I swear by generics. They make so much sense to me. But sometimes buying the name brand is probably the best call. Here’s a few places where I’ve found this over the last 2 months:
- Giant* generic nasal strips. Mr. Micah uses these because otherwise he’ll periodically snore. We tried out the Giant ones first, but they didn’t work well. So we switched to Breathe-Right (Rite?). Turns out they have more adhesive which helps them stay on better and open the nose more.
- CVS noncomedogenic, non-salicylic moisturizer with sunscreen. For some reason, it had a gritty texture and made my face feel bad. Plus it burned if it got in my eyes. Never again! It was $4 cheaper than the Neutrogena version but not worth the discomfort.
- Giant scouring pads. Rusted after the first use. I mean come on! One use? We can still use them up, since they work for that first use, but we’re going to go with another brand next time.
- Giant all-purpose cleaner. Badly made bottle, the top won’t stay properly screwed-on. Kind of frustrating. We may still get it just because I don’t use it often. Just in the bathroom and occasionally the sink.
Here’s a few good generics Mr. Micah and I use on a regular basis:
- CVS Benzoyl peroxide cream (like Neutrogena “On the Spot”). I use it to prevent breakouts. Just as strong as name brands and no negative effects.
- CVS lubricant. It’s packaged just like Astroglide, but a different color (purple, I think?). I prefer the 2 in 1 warming because it’s great for massage lotion and CVS doesn’t offer that yet. At least not in my area. But as a lubricant it’s just fine.
- CVS non-drowsy nasal decongestant. It’s true! It doesn’t make me sleepy, while Benadryl knocks me out, and it works as a decongestant. Plus it’s cheaper than the others and doesn’t have any ingredients that get you carded.
- CVS soap. They have one which mimics Dove bars, they’re even interstocked. It’s just as good as Dove. Except it wins in the price department!
We also buy most of our meat, canned vegetables, dairy, etc, generic. I haven’t yet had a problem with Giant on those scores. They also have decent paper products, though nothing noteworthy.
*note: most of the stuff on here is Giant or CVS. Those are closest stores for us, so the ones where I do the most generic shopping. Plus they’re bigger than some stores I used to shop at, so they actually offer generics. I just discovered a local Aldi, so we’re going to give them a shot this week. I might write more about that later.
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Great ideas!! If the name brand works better you can always sign up for samples and coupons at the product web sight!! I love generics too!!! For scouring pads and detergent Rinso is a great brand sold at many dollar stores. It has the Good housekeeping seal of approval. You can use Rinso scouring pads more than once too!! Some of the same cosmetics and products are sold by the same companies but, are packaged in different containers. You pay extra for the name and containers ect.. One prime example is Lexus vehicles. They are luxury vehicles made by Toyota I was told. Have a great rest of the week and good luck!! Annette
Generic meds seem to be just as good as name brands in general. This is according to Tim’s dad (who’s a doctor). They’re also usually good even after they expire, too.
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Aldi is amazing!!
Dawn, one our contributors at Queercents recently posted her list about what things she would or would not buy generic or 2nd hand. Interesting… she’s more adventurous than the average person.
I like generics too and think most are just as good as the name brands.
I’m a big fan on generic brands too! I’m usually all about generic food….
Coconut oil works in place of CVS (or any other brand) lubricant. I don’t know that it’s cheaper (haven’t done any price comparisons, but the coconut oil is far superior to anything else we’ve used). It makes a good massage lotion/oil too. There are various brands and you can usually find it in the natural/organic section of the grocery store, in with other oils. The gigantic cheap retailer that many people hate (and many love) has their own brand in with the other cooking oils. I’ve heard the stuff also works good for cooking, but have no experience there.
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