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Similarly, look for store brand fabric softeners and bleaches. They all get the same job done for a far different price. Save our money for stain fighting products that might not be offered at store prices. (However, there are clever ways to use household products to fight stains.)
Vitamins are another way to save greatly in the generic department. Centrum can be upwards of $7 a bottle for 100 caplets, while the store brand multi-vitamin can be purchased for $3. Some store brands actually have more of certain supplemental elements such as calcium and iron, making them a much better deal.
Along that line, find the one cold medicine that works best for your family and stick with it. It's not too often that I have a head cold that doesn't include a sore throat. While treating symptoms that aren't present isn't a good idea, the variety of cold medicines available is exuberant. Select a medicine for a head cold and a medicine for a chest cold, keeping acetaminophen on hand for fevers.
Be wary of products that do the same thing as products you already have, and keep the medicine cabinet stocked with a minimal amount of expensive products.
About The Author: Kelly Ann Butterbaugh is a freelance writer who regularly contributes to a variety of magazines and has written a history book for middle readers. Visit her website for writing help, lesson plans, history fun, or work for hire at http://www.kellybutterbaugh.com
By
05/06/2009
I found two great articles about 1) extending the time between beauty treatments 2) product and salon promotions. Doing everything for less these days...
http://www.examiner.com/x-9539-NY-B ... nging-professional-beauty-treatments
http://www.examiner.com/x-9539-NY-B ... product-promos-and-insalon-discounts
By
03/24/2009
At home we use castle soap. It's not very expensive and comes in many scents. We wash our bodies as well as hair. We also mix it with water in a spray bottle to clean our house with. As for over the counter meds, we usually just buy house brand Tylenol. Our Dr. told us cough syrup is really bad for kids and to use a humidifier instead.
By
03/23/2009
I and other family members have worked in several canning, bottling, food industries, and in general, there's no difference in brands vs. generic! One factory I worked in bottled shampoos, conditioners, lotions, etc. All the "ingredients" were mixed in one huge "vat", came out the same filler tubes, and many were bottled in the exact same bottles but had different labels put on, or we may have bottled 100 round bottles, then 100 oval bottles - each going to different companies, but were the exact same "product".
Same as vegetable canning, the cans are all the same size & shape, get filled the same, but go down different chutes for different labels.
You'd be surprised at the cheese making "biz". One vat/batch of cheese could have as many as 10 different bags used in packaging, yet it's all the same cheese.
The only real difference in products, (generic vs brand) I have found, is paper products--toilet paper, tissues, paper towel....parts of the body like "cottony" vs tree bark!
By
03/23/2009
I would also suggest that you READ the contents of a medicine listing on the packaging. Often you can combine 2 ingredients which you already have on hand to produce same result. For ex.: taking ibuprophen (or Tylenol) & allergy med = sinus medication! Also watch for caffeine content of meds and don't add to it with coffee, etc. OR skip meds with caffeine added and just drink coffee, etc. instead. (But not BOTH - makes you too jittery.)
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