The first lesson in becoming an Expert Couponer may not have seemed like a big deal. But I promise you that the first thing we need to deal with is our mindsets. If we are ever going to change the way we shop, we must first address the way we view shopping.
After changing your financial perspective, the next hardest thing is to change what you buy with your money.
Many of us have grown up using certain brand name products. It can be very difficult to cut off your relationship with the only ketchup or toothpaste you have ever used.
I’m not suggesting that there won’t be some things that you’ll want to stick with. If you have a certain deodorant that you know works, you probably won’t be so quick to switch to something you aren’t sure will work as effectively.
Also, I’m not suggesting that you change everything overnight. But start with a couple of things like condiments or cereal and see how it goes over. If you are concerned that your family will start a mutiny, you could even add the new products to the brand containers for a while and they’ll never know.
I will admit that when it comes to Miracle Whip I had totally been brand loyal. In fact, it wasn’t until this year that I got up the courage to try the Aldi store brand. To my surprise, it really was just as good! And better yet it costs about $2 less the name brand version.
I will still choose Miracle Whip any time I can get it for less than the cost at Aldi, but I have decided that I would rather use the extra $2 on something else more fun!
One of the neat things I found once I got really good with coupling was that many times I was still able to get the brand name products for even less than the store brands.
Keep in mind that this should not become burdensome to you. Take things slowly or you are bound to get frugal burnout which will result in giving up on this was of shopping altogether.
Remember that I will share a new step each week to help you become an Expert Couponer!
You may want to join us on Facebook here as I’m sure we will continue the money-saving discussions there as well.
Brenda says
I don’t have the brand loyal problem myself, but my husband will only eat certain things (Jif peanut butter, A1 steak sauce, etc.) I have managed to get him to try different toothpastes and he liked Aldi tea (he used to be a staunch Lipton tea drinker). So, we’re getting there 🙂
Jan says
Um.. I am a brand snob.. With couponing, still am. It’s cheaper for me to buy name brand than generic. So why buy generic??
I get free name brand stuff all the time.
Kristie says
I will choose brand name so long as I am paying less for it, otherwise I go generic. Just depends on which one will cost less. I’m not willing to pay more for a name though.
Anne Alagna says
Coming over from WFMW. This is a tough subject for me. I am, and the only one in my family (other than my parents) a very picky eater. My husband will eat anything as will my children. Of course, they eat anything because I didnt want them to grow up being so picky and having trouble eating anywhere but home like me… so we fed them everything around from the time they were babies (no baby food here). I always worry about changing brands. The more I think about it, it is probably 80% personal anxiety and only 20% taste difference. With financial cuts as a priority in our family, this is certainly something I need to push myself further on. Thanks for sharing it.
mom2fur (aka Clare) says
There are things I do buy by brand-name because I’ve found they are of better quality than store brands. But in many cases, the name brands actually come from the same source as the store brands, only packaged in different boxes. And sometimes the store brand is superior. We gave Target’s Market Pantry brand of pizza a try and were surprised that it was even better than pizza parlor pizza (and we are New Yorkers, we know from pizza) at half the price! I guess the best thing is to experiment and find out what works best for you.
PS, I’m a couponer (my average savings is 40%) and look forward to your tips!
Becky Perry says
I found out my husband was very brand loyal when we first got married until I set up a little taste test for him. I took off-brand chips and brand chips and switched the bags and let him choose which he thought were better. He chose the brand bag containing the off brand chips! We (he) learned a good lesson and we still get a good laugh out of that!
Kristie says
What a neat story! Thanks for sharing it!
Nichol says
We don’t buy many brand name items anymore unless I have really good coupons and I know they are cheaper than store brand. I only have a handful of items I have to buy name brand.
Sandra says
Great tip. I stopped being brand-loyal a long time ago. If it’s something we will use and there’s a coupon and a sale, the brand loyalty thing doesn’t even cross my mind. 🙂
Julie Bagamary says
Good ideas. We’ve found many “off” brands that are wonderful.
Condo Blues says
I find that I often like the store brand better than the name brand. I’m kinda weird that way but Aldi’s Organic Blue Corn Chips really rock my socks!
Kristie says
I think once you get the thought out of your head that the brand name is supposed to be better you realize that many times that is not the case at all.
Stacy says
Thankfully my husband and I learned that lesson before the kids came along. Now they really dont know that you can buy boxes of cereal with “prizes” in them. 🙂 Some things I will get if I have a good enough coupon or if the sale is right. But for the most part we are raising a “store brand” family in our house.