To buy a brand name or a “knock-off”? That is the question. For a growing family, this question comes up frequently in a supermarket or when shopping for clothes.
As far as food is concerned, the question should be answered by giving both kinds a chance. Wait for sales to try different brand name products. I’ve found that some brand name cereals taste significantly better than their generic counterparts (and not because they contain more sugar). On the other hand, many grocery items, such as milk or bottled water, come from the same place and go through the same regulations as brand names, which leaves no reason not to save a few dollars by buying the generic type.
It might seem safe to only buy “trusted” OTC medications, but again, such medications are regulated by the FDA. Ibuprofen is ibuprofen, whether it is called Advil, Motrin, or the store-brand name. Just check the active ingredients and you can tell if the generic brand will do the same job.
Clothes can be a very sensitive subject. When I was in elementary school, my mother sent me to class in ridiculously mismatched outfits. Frankly, it didn’t matter, because my friends and I would rather play tag than check the tags on our clothes. However, in middle school, the pressure to fit in, by wearing what everyone else was wearing, definitely existed. I felt ashamed if my collared shirt didn’t have the same butterfly logo that I saw all around me. If you’re a parent who has refused to partake in the buying of brand-name clothes, it might be worthwhile to venture to those stores and at least check out the clearance section; your children will truly appreciate this if they felt like this is the reason they don’t “fit in.” Hopefully, during high school, they’ll realize what’s really important.
Lastly, there is actually one item for which I absolutely recommend the buying of a well-known brand: athletic shoes. Buying cheap shoes can result in foot issues that will cost much more than the amount saved on the shoes. All options considered, spend the extra buck here.
Agreed — shoes are one spot you can’t really cheap out without paying the price.
When I worked at Macy’s I found that if you just waited for stuff to go on sale you could get brand name clothes for the same price as the cheap stuff at Wal-Mart. It just required a little extra patience.