Okay, I'll admit it--I'm cheap. I used to think I was thrifty or careful with money, frugal, or any other nice-sounding adjective, but I'm beginning to realize that I am simply cheap.
Here's how I came to this realization. It was a journey of strikes.
Strike 1--cheaper toilet paper. So we had been usin' Charmin, with its quilted softness, but one day I thought we could try Kroger brand tp. Double roll? Check! Well, we get the tp home, and all I can say is "Elaine, I cannot spare a square when we're talking one-ply." Lesson learned, no more Kroger tp.
Strike 2--the muffin debacle. The last time my brother David and his wife Elizabeth came to visit, Clay ran to Kroger for me. On the list was "2 muffins." I intended for Clay to get 2 boxes of muffin mix because it was our turn to bring breakfast to Sunday School. Instead, he brought home a container of 4 muffins from the bakery section. When I explained what I meant by "2 muffins" Clay's response was "Oh. I just know how cheap you are, and I just figured you wanted 2 muffins--one for David and one for Elizabeth, and they didn't have a container with just 2 muffins." Ouch!
Strike 3--Kroger brand dish liquid. Okay, so the dish liquid gets my dishes nice and clean, but it does not have the lemon scent the label claims. Instead, it smells more like the soap you would use to wash your car.
3 Strikes and I am out. There are some things that you just have to buy name brand. Now I love Kroger brand stuff, don't get me wrong (Let's go Krogering, Krogering, Krogering, Let's go Krogering, the very best place to shop!--Is that a jingle for Kroger, or did I make that up?), but I'm slowly learning my lesson--you get what you pay for.
What are your name brand or off brand do's and don'ts? I'm dying to hear....because I really do love being cheap!
11 comments:
Well, I wondered what was the best to clean the bathroom so I asked a lady that has been cleaning houses for a living for over 25 years and she recommend "The Works" from Dollar General. Yes, it's $1. She says their products work better than anything else even the expensive stuff. So, that's one example of go cheap, go good.
I'll see what else I can come up with.
Bruce you are HILARIOUS! :)
My 2 cents? Ketchup . . . I have to go Heinz . . . can't have it any other way. BUT, papertowels . . . this is where I go cheap. Cause I'm not like a commercial lady who washes and reuses hers . . .I put them in the garbage--that's where they belong.
talk to becky
Oh, Laura, I have to disagree. Ever since 2nd grade when I did a science experiment on paper towel absorbency I have been a devoted fan of Bounty! The Quicker, Quilted picker upper, B-ounty! Now, I am a fan of off brand diet soda. Particularly from Weis, do you guys have that in Little Rock? I'll buy some store brand foods, but I don't tend to buy store brand cleaning products. I am a name brand cleaner girl - Windex, 409, Soft Scrub, Pledge, Lysol Wipes, Charmin, and Bounty are my favorites!
As a bio and ag engineer, I watched several food products being packaged and labeled and saw many generics and brand names done at the EXACT same time. Here are the ones that I always buy the generic:
Milk, Canned Veggies and Fruit, Frozen Veggies, Cheese, Over the Counter Drugs, Shampoo (but not conditioner), Juice, Cereal, Potato Chips
These are my brands that I THINK I must have :)
Peanut Butter (jif)
Toothpaste (crest)
Diapers (Pampers)
Crackers (Premiums)
I could write a book on generic produce. but for now i will only say this (due to lack of time): i have been known to purchase 20 boxes of cereal when kroger cereal sells for a buck a box.
...okay one more thing. I am a bean girl (1/2 mexican too) i LOOVE me some generic beans...ANY kind...black, refried, pinto, kidney, chili, southern, all gooood.
to add to the paper towel debate - i have to agree that brand name is best. i love viva! they feel like cloth and really can be used over and over! and tp has to be brand name too. i like softness on my tushie and generic just doesn't cut it.
I am cheap too!!! There's no buts about it. Good to know there are others out there. :) LOL!
I agree on the Viva and TP brand name all the way. I also agree premium crackers are a must and brand name pretzels. Rold Gold's are better than the cheap ones at the dollar store. The cheapos are too hard. I will also second on the generic drugs. My husband, sister, and father-in-law are all pharmacists and generic is EXACTLY the same and it saves you money. GO GENERIC on drugs everytime. Love this discussion....
Laughing out loud!!! The muffin thing is sooo funny! Seriously, as I was reading it I also thought..one muffin each for the 2 guests? okay.. I hate putting cheap diapers on my baby's soft skin..tried it once and only once- pampers or huggies are so much better. I also dislike cheap wipies(sp?)- they stink to me. The Wal-Mart brand of Fiber One bars taste just as good if not better than the real thing- I buy those all the time.
i love this post! I am the same way! the only things that I can't by generic of is orange juice, cheerios, and laundry detergent. I have had bad experiences with all three. Otherwise, it is generic all the way for me, actually, i should just say, it is whatever is cheapest that day.
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