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Are You Brand Loyal?

With the economy in such bad shape, is anyone really brand loyal anymore? Name brand products cost more (on average), but are they better/more effective than generic?

I decided to really think about what we are brand loyal to. There are a few things, though increasingly we are opting for generic.

My family and I are loyal to:

  • Diet Coke. Love, love, love it. There are never coupons on it, but it's worth it. I always wait for it to go on sale though. Regular price is over $4, which is crazy. Also like their rewards program.
  • Ragu. We've tried other tomato sauces and our family loves this one.
  • Stouffer's frozen meals. I've tried Healthy Choice, Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine and many others and Stouffer's is still at the top of the list. I like their rewards program too.
  • Purina cat food. My cat Coco will literally vomit up any other brand. And I have tried others, like Iams, but he's not having it.
  • Scott toilet paper. We've tried other brands and aren't liking them.
  • Ballpark hot dogs and Sugardale hot dogs. These I think are tied in my family. Sugardale is almost always cheaper though, but there usually aren't coupons.
  • Green Giant Veggies. We stock up on frozen veggies, great flavor.
  • Crystal Light. We love their peach tea and lemonade flavors.
  • Amazon.com. Not really a brand, but I love them! Almost always, their prices are cheaper than other stores. Before I buy, I always check there first.
  • Kraft and Nestle products. I've always had good experiences with their products. Plus both companies send out lots of coupons and freebies.

I'm sure there are more but that's all I can think of for now...

We're not loyal to:

  • Any brand of paper towels. If it can absorb liquid, it works.
  • Garbage bags. Usually prefer the Target brand, though Giant Eagle is good. Costco are the best though.
  • Name brand drugs. Over the counter drugs from Costco like allergy pills, heartburn medicine, etc. I will never go back to Claritin again. I can get a huge bottle, 300 allergy pills at Costco, for about $10. They last for months.
  • Bread. My family will eat almost any type of bread, store brand, etc.
  • Cheese. I've tried them all probably. To me, Kraft, Sargento, Heluva Good and the others are about the same in taste and quality. Lately I've been opting to get a big block of cheddar cheese at Costco for only $4, much cheaper than the smaller blocks at the grocery store.
  • Cereal. We love Kellogg's, General Mills, generic, you name it. There are so many cereal coupons out there, it's easy to just go with the better deal.
  • Baking goods products. Generic flour, sugar, salt, spices, etc. etc. all taste the same
  • Eggs. Store brand works for us, though with the recent egg recall, makes me start rethinking that...
  • Bottled water. Costco sells a 24 pk case for $4. Good water, good price
  • Meat. Typically we get meat at Giant Eagle, though we like Costco's rotissiere chickens. Good value at $4 each.

 

What brands are you loyal to?