Grocery Shopping

[Janet]

When you all go shopping, especially for things non-edible like laundry soap, do you buy the name brands such as Era? Or opt for something cheaper? Do the cheaper products work as well? And I'm talking about most everything including food storage bags and well just anything.

I'm really getting tired of spending so much when I go to the grocery store on food and not food items. I've always used Era, that's why I chose that brand and Downy and Bounce to write about. I haven't bought the cheaper brands because I was afraid they wouldn't get my clothes as clean and there would be money down the drain. Does it really make that much of a difference? Are there brands you would totally stay away from? What about store brands?

[gja1000]

I used store brands years ago when I was a struggling newlywed. Then when my finances improved, I started using the name brands - WHY? - I can't tell you why, probably advertising persuasion.

Now, that everything is getting so expensive I thought I'd go back to store brands and honestly, I can't tell that much difference in most things. I think in things like plastic bags, the store brands are a bit thinner, which can be a problem, especially in trash bags.

With canned vegetables, e.g., green beans, I sometimes find a few stems or strings in the store brands, but I do not find they taste differently. There are some items though where "brand" is important - to me. Ice cream for example, there are certain name brands and they are the better brands, that I like best and I do not care for the store brands.

Also, I HATE store brand toilet paper and paper towels - I have my preferred name brand and I won't change.

So, I guess my answer is, "it depends"

[Shada]

I use my Era and Downy. But I delute the Downy by probably about half and have same results. Era I don't use as much recommended and clothes get just as clean.

I do like my name brand veggies, but buy when on sale. Stock up when the price is low.

Name brand flour, store brand sugar.

Clothes and everything else.. has to be on sale! I am a bargain hunter.

I read up on Consumer Reports. Let them do my homework for me!


Got to have good TP paper and paper towels!!!

[Tink]

I recently tried the Everyday Elegance naturals clothes soap from Walmart and have to say I really like it. The clothes come out nice, and I love the smell of the citrus one. I'm on my second 64 load bottle and would gladly buy it again.
I buy name brand TP; paper towels; dish soap; bath soap; freezer bags and trash bags, but at Dollar General which is cheaper.

I too am a bargain hunter and I live far enough from Wal Mart that I really have to pay through the nose or shop at Dollar General which is nearby. I try to get to WalMart once a month and stock up good when I'm there.

[Lindsey]

For things like cleaners and detergents, brand isn't so important to me. For the past 6 or so months I've been just buying things that are environmentally friendly. Luckily, Walmart has their own brand of environmentally friendly cleaners! So that's the laundry detergent and all-purpose cleaner I'm using right now. It's cheap, not bad for the earth, and I don't notice any difference at all! :)

[Janet]

Thanks for your responses. Guess I need to start checking out some lower price alternatives if they are working just as well. I did try store brand plastics and did find that they are thinner. I guess I'm just going to have to try certain things and see.

Tink, thanks for reminding me about the dollar stores. We have 3 in our small town, Dollar General, The Dollar Store, and The Dollar Tree. I usually just go to Wal Mart, one stop shopping you know, but I really should visit the dollar stores first, then go to Wal Mart.

Anyone else have information to share?

[Gina]

Janet I to use name brand items.. It is getting costly as far as soaps and paper goods go. But certain things like some mentioned paper goods and other stuff llike dish detergent the generic don't cut it. I do buy store label frozen foods, they are not bad. I think its all in the way we were trained. I read that its best to buy generic meds. less for money and you get the same strenght and is just as good.

[Janet]

Yes, I buy the generic meds, so I guess in reality, if it's okay with the meds, it should be more okay with other items. I'm just really trying to watch the spending, that's how I saved up enough to be able to go shop a little this weekend. Now I'm looking to save even more.

[DianaB]

I used to use Era but I tried Purex and I really liked it and it's cheaper. I prefer the name brand fabric softner sheets but since they cost so much I usually get the off brand. I always buy Dawn dishwashing detergent because I think that it absolutely works the best! Plastic bags I usually have some of both. Trash bags, name brand only. Toilet paper, I used to only buy Charmin but I'm not happy with the price or how quickly we go through a roll so I've switched to a store brand. It's not as soft but the rolls don't run out as quickly.

As far as vegetables and canned stuff, our store has a cheap brand and a cheaper brand. I never buy the cheaper brand because I found that I was never happy with it. A lot of things you just have to try and see how you like them.

I buy a lot of my cleaning supplies at Dollar General too.

[Tiramisu]

My must have namebrands: Tide, Camay, Aleve, Dawn, and Glad bags.

I shop dollar stores for what I can and save several dollars. I've tried several cheaper items through the years and always seem to find something wrong - Gain causes a rash, Purex didn't work well with cold water, etc.

For me it's not being picky, just "tried and true".

[Shada]

For those Dollar Store purchases you really need to know your prices. Check out how much per ounce. Then check that price against the other stores. Many times it is cheaper at the other stores. The Dollar Store usually sells smaller bottles of stuff. Looks like a good deal, but when checked out, its really not. Of course this method is used with name brand products found everywhere.

I use Kroger brand tall kitchen trash bags. Those got a high rating with Consumer Reports. They are cheaper, plus I only buy when on sale, or packages that give 20percent more at one price. They are very strong.. never have had a problem. Then I changed my trash service for bags only. I buy my bags for $1.50 a bag. Large bags! I now only put out one bag every 3 weeks or so.. I can put a lot into one of those bags! On top of that I pay $5.00 per month for trash service. I recycle everything I can. Every little bit helps.

Check out the prices!!!! We assume larger amounts are cheaper.. not so many times.

TP paper.. buy double rolls only. Paper towels.. those are better deal buying large packs instead of single packs.
I know people that buy all their paper products at Sams. They assume they are a better deal. Not so.
Again.. check your prices! Write prices down and keep with you so you can compare.

[2tiredmom]

Janet,

I use Era also and Downey but I don't buy it unless it's on sale. Normally it goes on sale at Meijer and I can get it for 2 for 5. Downey is cheaper at walmart and I always use a coupon for it also. I don't like any other products. So when it goes on sale i really stock up. I mean major stock up 10 or more at a time on the Era.
I just don't like anything else. I can't see buying Tide. It costs way to much.

[gja1000]

Just one word of caution about generic medications. First off, I use them whenever possible, so I am not speaking out against them. However, being a nurse I have seen one problem with a few generics (please don't ask me how..:)..). It is true the strength and integrity of the medication are exactly the same. What may be different is the process for making the pill, and sometimes generics do not dissolve as well. Thus, sometimes generics come out just the same as they go in - visualize looking in the toilet and seeing the whole pill in a BM. When this happens, you have gotten no benefit from the medication.

This happens mostly in older people (80's and above) because older persons have less digestive juices and thus, the pills do not dissolve as well. So, if you change to generics and think it is not working as well, this may be why. You can ask your doctor if you can crush the pill prior to taking it. Please do ask though, as some pills should not be crushed, e.g., time-released or long acting pills.

It can happen to people of any age - but is most common in elders.

[Janet]

Just one word of caution about generic medications. First off, I use them whenever possible, so I am not speaking out against them. However, being a nurse I have seen one problem with a few generics (please don't ask me how..:)..). It is true the strength and integrity of the medication are exactly the same. What may be different is the process for making the pill, and sometimes generics do not dissolve as well. Thus, sometimes generics come out just the same as they go in - visualize looking in the toilet and seeing the whole pill in a BM. When this happens, you have gotten no benefit from the medication.

This happens mostly in older people (80's and above) because older persons have less digestive juices and thus, the pills do not dissolve as well. So, if you change to generics and think it is not working as well, this may be why. You can ask your doctor if you can crush the pill prior to taking it. Please do ask though, as some pills should not be crushed, e.g., time-released or long acting pills.

It can happen to people of any age - but is most common in elders.

Gayle, thank you for such great advice. I had no idea about any of the information you shared. They, Drs., pharmacys, whoever, should tell everyone this information.

[Tink]

Instead of all the expensive cleaning supplies, I use a lot of generic bleach around here. I have some in a spray bottle for general cleaning, and use it for pretty much everything in the bathroom and kitchen. I buy scented ones so the smell is nice and what cleans better than bleach? If I want a piny smell I just add a bit of tea tree oil.

[Lindsey]

Tink, you reminded me! I think it was from a thread in YT that I discovered this... I also use vinegar for cleaning. It's cheaper than cleaning products too :) And I read that you can put a bit of it in a container in a room and it will take smells out of the air... Well Layla has had a few accidents on the old carpet in the basement, and I've cleaned as many spots as I could find but there was still a smell. I took a small tupperware container, put a bit of vinegar in the bottom, and put it downstairs. It really worked. It didn't smell like vinegar, but the pee smell went away!

[Marilyn]

We buy a mix of the store brands and name brands. Just depends. I have to be careful with detergents. Hubby is alergic to some of them, so I use All Free, just to be safe, and Downy. I don't use the fabric softener sheets of any brand because they cause the lint to be sticky and it builds up in the exhaust air tube and plugs it up where the flapper is outside.

The store brand zipper bags and trash bags are really good around here. I use them all the time. There is actually a tall kitchen garbage bag that I like better than the name brands & I keep a big box of super cheap kitchen garbage bags in the pantry for miscellaneous uses. They come in quite handy.

We buy mostly fresh vegetables, but when we do buy canned or frozen, I have bought the store brands and don't notice much, if any, difference. A few stems in the green beans, but I pick them out and they taste fine. I'm picky about flour and usually buy the King Arthur unbleached all purpose. I think it makes a difference. Any brand of sugar will work as long as it's pure cane.

It definitely pays to use a calculator and compare prices at different stores. You'd be surprized sometimes what and where things are actually cheaper.

Happy hunting and experimenting. I like finding bargins and saving money. No time for garage sales, but I can do comparison shopping at the grocery.

[Marilyn]

By the way, I do buy store brand cereals they are fine with us. And also use bleach and vinegar for cleaning. They work well and are a lot cheaper. I have been known to dilute a bottle of Clorox Cleanup with bleach and water when it got low and really couldn't tell the difference.

[Dobie]

I tend to buy the generic brands for cleaning supplies. Most food items, I have preferred brands.

[2tiredmom]

Amonia is another great cleaner. I mop my kitchen floor with it and it really picks the dirt. It also works on carpet. If you have stains it lifts them right out but you need to use it full strenght. Just make sure you have lots of air moving around.
Walmart 97cents a bottle.

[HALEY]

I use to buy the cheaper cleaners, but since i had Micah i went back to the more expensive ones... i think they work better..

[Janet]

I'm really watching now, you ladies have great suggestions. I'm even back to cutting those coupons.

[HALEY]

I'm really watching now, you ladies have great suggestions. I'm even back to cutting those coupons.

Janet don't forget you can download coupons too..... i clip tons of coupons..... and download a lot of baby ones, i sign up for huggies diapers all the time and they send them in the mail, check out some web sites. sometimes they have free samples too...

[Dobie]

Janet don't forget you can download coupons too..... i clip tons of coupons..... and download a lot of baby ones, i sign up for huggies diapers all the time and they send them in the mail, check out some web sites. sometimes they have free samples too...

You are so right about the download coupons - it's a great way to save money. Every so often I'll go to a brand's website - lot's of times they'll have free offers for you to try their products.

[HALEY]

You are so right about the download coupons - it's a great way to save money. Every so often I'll go to a brand's website - lot's of times they'll have free offers for you to try their products.

Wal marts always has free samples they ship to you to, check them out to! i always sign up every month on the huggies website and get 1.50 coupons in the mail, trying to save some pennys...

[DianaB]

Speaking of coupons. Before I went school shopping with Jaci at Wichita I got on-line and searched for coupons for the stores that she likes to shop in. I found a 30% off coupon for Aeropostale and saved over $60 on what I spent. It worked really great because they already had everything half off. I spent $150 and saved over $210! The checkout girls were even amazed. Then they handed me back my coupon and said that it was good until the next Sunday. I knew that I wouldn't be using it so I handed it to a woman who had an armload of stuff so she could use it too. I'll be checking on-line for coupons again.

I also ordered some stuff from Kohl's the other day and I had a scratch off with 15% off but I wanted 30% so I looked on-line and found the codes for it and ended up with 30% off of my order! Cool!!!!

[Janet]

Do you just go to the store website for coupons or is there a safe coupon site to go to?

[HALEY]

Do you just go to the store website for coupons or is there a safe coupon site to go to?

Janet, i just go to the store, and when the store comes up, search around for a coupon or special, free shipping, discount codes, coupon downloads, special offers.

[DianaB]

I put the name of the store and the word coupon in my search engine. For the Kohls coupon I typed in Kohls and 30% to find the codes. I didn't find coupons for every store that I shopped in but just finding the one good coupon really worked for me enough that I'll try it again.

[Janet]

Thanks ladies, I will definitely try that!

[Dobie]

Great tip Diana!! I'm going to try that the next time I go clothes shopping.

[Chandra Amaya]

I type in coupon code and the store. I use them constantly for ordering pizza. I will not order a pizza without my codes now. I get 20% off my order at most places by creating a new account and using a coupon for your first on-line order.
I don't shop a lot on-line other than ordering pizza, but if I were to start, I would check coupon codes before hitting checkout.
I am particular about some things like cleaners, but I stock up when they are on sale. Clothes? I could care less about a name in them. I just buy what we think is cute and is cheap. I don't buy much for myself unless its on a clearance rack.

Always check for clearance items before you buy off the normal shelf. The same thing may be marked down to 50% off just because it has a messed up package and if it not something we are eating why would I care if the box is bent?

[Janet]

Thanks Traci and everyone. These are some really great tips for saving money!

[Marilyn]

I just had to share this, since Tracy mentioned the clearance racks. I hit the clearance rack at Dillards early this summer and found a really pretty red blouse that was leftover from Christmas. It was marked from $59 down to $14.75. I tried it on and realized why it was on clearance. It had buttons that were way to far apart, and it gaped open in the front, big time. I tried pulling it off over my head buttoned, and it slipped right off, so I bought it and plan to stitch it up the front with it buttoned, and use it as a pull over. I also found a blouse at Ross that was marked down really low and it had the same problem, with too few buttons. It was linen, so had no stretch. I bought it and bought some inexpensive buttons the right size and color and added a button hole between the existing buttons to double the number, changed out all the buttons and I have a really pretty blouse that I've gotten many complements on for very few dollars.

Just an idea you may keep in mind when checking the clearance rack. Sometimes if you get creative you can really find some buys.

[Janet]

Great ideas Marilyn. I'm really appreciating all this tips...you all have no idea. I was pretty good at saving, but just didn't realize a few of these ideas.