LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Sticker shock has become a normal part of the grocery shopping experience. Any way you can keep some extra money in your wallet is helpful.
13 Action News anchor, Dave Courvoisier, has tips on five ways to save the next time you head to the store.
SHOP AROUND
"I just take a lot of effort in shopping around," said Cindy Gentis of Henderson. I don't buy things that I used to."
Gentis said she's definitely feeling the pinch when grocery shopping.
"I clip discounts on my apps and what I really try to do is shop the sales," Gentis said.
For the best deals, she says she visits several stores.
"I shop in bulk. I love Costco," Gentis said. "But I can't obviously buy everything there and I can't eat a whole bag of oranges in a couple of days. So I also shop at other stores that give me bargains."
Plenty of us are taking similar money-saving steps.
PLAN MEALS
Chef and author, Stephanie Harris-Uyidi, says to really save, you need to be willing to do some work at home. She says the number one tip is to plan your meals.
"Part of that process is actually doing a kitchen sweep to see what you've got in your cabinets, counter tops, and to make sure that you're not double buying," Harris-Uyidi said.
Once you know what you have at home, plan out each of your meals.
"So that list is going to help you stay focused and targeted and make sure you're in and out without distraction or going over budget," Harris-Uyidi said.
Number two, she says to avoid buying name brands when possible.
"Those major store brands such as cereal brands and soda products, those are often made by the same companies making these off brands or store brands," Harris-Uyidi said. "The difference is just marketing, packaging and overhead."
Number three, she says to skip the fresh meat and fresh fish counter.
"That's where you're gonna pay your premium. I want to direct a lot of people over to the frozen section," she said.
Number four, stop buying pre-made home staples and cook your own.
"Staple items are things like brown rice. Those are things like black beans. I prep my own salad. You're going to see that price difference month to month, year over year," she said.
DON'T WASTE FOOD
Finally number five, don't let food go to waste. Stephanie says use everything before it goes bad.
"It happens to us all. We're going to the refrigerator with the oh my gosh, the spinach is on its last leg. It's got like two more hours left. That's when you get into a soup of some sort," Harris-Uyidi said.
Gentis agrees, and says she makes a conscious effort not to waste any food. But she has one more tip and suggests trying new meals in the kitchen.
"I am all about Instagram recipes and TikTok recipes. A lot of times they're just a couple of really key ingredients, rice-based, veggie-based, frozen. So I've become a lot more creative than I used to be. It's not just Betty Crocker anymore," Gentis said.
