I know other brands are cheaper, but I MUST HAVE _________!

[kelcoppens]

Pepsi
Brand name pasta sauce only (I prefer Classico, but most of them are ok, I dont like generic tho)
Hormel Chili (because DH hates other brands of this)
Manwich (same DH reason)
Luvs diapers (generic doesnt fit well on our son)
Good start baby formula (i would go with generic if our baby would tolerate it but he doesnt)
Carefree pantiliners (dont like ANY other brands or generic)
Always pads (same here)
Yoplait yogurt (I think any other brand including generic is gross!)
Purex or All laundry detergent
Shout stain removal
Charmin toilet paper

For the most part, other than these, I try to always buy generic unless I have a coupon and it makes sense to go with that brand.

 

[Green Tea]

If I want a biscuit for breakfast, it needs to be a Hardee's biscuit. The others, while okay, are sort of a waste of calories. For something that greasy, I want it be the best....Hardee's.

This is a must for me, and it isn't a brand name. For plastic wrap it has to be Kirkland's (from Costco.) All the name brands and other store brands are crappy.

 

[Green Tea]

Apple computers!

 

[ChiCat]

I can only use All Free and Clear detergent, we've spent the last two weekends in hotels and I have a rash on my body to prove it. I can't use any other free and clear, I've tried and they all give me a rash. And of course hotels use bleach and god only knows what kind of detergent so I usually get a rash from using their towels and sheets.

Also:

Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner, I've used it for a good 8 years or so and nothing is smudge proof and water proof like this stuff.

Eurcerin lotion, boring but super moisturizing.

Aquaphor for my lips. The only thing that keeps them moisturized.

For my nails- Poshe top coat and a glass nail file. I can wear different brands of base coat and polish but the two above are a must.

Fage greek yogurt. OMG. It's so ridiculous to pay $2 for a thing of 2% greek yogurt with honey but it's better than most desserts I've had!

 

[CarolinaMike]

Lets see in our house it's Crest toothpast, Method Laundry detergent, Bath and Body Works hand soap, Friskies cat food, Bounty Paper Towels, Jif peanut butter and Duke's mayonaise

 

[momto2inKC]

Viva paper towels
Quilted Northern or Charmin tp
Kleenex tissues
Kotex tampons
Secret deoderant
Snuggle dryer sheets
Redken shampoo/conditioner
Kraft mac & cheese
Uncle Bens rice
Lipton tea
Fresh Step kitty litter
Glad trash bags
Dunkin Donuts coffee
Coffee Mate creamer
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
Heinz ketchup
Dawn dish soap
Land O Lakes butter

 

[jandel]

It's so funny how our tastes can be so different. For instance, I must have Hellman's or Kraft mayo - wouldn't eat Duke's again if you paid me! And I find that Walgreen's tampons work great.

Others are:

Gain detergent
Nathan's hot dogs (after eating one of these I get sick from the taste of any other brand)
Northern tp
Heinz ketchup (for dh)
Coke (would rather drink water than any other brand of cola)
generic canned corn (preferably fresh but if it has to be canned then it's Del Monte only)
Triscuits (the store brands are gross)
Irish Spring and Head and Shoulders (again, for DH)
Claussen pickles

I'm trying to be more of a savvy shopper so every grocery trip I try a generic of something new. I'd say it's about a 50-50 success rate. I already buy generic on things like pasta, mustard, sugar, etc so I don't feel too bad about my "must-haves"

 

[The 4 "Quay"balleros]

Bounty paper towels, saran wrap and reynolds wrap.

 

[manning]

Read this


http://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-12-2009/generic_store_brands.html

Also in that article is this:


Did you know that store brands are often manufactured by the same companies that make comparable brand-name products? The only difference is the packaging and the price.


Back in the 60's I worked for a major oil company. Back then our refinery produced at a little over 50% capacity. Also back then there were independent gas stations. We sold the same exact gas to them in order to increase our refining output. The only difference were the additives added to the tanker when the gas was loaded into them. Same gas came out of the hose.

 

[Bungle]

Tillamook cheese and ice cream. And even though I don't drink soda dh would be livid if I came home with anything besides pepsi.

 

[musicluvr40]

So - a question for the loyal Tide users: I am a loyal Tide user - we use the Clean Breeze scent with the white lid. (Not He) I heard on a morning show that the Costco brand is pretty much the same. I priced it, and the Costco brand (I think it's Kirkland's) is much cheaper. If you have used it, can you give me your thoughts? Does is clean the clothes really well? Smell great?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Kycha]

Read this


http://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-12-2009/generic_store_brands.html

Also in that article is this:


Did you know that store brands are often manufactured by the same companies that make comparable brand-name products? The only difference is the packaging and the price.


Back in the 60's I worked for a major oil company. Back then our refinery produced at a little over 50% capacity. Also back then there were independent gas stations. We sold the same exact gas to them in order to increase our refining output. The only difference were the additives added to the tanker when the gas was loaded into them. Same gas came out of the hose.

Back in the 70's, one of my Dad's clients was Del Monte veggies/fruits. He told me once he was walking through the cannery and they were running 2 lines. One had cans with the Del Monte label, the other a generic label. They were all being filled from the same machine/hopper.

Also, a friend of mine once told me that the cheapo batteries you can get at the dollar store(I think they are Panasonic brand) are really just Energizer batteries with a different label...at half the price.

 

[momof1princess]

Back in the 70's, one of my Dad's clients was Del Monte veggies/fruits. He told me once he was walking through the cannery and they were running 2 lines. One had cans with the Del Monte label, the other a generic label. They were all being filled from the same machine/hopper.

Also, a friend of mine once told me that the cheapo batteries you can get at the dollar store(I think they are Panasonic brand) are really just Energizer batteries with a different label...at half the price.

i think i read on here somewhere that duracell makes the CVS batteries, and an assistant manager at walgreens told me eveready makes theirs. i remember when i was a little girl 30+ years ago, all anyone had was eveready batteries.