HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am always looking to stretch a few dollars and shave my grocery bill or pet care bills when I can. I want to be a better steward of my money in general, but a few extra dollars means that I can donate to a cause that I care about versus refraining or that can collect interest in the bank for a rainy day. There are some areas where corners just cannot be cut for quality or health reasons.Walletpop offers a list of 10 Products to Always Buy Generic. The list includes:

• Over the counter medications, such as aspirin and cough medicine.
• Cereal
• Pantry items, such as flour and baking needs.
• Soda
• Gas
• Beauty Products
• Batteries
• Cables (computer cables, electronic cables)
• Produce
• Baby formula. Not some mystery label, but store brand formula.

The biggest surprises for me?  Gas and baby formula. I didn’t know that there really was such a thing as generic gasoline. However, its not really generic in the manner that I thought. There is no small family business refining their own oil on a small scale. It just means to simply hit up the Costco or Meijer gas station or try the local single-location place in town. Check prices vigilantly, however.

Baby formula is not something you want to mess around with. I was surprised that store brands have comparable ingredients.  I know, some of my readers will ask me to take the opportunity to promote feeding babies the way nature intended, but some moms don’t have that ability or have medical complications that create separation from baby and preclude them.  Store brands and generics must meet the same FDA health standards and nutrition guidelines as the pricier brands. Also, families using WIC can stretch their dollar farther that way, as it is a WIC item.

For produce, make sure you check the country of origin on conventional produce, and also remember that locally grown items from farm stands support local families.  I have noticed that if you buy the 365 brand, which is the Whole Foods Store brand, you can score some good deals on items that are just as well monitored as juices and crackers made by the big names. I know I have.  In fact, the 365 brand nutrient water is sometimes less expensive than conventional Vitamin Water.

Which one of these items do you always buy generic or store brand? Are there any local small-name companies you buy from that have value instead of boutique pricing. Also, were there things on the list that surprised you that you now are going to check generic’s on?

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