We are trying to find different ways to save money.  So when we go shopping we will buy what’s on sale.  If the item we need is not on sale then we choose the next best thing, the generic brand.

The problem is that it’s not always the next best thing.  At times certain generic products will cost you more in the end.

This does not mean that you should avoid all generic brands, just certain ones. For instance, electronics, this is a product that you want to choose wisely.

An MP3 player is an item that just about everyone has or wants.  When choosing one, purchase a brand name product.  The reason is that the generic MP3 player, does not function well, headsets do not work properly, the charge won’t last long and before you know, it it’s time to trash it.

Household products are another area we try to save money on.  These items include, paper products, cleaning supplies, garbage bags, aluminum foil, etc.  The list is long but we all have had some type of experience with these products.  When purchasing paper products such as bathroom tissue or paper towels, it’s best to purchase the brand name products because they last longer.  True that they can be expensive, this is where the coupons and sales come in handy.

We have all seen the commercials on television regarding trash bags.  It shows us what happens when we purchase generic brand products.  The funny thing is that it’s true.  We buy the generic brand and we can’t put too much in it otherwise it will break which means we have to use another bag.  Now cleaning supplies are not always bad if generic, just be careful and read the labels. Cleaning products is another item, it’s better to purchase the real thing.  For instance, dishwashing liquid, the cheaper brand last a week if lucky, where as the regular product can last three times longer.

One item that can be costly to a family is diapers.  An infant will go through seven or eight diapers in a day.  The cost can add up.  Due to that many will purchase the generic brand, at least once.  What they find out is that they go through even more diapers than before.  It’s not because they aren’t absorbent as the regular brands, it’s that they don’t fit well.  So of course, this means they will leak and be very messy.
Out of all the items we may purchase, food is the one we will cut the most corners on.  We choose a lot of generic brands over popular brands.  Now, many will do as generic but certain ones should be avoided.  The top three to avoid purchasing as generic are as follows:

• Ketchup, generic brands don’t taste as good and can be very watery
• Cheese, it should be soft and tasty, not greasy and hard as cardboard
• Spaghetti sauce, many generic brands is like watery ketchup and spaghetti will be ruined

Again, this does not mean you should avoid generic products completely; there are many that can still be purchased and are just as good as regular brands.  When purchasing these items for the first time, never buy five or six, what you should do is purchase just one.  If it is a good product then continue purchasing but if it was a bad experience, and then you won’t be as upset since you only purchase one.
Now this is one product that, no matter what, it should always be a good quality product and that is paint. You want this to last for a longer period of time and not have to use more than a couple of coats of pain.  Remember the purpose of painting is to make the home look better, not to make it look awful.

What we have to remember is that the reason these generic products are less expensive is because they add more water to the product to thin it out (paint, ketchup, spaghetti sauce.  If it’s electronics, they will use cheap parts and since they are cheap so is the product in every way possible.  This doesn’t mean you can’t save money, just be a cautious shopper and remember look for sales and save your coupons.