Not to Be Generic

In an attempt to cut costs any way possible lately, I have abandoned my brand loyalty to some key household and beauty products, just to see.

It is amazing how much more expensive the name brands are, and as a marketer, I know that most of that cost is in packaging/design, advertising and agency fees (eek!). So, I'm not a fool, I can buy the store brand and it will be just fine. Right?

Not so fast.

Do not, under any circumstances, buy generic toothpaste. I know, it sounds so sad and pathetic that I've taken to giving up my Colgate Total for the Walgreens brand, but my toothpaste was $4.99! A tube! With no free toothbrush! So, I broke down and for $1.99 got the Walgreens brand that says "Compare to Colgate Total."

Only if you have no taste buds. The stuff was more like ground up drywall.

So, that's off the list. I'll use travel tubes until I can stand another trip to Walgreens.

Body wash, however, is just soap. In a bottle. For your body. That is easy—White Rain makes a line of body washes that smell really nice and are only $1! Yes, one buck. To squirt that stuff on the loofah makes me feel like a frugal shopper.

No need to splurge on Dove or Oil of Olay or whatever fancy pants body washes they have these days. They all do the same thing, and as long as it doesn't smell like a floral garden in a nursing home, I'm game.

I've long been a fan of Excedrin Migraine (for those pesky ones that hang around for days) and it is comprised of Aspirin, Ibuprofen and a little dash of caffeine. The brand name, however, brings the total up to something horrific like $12 for the big "value size" bottle.

But, the Walgreens brand is exactly the same ingredient makeup, with no brand name (or agency, eek!) to pay off—so it is more like $4. Done.

Let's examine a few other products. Heck, chime in in the comments if you wish. Save a gal some cash!

Trash bags? Brand name only. I don't want my ooky stuff leaking all over my legs as I walk the bag down to the trash chute.

Bottled water? No thanks. I prefer tap water chilled in my Brita pitcher.

Toilet paper? Brand name only. The other stuff only belongs in a road-side gas station bathroom. Gross.

Soda? (or for my southern readers, Coke?) I'd have to say, There's nothing but the real thing, baby. Keep your Shasta and Cola away from me.

Dish soap? Generics are fine. I'm not tasting it, rubbing it on my girl parts or showering in it. It can be Housewifey Brand for all I care.

Detergent? This one is tricky. I'm hugely affected by smells, and clean laundry is one of my favorites. You can smell it now, can't you? That favorite t-shirt fresh from the dryer? It is imperative that this stuff smells good, but many brands are good. I just buy what's on sale.

But, against my better judgement, I bought some cleaning supplies at the Dollar Tree next door to my Target. Big mistake.

The "Johnny Fresh" toilet bowl cleaner smelled like a hospital. A dirty one.

The "Fabuloso!" surface cleaner smelled worse than the offending counter-top-mess that was there before. No thank you.

The "Lemon Fresh" furniture polish smelled like I'd robbed a lemonade stand and used an industrial hose to spray it all over my apartment.

Lesson learned.

Not to be generic, but sometimes you get what you pay for.

(Which is probably why my supply closet is filling more and more up with the Method products. Such delicious smells, good for me and the environment and such cool packaging. I think I'm a brand advocate. But, the stuff is pricey! I need a job to keep my closet full of their stuff.)