"Smart people buy generic brands"

[Lynn49]

I just came across this and thought you may find it interesting...

http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/25/news...l?iid=obinsite

[Chantel]

The title is true, but only to an extent.

Sale prices and coupons can make brand-name WAY cheaper than store brand, like yesterday when I picked up Scope for under a buck with a sale and coupon, or I would have had to pay $3 for the store brand of the same thing.

For the average consumer, though, generic products are the way to go. They're virtually identical to national brands and cost less. People are just stuck buying brands because that's what their parents bought, or because they perceive brands to be better quality when that isn't true at all.

[Natalka]

Store brands can be good some of the time, but not all.

[torontogal12]

Good to see what the experts would buy. But what an awful headline.

"Smart people" or "experts?"

Yeesh

[walkonby]

Lynn I have bought generic Ibuprofen tablets for DH instead of Advil for years now, he insisted when he saw the price difference.
I do agree with Chantel about pairing a great sale with a coupon that can make the Brand name cheaper, often free, but these days the coupons are-a-dwindling and restricting so nice that the generic option is there.
I've had Great Value ( WM), Irresistibles ( Metro), No Name, Presidents's Choice ( RCSS, No Frills, Loblaws ) and Selection ( Food Basics) brands of various canned items in my cupboards all because they had the lower price than the brand name.

[Lynn49]

Good to see what the experts would buy. But what an awful headline.

"Smart people" or "experts?"

Yeesh

The subject line was taken directly from the article: it's not mine.

Absolutely couponing can bring prices down...IF you can find them and have the time to search them out....smaller towns simply don't have opportunities that larger cities have regarding the availability of coupons and price-matching.....each to their own!

[torontogal12]

Sorry, didn't mean for you to think it was directed at you.I think it's a bad headline on their part.

I agree that brand names can be cheaper with coupons. But I often buy generic cookies, taco shells, eggs, beans, grains (like rice, quinoa), ethnic frozen stuff (generic samosas are delicious). Generic Aleve. Irresistibles juice from Metro is comparable to Oasis or Tropicana. Their Alla Vodka pasta sauce is pretty good too (coming from an Italian person who only eats homemade sauce when it comes to plain tomato and basil).

Flour and other baking stuff, I just buy whatever is in the bin at Bulk Barn hahah.

For me, also, if the price difference between name brand and generic is only a few cents,I will compare the nutrition info and get whichever is the healthier one

Here's an article about what chefs buy generic
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/...rs-buy-generic

The subject line was taken directly from the article: it's not mine.

Absolutely couponing can bring prices down...IF you can find them and have the time to search them out....smaller towns simply don't have opportunities that larger cities have regarding the availability of coupons and price-matching.....each to their own!

[Andit]

Thanks for the article, Lynn.


For most things, this rings true. But for some, I`m not so sure. I have to take Aspirin every day. Even tho it can cost considerably more than the generic kind, I just don`t feel comfortable with the store brands (the Aspirin doesn`t irritate my other meds, so I`m not about to rock the boat ).

The one thing I could never get used to were the no-name colas. To my palate, the taste was not a pleasant experience, I`d sooner go without.

As for everything else, whatever has the best price is the way to go.

[Shwa Girl]

Thanks Lynne49.
We just bought No Name spaghetti with marinara sauce.
Tasty.
Low fat, low sodium. low sugar and has fiber.
We just add some No Name macedonian style frozen veggies to make it more nutritious

[Zonny]

My doc doesn't like prescribing generic meds, normally puts on the prescription that there's no substitutions, apparently she's seen ungood things with some generic drugs.

When DS was a baby, Pampers were always cheaper than store brand because of sales and coupons, but that was at least six years since I bought those.

I do buy generic Advil at Costco, works fine. Basic things like beans, I'll buy no name brand. Soup, no, never much liked those as much.

[Chantel]

Lynn I have bought generic Ibuprofen tablets for DH instead of Advil for years now, he insisted when he saw the price difference.

My sister is the opposite. She refuses to use anything but brand-name Advil (not even Motrin is okay!) because she's convinced it doesn't work for her. I've asked pharmacists, and they tell me it's the same active ingredient, just often a different combination of fillers.

It drives me crazy to blow $10 on Advil when I could get twice as much store brand for less.

[Horndogg]

for some things "no name" are fine, but NOT Heinz Ketchup and Kraft Miracle Whip

[FallenPixels]

My sister is the opposite. She refuses to use anything but brand-name Advil (not even Motrin is okay!) because she's convinced it doesn't work for her. I've asked pharmacists, and they tell me it's the same active ingredient, just often a different combination of fillers.

It drives me crazy to blow $10 on Advil when I could get twice as much store brand for less.

I am with her, Advil is one of the few things I will pay for - I take it as I feel a migraine coming on and generic has never helped. Maybe the fillers just help it work differently, bc other generic meds are fine

I personally find most brand names can be stocked up on when cheap, but some generics are just as good or better

[theo44]

I've never noticed the difference in contact lens solution and I usually get the Walmart type.

As others have mentioned it depends on the generic brand. I like the Meto banner store brand and Sobey's is decent as well.

Yellow No Name I find to be much lower quality.

PC I almost consider a national brand.

Since I have been using coupons though I find I can very often get the national brand items for cheaper combining sales and coupons.

[avoncallingu]

Lynn, you've always making us think! Thanks!