. Each case includes six products, meaning 12,138 cartons of broth were recalled.

The recalled products had a "best used by" date of March 25, 2026.

They carry the UPC code "007874206684."

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The recall notice did not indicate if any illnesses had been reported from consumption of the chicken broth. 

Anyone who thinks they may be in possession of a recalled item should contact Walmart, per the store's policy.

Unopened, shelf-stable cartons or cans of chicken broth can last for years in a pantry, the website Southern Living said. 

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Once these items are opened, however, any leftover broth should be stored in the refrigerator for about three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

Alternatively, leftover chicken broth can be frozen and kept in the freezer for two to three months, the USDA said. 

Any leftover chicken broth that emits a strange odor or appears to be discolored or moldy is spoiled and should not be consumed, Southern Living added.  

Eating spoiled chicken broth can trigger food poisoning. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Walmart for comment. 

The holiday season is in full swing, and with it comes the joy of gift giving. 

If you're planning to shop on Amazon this December, you might be wondering how to keep your purchases a secret until the big reveal. Whether you're surprising a loved one or treating a friend, maintaining that element of surprise can be a challenge in today’s online shopping landscape. But don’t worry. 

We’ve gathered some clever tips and tricks to help you keep your holiday shopping under wraps, ensuring your thoughtful gifts remain surprises.

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One of the easiest ways to keep your gift purchases a secret is to create a separate Amazon account just for buying gifts. This way, you can avoid sharing your order history, recommendations and wish lists with anyone else who uses your main account.

You can also use a different email address and phone number for your gift account, so you won’t receive any delivery notifications or emails that might give away your gifts.

If you don’t already have one, here’s how you can get a cheap Amazon Prime membership.

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This may be the simplest solution. Amazon Household is an Amazon feature that allows you to share your Prime benefits with the family. You can create up to two adult accounts, four teen and four child profiles. Amazon Household keeps all shopping purchases and notifications for shipping separate. So, no need to worry about your Christmas present being revealed before giving it out.

With Amazon Household, you not only get to keep your purchases separate, you can also share eBooks, audiobooks, digital content and games.

Create your Amazon Household here.

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Another option to keep your gift purchases a secret is to hide or archive your orders on your Amazon account. This will remove them from your default order history view, so they won’t show up when you or someone else checks your recent orders. The following will only work on a desktop or laptop browser (not on a tablet or mobile device).

Even though the item will no longer appear in Your Orders, you can still view it in Archived Orders from Your Account.

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If you don’t want to receive any shipment notifications or tracking information for your gift purchases, you can also turn them off on your Amazon account. This will prevent you from getting any emails, texts or push notifications that might reveal your gifts.

To turn off shipment notifications and tracking in Amazon, you can follow these steps:

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Now, if you have some real sleuths in your household, you are going to need to do more than just archive your purchases to make sure your gifts are still surprises. You can start by changing your Alexa settings.

Now, Alexa will still notify you when a package is being delivered, but it will not say what the item is.

HOW TO GET ALEXA TO SPEAK MORE LIKE YOU

We all have that one relentless person, determined to find out which presents were purchased this year. Another step to keep them off your tracks is deleting your "Search History."

The following will only work on a desktop or laptop browser (not on a tablet or mobile device).

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If you don’t want your gift purchases to be delivered to your home address, you can also use Amazon Locker or Amazon Hub to pick them up at a nearby location. This way, you can avoid having your packages left on your doorstep or seen by anyone else in your household. Amazon Locker and Amazon Hub are secure, self-service kiosks where you can pick up and return your Amazon packages at your convenience.

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When purchasing gifts on Amazon, you can utilize the gift options available at checkout. This feature allows you to mark items as gifts, which can help maintain secrecy in several ways.

Gift wrapping: You can choose to have the item gift-wrapped, which not only adds a nice touch but also prevents anyone from seeing the product until it is unwrapped.

Gift message: You can include a personalized message that will be printed on the packing slip, making it clear that it’s a gift and not an ordinary purchase.

No price information: When you select gift options, Amazon typically does not include pricing information on the packing slip, which helps keep the cost of the gift hidden from the recipient.

To use this feature, simply select the "This is a gift" checkbox during checkout and follow the prompts to customize your order accordingly. This added layer of discretion can significantly enhance your ability to keep your purchases under wraps until the big reveal.

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As the holiday festivities approach, keeping your Amazon gift purchases a secret can add an extra layer of excitement to your celebrations. With these straightforward strategies, you can shop with confidence, knowing that your surprises will stay hidden until the perfect moment. From creating separate accounts to utilizing gift options at checkout, each tip is designed to help you preserve that magical element of surprise.

Have you ever had a gift surprise spoiled? If so, what happened and how did you handle it? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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