Brands and Brand Loyalty
This is a mixed post-- I am going to advocate two sides of one position.
I highly recommend that you try store brands and generics because they can save you big money (Saving Money in the Medicine Cabinet ). However, you may find some of them are better then the advertised, "name" brands. I have often explained to people that the store doesn't have a yogurt, cereal, or english muffin factory-- they job it out. In many cases, they outsource to the "name" brand manufacturers. For example, I really like the local supermarket's brand of english muffins better then the famous brand.
There are some "name" brands that I haven't found a cheaper and better alternative-- in my mind they are "worth" it (especially when bought on deep discount Loss Leaders: Use Them to Your Advantage):
- Hellman's mayo
- Heinz ketchup
- Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
- Wheaties cereal
- Quaker oatmeal
- Coca Cola
- Tabasco
If I was to try and beat these products-- I would have to go homemade from scratch . . . that sounds like a future post idea.
Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information. You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing. Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.
Related posts:
Do You Buy Features or Benefits?
Quality and Value
A Simple Approach to Purchase Decisions
My Typical Grocery List and Strategy
Categories: Money Savers, Consumerism, Personal Philosophy, Frugality, Groceries
Tags: Brands Consumerism Frugality Money Savers Frugal Groceries Brand Loyalty Personal Philosophy
I live in a town that has a cereal processing plant. They have products under their own name, which is not nationally known. But they also produce products for national brands under contract. This leads me to believe that their own brand is as good as the national.
On the other hand, we know that such things are done with close control of ingredient costs, so the local brand may well use cheaper ingredients, and therefore not be as good.
Reply to this
Cheaper ingredients may or may not matter-- I go by taste and satisfaction . . .
When I was a soda drinker-- I sometimes preferred the less expensive brands because they used less sugar . . . I liked the flavor.
Reply to this
I also like Tabasco and have not found any adequate substitute for it. However, my wife makes something I call "cannibal sambal" which is quite good. See this link for a definition of sambal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambol It's an Indonesian Malaysian Philippine SriLankan condiment. She is from Malaysia.
Reply to this
Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.
Reply to this
This is not healthy, but my kids like them, spaghetti o's in a can, do not buy generic-yuck (or so they have told me.)
Also I don't like generic tea bags. But most things I buy generic.
My boys like graham crackers, national brand was over $3 a box, I bought the store brand $1 a box, they taste great.
Also most store brands come with a money back guarantee, if you don't like it take them up on the offer and get your money back (save your receipt.)
Reply to this