Ahh, the wonderful world of generic goods. Who doesn’t love knockoff store brand stuff? It’s the same item, just a dollar or two less, and in a dull package. Some things are worth buying name brands, but generally speaking, there’s a lot to save and little to lose by going with the generic option. Here’s a quick list of some things you should always grab the cheaper version of.
Cleaning Supplies
Chemicals are chemicals. It doesn’t matter how you dress up the packaging or how trusted a brand is. At the end of the day, bleach is bleach, and it cleans just the same for $2 as it does for $5.
Over The Counter Medicine
Stomach upset? You might grab Tums or calcium carbonate. Fun fact: the store brand has the exact dosage of the same medicine in it. The only difference is the price tag.
Food Storage Items
Zip-loc and Tupperware are so universally known that they’re used as general terms for the products. Save yourself a few dollars and get the store brand- they work just as well, and you get way more bang for your buck.
Gift Bags/Gift Wrap
You could spend a fortune on finely crafted tissue paper and Hallmark brand gift bags, sure. Or, if you think about it, you could forego the expensive soon-to-be garbage and buy whatever cheap gift-wrapping materials you can find at a discount. That’ll free up a few extra dollars for the gifts themselves.
Coffee
Starbucks coffee and Wal-Mart brand coffee differ wildly only in price. Whether 100% Colombian, Arabica, a French roast, or whatever specifications the coffee may have, at the end of the day, it’s the same cup of wake-up. The key difference is Starbucks will cost twice as much, if not more.
Canned Food
No matter what brand, canned foods are all prepared in the same manner. One is less nutritious than another, and wasting fifty cents to a dollar on Green Giant green beans seems silly when you think about it.
Reading Glasses
Now, if they were prescription glasses, I may have taken a different position on this one, but readers are universally rated to magnify a given amount. As long as they have the proper strength of lens for your eyes, it doesn’t matter what you pay for them.
Tube Socks
The blandest of all clothing items, the common tube sock should be bought in multipacks and thought very little of. Now. Nice hiking socks, or wool ones for the winter, are another story, but everyday tube socks are a dime a dozen, and that’s about what you should pay for them.
Undershirts
Like tube socks, they are a basic clothing item. No need for flash, just something consistent and comfortable. A modestly priced multipack should do just fine.
Shoelaces
When have you heard of someone going after designer shoelaces? Never? Bingo. Go ahead and cheap out unless you’re outfitting heavy-duty work boots. Then, get some that are known for durability.
Gas
Unless your car calls explicitly for higher-octane fuel, save your money on premium-grade gasoline. Gas is pricey enough as is; there is no need to overthink it. Regular 87 unleaded works just fine for most cars.
Frozen Foods
Like canned foods, frozen foods are of comparable quality. You don’t typically see significant variations in nutritional content or anything of consequence besides the price.
Aluminum Foil
Any heavy-duty aluminum foil will hold up pretty well to moderate abuse. Why shell out a couple of extra dollars to get a name-brand when the roll of store-brand foil does the trick? It all wraps the same.
Plastic Wrap
Speaking of wrap, you may be tempted to spring for Glad Clingwrap, but if appropriately used, the Wal-Mart special will wrap up your food just as tight and keep it just as fresh at a fraction of the cost.
Baking Goods
Baking powder, flour, sugar, and the like all act the same, whether you pay out the nose for “high-end” stuff. Why not save a couple of shekels the next time you bake something for the family?
Snacks
Snacks are simply the junky filler that we shovel into our gullet between meals. Why overcomplicate things with brand loyalty? Some of the best snacks I’ve ever had came from the dollar store- shout out to this bag of chili cheese crinkle-cut fries!
Candles
How complicated is a stick of burning wax, anyway? Sure, there are scented options, and those are cool, but most stores have a cheaper option for those too. Don’t break the bank on soft mood lighting. Get the less expensive candles next time.
Water
Two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen- it doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that, yet there are countless “high-end” water brands. Here’s the dirty little secret: most noticed water is marked as “CTW” or “City Tap Water,” so you might as well get a refillable bottle and hit the sink when you need to top it off.