Things you Should Always Buy Generic

While some people don't care one way or the other, there is still a large portion of people who have a hang-up on buying brand name products. Whether they think generic off-brands will not provide the same quality, they feel like people will look down upon them for buying generic, or whatever else the reason might be, they have trouble getting past buying the big names.

Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret that more and more people are learning and accepting in their shopping practices. Believe it or not, while generics are clearly the better deal, some are actually a far superior product to the names you know and love.

Here are three examples of things I highly recommend buying ONLY in generic form.

Vanilla Wafers

Most people are familiar with the brand name "Nilla Wafers" and if you buy them, you are likely aware that the price can be a little shocking. It seems to be more than $4 per box in most stores.

There are several brands you can pick up at your local grocery store or Dollar General or other discount store at half the price or even less sometimes. And unlike the original, many of the off brands I've tried have more of a flavorful taste and a better taste overall.

Raisin Bran Cereal

If you've had a box of either of the two name band versions of this cereal recently (Kellogg's and Post), you may be disappointed by the amount of raisins. After all, that is a big part of why you buy this item. I have found that several generic versions give you a lot more of this sweet fruit at a much lower price point. If you happen to live near a Food Lion store, I highly recommend theirs.

Fig Newtons

The whole point of these fig cookie bars is to give you the taste of sweet fig filling. However, it seems more and more as if the name brand is providing less of the fruit and more of the dough that surrounds it. While the dough isn't bad, it's not the purpose. It would be kind of like a sandwich with two big pieces of bread and a single slice of cheese or meat in the middle.

A Couple More To Consider

A few other products you may want to consider in generic brands and facial tissue and tortilla chips.

As a person who suffers seasonal allergies, I go through my share of tissues. And to be honest, I find no difference between name brands like Kleenex and Puff and store brands or even tissues from the Dollar Tree. And when it comes to tortilla chips, I've found a few that aren't the big name brands that rival if not exceed the taste of the big guys.

What NEVER to Buy Generic

While generics can be fantastic, there are some thing you should never buy unless they are a name brand. The big four that come to mind are pregnancy tests, condoms, measurement devices and gasoline.

When it comes to pregnancy tests, and of course this is coming from a guy's perspective, I would stick to brands that have been around for a long time and hold a record of trustworthiness rather than something from your local dollar store. This is simply something just too important to get wrong.

In the same line of thinking, condoms should be limited to the two or three big name brands not only to help avoid pregnancy but even more so to help avoid the spread of disease.

When I mentioned measuring devices, what I mean are things that are either meant to measure temperatures like medical thermometers or those used for baking or determining the temperature of meats. I'd also say anything that intended to test something like blood pressure. You don't want to mess around here.

Last but not least, gasoline. When you fill up your car, you might want to avoid unbranded gas stations. You don't know the source or quality of the gasoline you put into your car. I have personally known several people who have had adverse effects on their vehicles including costly damages.