Generics: For Better and Worse
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Hi! I'm Mrs. Micah and I blog about all things personal finance at Finance for a Freelance Life. I also run a small blog consulting business and blog on blogging at BlogCrafted. This post is an updated version of one I wrote last fall. If you like it, why not subscribe to my daily posts?
For many of us, buying generic products is second nature. I swear by them. In many cases the only difference is a matter of packaging, or perhaps a slight difference in quality (sometimes Giant-brand peanuts don't taste as good as Planters peanuts). In some cases, I like the generics even better than name brands.
But there are a few generics that I've tried and now avoid like the plague. For example:In some cases, I like the generics even better than name brands.
But there are a few generics that I've tried and now avoid like the plague.
- CVS razor blades for the Gillette Sensor handle. Micah tried these and they really cut up his face. He even tried each replacement blade once to be sure it wasn't a problem with a few of them.
- Giant generic nasal strips. Micah sometimes snores and last fall he decided to try nasal strips. These weren't anything like the razor incident, they just didn't stay on well and when they did, they didn't do much to prevent the snoring. Whereas we had a great experience with Breathe-Rite.
- CVS noncomedogenic, non-salicylic moisturizer with sunscreen. It was very gritty in a way that felt less like exfoliating and more like sand (also, why does moisturizer exfoliate?). If it got in my eyes it burned. It was an appealing $4 cheaper than the Neutrogena version, but not worth the savings.
- Giant scouring pads. Rusted after one use. We used them up, one use at a time, but it was a real disappointment.
- Giant all-purpose cleaner. The bottle was poorly made, the top doesn't stay on properly. And I generally disliked using it.
- CVS maxi pads. CVS makes a nice pantiliner, but their maxi pads simply don't get the job done. Neither has any generic maxi pad I've tried.
But for the most part, generics rock! Here are a few that are still part of my day-to-day life.
- CVS benzoyl peroxide cream (their alternative to Neutrogena's "On the Spot"). It does a great job preventing breakouts, it's basically identical to Neutrogena.
- CVS personal lubricant. That's right, they make it! And it's packaged just like Astroglide, works just fine as a lubricant. I was impressed.
- CVS non-drowsy nasal decongestant. I have allergies and there are some times of the year when I can't do without decongestants. I dislike taking them, but this is one of the most pleasant I've run across. Unlike most, it doesn't knock me out or leave me feeling sleepy.
- CVS sensitive skin soap. Beats Dove for price and everything else is just as good. We did try their regular soap once (CVS) and I didn't like it nearly as much. It made me think more of Dial than of Dove. But since I have sensitive skin, CVS works.
While I can't think of anything specific from Giant, we do buy Giant generic brands for most of our meat, canned vegetables, dried beans/rice, milk, cheese, etc. We only once had a problem, when a small, bean-sized rock got in with my beans. I don't know if that was Giant's fault or could have happened anywhere.
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12 Responses to “Generics: For Better and Worse”
November 16th, 2008 at 6:02 am
[...] Sunday, my Frugal Hacks post is on our experiences with good and bad generics. It’s a slightly-updated version of something I wrote a bit more than a year ago. Since only [...]
November 16th, 2008 at 6:28 am
Okay, gotta leave you kudos for mentioning Astroglide in a frugal blog. Wish I had that kind of courage.
November 16th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
CVS noncomedogenic, non-salicylic moisturizer with sunscreen
We find that Cetaphil works really well in our house. Very smooth, with a pleasantly light scent. We had the same experience as you with the CVS stuff — why is a moisturizer gritty?
November 16th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I’ll have to try some of these. Another one I like is I use a lot of Suave products. They aren’t generic, but really reasonably priced.
Karen aka marrid66
Here On Columbia Avenue
Da Boss And Bryguy
4 Cats Make Me Crazy!
November 16th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I always sort my dried beans. (Stones that are about the same size as the beans can get in there with any brand, as the manufacturers wash and dry the beans on mesh racks.) My little daughter helps me to pour about 1/3 of a pound at a time into a pie plate, where she looks through them and picks out any “funny ones.” She loves it when she finds a pebble!
November 16th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I’ve found generics hit or miss, too.
My son is on a restricted diet, and cannot have petroleum-derived lard substitutes (BHA/BHT/TBHQ). We pretty much can ONLY buy name brand crackers, like Triscuit or Wheat Thins – every generic brand contains cheap substitutes.
On the other hand, I SWEAR by WalMart generic diapers. I’ve used them for 10 years, for 7 different children, and both genders. LOVE THEM! But my sister despises them.
November 17th, 2008 at 6:12 am
We too are on a restricted diet. It is hard to find things where the name brand is fine but the generic is not.
I think it is funny once you try a generic you know if it is good and buy it again and again or if it was bad and stay away. But someone else may think it was fine. There are a few things where it is worth the extra money to buy the name brand.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Ooh, thanks for the tip on CVS benzoyl peroxide. I use On The Spot daily – it’d be terrific to have a cheaper alternative! I’ll definitely give it a try.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Generics are pretty hit or miss! Razors are a horrible idea, and most of the food is not quite as good but edible. Though I do notice that the Wal-Mart brand generics are a little better than say the Dollar General kind. Though I am not a big fan of that large retail chain they do save you money.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
My husband is pretty picky about generic food brands; I usually don’t mind them. One thing in particular is Orange Juice. Name brands are so much more expensive, and we go through a ton, but generic brands are just not as good.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I have 5 bags of CVS Maxi Pads in my bathroom. Love them! I’ve never had any problems with them…ever.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I used to have a problem with some of the store brand mac n’ cheese, but now I’ve achieved a zen-like appreciation of how store brands don’t taste “worse” than the brand-name blue boxed mac n cheese. Generics just taste “different”. After all, just what is boxed mac n’ cheese supposed to taste like? Even the brand named stuff isn’t as good as homemade! So, I now have no qualms about just getting whatever’s cheapest. Same with Ice cream, cold cereal, salad dressing, etc. I have noticed some generic laundry detergents don’t quite cut it, but again, if you buy the store brand at say, Safeway, and you’re not satisfied, they’ll refund your money. So they say. I’ve never bothered, but a stickler for this kind of guarantee would probably feel braver about trying generics if they’re willing to follow thru with voicing their opinion if not satisfied.
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