ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — We're just three days from Thanksgiving!
Maybe you haven't had time to shop, so you feel like you're up against the clock to get a turkey and the trimmings.
Luckily, it's OK to wait until the last minute.
That's according to experts at Consumer Reports who say, unlike the pandemic where people had to go get discounted deals immediately to save money, the opposite of that is what's happening nowadays and time is now on people's side.
“So many Americans during the course of the pandemic found themselves more attracted to those savings from private label and store brands, which offer 20% to 25% off routinely from national name brands that we all know and recognize," Brian Vines with Consumer Reports said. "Those manufacturers have really changed their marketing to bring customers back.
"It's what we call a desperation discount and the closer we get to those holidays, the deeper the discounts are."
Vines said he advises people to not go shopping without making a list.
“It really starts with the planning," he said. "You don't want to be one of those people who's casually going to go by Target and pick up toilet paper and leave with $75 worth of stuff in your trunk.
"We've all been there. Land out your shopping, look at what it is that you need and make a list."
He adds besides shopping store labels, there are two other things you can do to save money – join the store's loyalty program and shop the as-is section of the store.
To learn more about Consumer Reports' money-saving tips on food shopping, click here.