Grocery store prices have skyrocketed in recent years. Average annual food-at-home prices increased by 5% between 2022 and 2023. With the influx of inflation, many are considering switching from name-brand to generic versions of their grocery staples to save money. Here are some items where name-brands don’t make much of a difference.
1. Toothpaste
While some people need specific kinds of toothpaste or have strong objections to certain flavors, generic brands, for the most part, achieve what the basic name-brand options do. Your teeth will still be clean and you’ll save a little bit of money.
2. Breakfast Cereal
If you’ve ever tasted store-brand cereal, you know it doesn’t taste different enough from the major brands to warrant the price difference. With many cereals, you can swap out the cheaper brands for the more expensive ones. There might not be a smiling cartoon character on the box, but the cereals themselves have similar flavors.
3. Canned Food
Most canned goods, such as beans and vegetables, are of the same quality, whether name-brand or generic. In this case, when you buy a name brand, you are mostly supporting their marketing.
4. Milk
Unless you’re looking for specialty milk, such as lactose-free or almond milk, there is no harm in buying generic cow’s milk over the name brand. All milk must meet certain safety requirements before grocery stores can sell it. Compare the labels; the generic and name brands might even come from the same farm.
5. Dish Towels and Washcloths
As long as your towels are absorbent enough to dry dishes, does it matter how much they cost or who made them? Try visiting dollar stores for items like these. You might be surprised by how much you save by ditching the name-brand towels.
6. Paper Towels
While it may make sense to buy paper towels in bulk at Costco, you can likely find individual rolls of paper towels for as little as a dollar at your local convenience store. However much you need, it never hurts to buy the generic brand, as you’ll throw these out after you use them anyway.
7. Over-the-Counter Medications
Compare the labels of cheaper generic over-the-counter medications to their name-brand counterparts. You’ll see that these contain the same ingredients. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), generic and brand-name medications use the same active ingredients. This is because the FDA requires generic drug manufacturers to follow the same standards as brand-name manufacturers during production.
8. Multivitamins
Buying expensive vitamins doesn’t necessarily translate to buying the best vitamins. Like over-the-counter medications, vitamins contain the same active ingredients. A glance at the labels will tell you so. Look for inexpensive brands such as NOW, NatureWise, and AmazonBasics.
9. Instant Coffee
Once you try instant coffee, you’ll see it doesn’t taste much different from ground coffee. Try an instant coffee and compare it to your brand, as instant is almost always cheaper than ground coffee.
10. Toiletries
When it comes to deodorant, detergent, baby powder, shampoo, lotion, and shower gel, the big brands are selling you the same products no matter how much you spend on them. Of course, specialized versions exist for people with certain needs, such as sensitive skin and allergies. Still, if you read the labels, you’ll realize that many expensive brands offer the same ingredients as many cheaper ones.
11. Sheets
Sheets come in a variety of styles and thread counts. While high-quality sheets are more durable and comfortable, a set of inexpensive sheets will still be comfortable and last a long time.
12. Toilet Paper
Where does toilet paper usually go? Down the toilet. Unless you need a certain type of toilet paper for specific needs, it makes sense to spend as little money on this product as possible, opting for generic brands when possible.
13. Brown Rice
Brown rice is not only healthy but also cheap. Though more expensive than white rice, you can save on brown rice by purchasing the store-brand version rather than the name-brand version. You’ll likely find that they both taste like brown rice.
14. Pots and Pans
Pots and pans can be expensive, especially if you buy them new and from a name-brand. The Rachel Ray Hard Enamel Nonstick 14-piece cookware set costs nearly $160, while smaller brands sell the same type of cookware set for less than $100.
15. Office Supplies
A staple is a staple, no matter who makes it. Though items like pencils, pens, notebooks, staplers, and paper are typically inexpensive and bought in bulk, look for off-label versions to save some money.