I'm a brand hopper. I always go for the cheapest version of almost everything consumable. My toilet paper is $1 for a 6-pack, and it does it's job but it's not quilted (why? I'm just going to toss it when I'm done!) My medicine cabinet is an ode to Equate, the Wal-Mart store brand. My pantry has shelf after shelf of Sam's Choice (the other WalMart store brand).

There are a few places where I almost always buy the brand name, though. Sometimes for health reasons, sometimes it's actually cheaper, sometimes it's just so I know what I'm getting.


IN THE PANTRY
We have Kikkoman soy sauce. Ingredients: water, wheat, soy. It doesn't contain MSG, or wood filler, or any other fake stuff. It's real soy sauce. I buy a jug of the refill to fill our table sized bottle. Also, husband dear hate La Choy and every time we go out gripes about the unfair monopoly LaChoy holds over Chinese restaurants. Pretty soon our life will be like a Seinfeld episode and start sneaking bottles in under our coats. Except we live in South Carolina now...

Mott's Healthy Harvest
My oldest son takes four capsules a day of choline and inositol, which are supplements from the B-vitamin family. However, he won't swallow a pill. So I open them up and sprinkle the powder in applesauce. I had been buying large jars of applesauce (generic, naturally), but it was getting harder and harder to convince him to take it. He always wanted more and more applesauce, and then he'd end up with a bowl too large to eat in one sitting.
Mott's Healthy Harvest are relatively expensive (6 cups for $1.50 = .25 each) but they are individually sized and have a more robust flavor to hide the flavor of his pills. They are all natural, too. We like peach, strawberry, and mixed berry.

Mott's Fruit Snacks
Again, these do not have any artificial colors or preservatives. They are gummy apple sauce nuggets, and colored with fruit and veggie extracts. Don't leave them in the car. They melt into goo.

Kraft Cucumber Ranch
The only regular brand I've found that does not contain MSG. Annie's organics taste weird to me, and no one else around here likes that brand either, plus Kraft is often on sale and there is always a coupon!
Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies
'Nuff said.

In the Broom Closet
Well, I don't actually have a broom closet. What I have are a loose collection of random locations I put cleaning stuff - generally any flat surface more than 48 inches from the floor.

Swiffer Dusters
I'm still on my first box, actually, and I've only used two. You can wash these (just don't put them in the dryer). Great for ceiling fans and the kids think they are fun, which means the kids fight over dusting. Win-win!
Glad plasticware
I've blogged about Zoo Pals before. I also buy Glad brand trash bags (I know, I'm just going to throw them away, but I do want the trash to stay inside the bag!) Trial and error has proven to me that Glad is the best. Love the ForceFlex, but I don't always buy those.
Glad Clingwrap is cheaper than the WalMart generic, and works ten times better. It actually clings, and I've never have the metal cutting thingie fall off.
Incidentally, I'm still using my ZooPals that I bought last August. I will probably need to buy a new set - we've lost some - but they are still going strong despite everyday use and Play-doh adventures!
Purex Laundry Detergent
Husband dear is allergic to Tide. Purex is generally amongst the cheapest choices, and there are often coupons, making it a great frugal choice. Purex also makes a detergent with Renuzit stuff in it to neutralize odors. Sometimes vinegar and borax are not enough and I bring out the big guns!

Spray N' Wash is cheaper than Shout! and works better, IMO. When my kids went to private school and were required to wear button down white shirts, a bar of Ivory soap was the best ring around the collar remover I've found, also.

And, of course,
Crayola brand crayons. Never buy crayons made in China, and Crayola just write so much better than RoseArt!

Labels: homemaking, Works For Me Wednesday