I consider myself to be a pretty savvy shopper and I try to find the best deals as much as possible even if it means going with a generic brand. Have you stared a products, a brand name and a store brand, and asked yourself should I go with the less expensive brand? I find myself doing this all the time and my answer to the question is, it depends. It depends on a number of factors and the worst part is that you have to make a decision quick, otherwise you’re going to be shopping for a long time. Generic brands are just as good as name brands.

Try It At Least Once

You can’t do any comparison unless you try the other brand. Whether it’s groceries, gadgets, clothes, or other item, you have to give the other brand a try. When my kids are craving for orange juice, I’ll shop at my local Harris Teeter and if the brand name juices aren’t on sale, I’ll buy the store brand. They may taste a little different but it still tastes like OJ.

Compare What’s Important

When you’re staring at two items, determine what’s important when trying to figure out which one to choose. Is price the most important? Quality? Taste? Nutrition? My wife and I got into Coconut water to add to our veggie shake and as I was walking through Costco, I saw that Kirkland (Costco’s brand) made Organic Coconut water. First thing I checked was the nutritional facts and sure enough, they were similar but the Costco brand was cheaper. For coconut water, what is important for me is the nutritional facts and the price. In this case, Costco wins.

Don’t Be Discouraged

If you make a decision that you are regretting, don’t be discouraged. Understanding that you’re trying things at least once, you’re going to come across items that you just don’t like. I bought some very inexpensive Airpod looking devices for under $10 for my daughter. Too good to be like the real Airpods? It was too good to be true. The device did work but it just didn’t feel right. The quality was not as good. It was slow to connect. It just wasn’t worth the $10. But don’t get discouraged.

Generic brands are an alternative to name brand items and there are generic items that are just as good if not better. I’ve bought and continue to buy generic brands for groceries, medication, gadgets, clothes, toilet paper, and more. If the generic brands are not a fit for you, just go back to your name brand. At least you tried. Finding alternatives such as generic brands can help you financially in the long run and can help you towards financial independence. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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