I’m a Frugal Living Expert: Always Buy Generic Brands for These 7 Products

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Did you know that you can save yourself a lot of money each month by simply swapping branded goods for generic ones? Most of the time, you won’t even notice a massive difference in the taste, effect, or quality, but we can assure you that your savings will feel the difference.

Here, we have listed some of the major ways to save money, by simply buying these generic products rather than their more expensive branded counterparts.

Medication

Medicine pills package in shopping basket with pharmacy drugstore shelves blur background.
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Most medications, including prescription and over-the-counter, have the same list of active ingredients and regulations when being created. Furthermore, the FDA has strict requirements that all pharmaceutical companies have to follow, and this applies to those manufacturing generic as well as branded medicines.

Next time you need to get some medication for yourself or your family, consider opting for the generic brands if you’d like to save some extra money.

Snacks and Sweets

New York NY/USA-August 31, 2017 A display of tasty Frito-Lay brand chips and snacks in a supermarket in New York.
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If you have been following the prices in supermarkets lately, then we’re sure you would have noticed how much the prices of snacks and sweets have skyrocketed with recent inflation consequences. There are certain eats that generic brands would not live up to, but if and when you can, opt for generic snacks and sweets to save up to 60%!

Cleaning Products

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Just because a company is spending a lot of money on advertising for their cleaning products does not necessarily mean that they are great and we must buy them. Detergents, bleach, tile cleaners, and such always come in generic versions, and most of the time, they can execute your cleaning job just as well as branded goods can.

This means that you can save quite a bit by purchasing generic versions as opposed to the more expensive counterparts with brand names.

Kitchen Staples

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Fun fact: the FDA has the same set of standards for the production of generic staples like flour, sugar, salt, and spices compared to branded versions. All kitchen staples, whether they are generic or branded, are produced in more or less the same way as they have to follow the strict requirements from the FDA.

By purchasing generic staples, you can not only get the same value out of your food, but you can also save some extra bucks.

Milk and Juice

Cropped shot healthy young woman drinking milk with calcium for strong bone at home. Calm brunette girl holding soy milk on glass enjoy with nutrition wellness life. Natural milk fresh concept.
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There’s a high likelihood that you are going to be paying up to 50% more for branded items from the milk and juice aisles of your supermarket. Generic and branded versions of these drinks are comparable in nutrients, and if you’d like to save a bit more every month, then why not jump on the generic brands instead?

Canned Foods

San Leandro, CA - October 18, 2017: Grocery store shelf with cans of Great Value brand vegetables. Great Value is a Walmart brand product.
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Canned foods that are branded can sometimes be up to 60% higher than their generic replicas. That’s quite a significant difference, and think of all the money that could be saved if you went for generic canned foods instead.

Grains and Cereals

cereal boxes.
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It’s easy for you or your children to fall for the TV advertisements for branded cereal. Cereal brands put a lot of money into their marketing sectors, and that comes with higher prices for their products. Next time you purchase cereal or grains, try opting for the generic versions if you’d like to save a little extra.

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