The girls’ friends were always commenting on our paper towels - Viva, of course. We get the choose a size in the large multi-packs, and with coupons/Target Cartwheel they aren’t that much more than ordinary and they are so much better.
I hate spending money on heating and cooling. Put on or take off clothes except in the most dire conditions.
Consumer Reports site is under maintenance but I wanted to mention that they rate a Wal-Mart TP, White Cloud (not sure which exact product) as the best. We haven’t tried it yet – we use Kirkland’s and Angel Soft.
CR also gives highest marks to Kirkland brand detergent – I use their free and clear liquid and regular pods.
I haven’t checked CR for these:
I like Wal-Mart’s premium version of plastic wrap and heavy duty foil over any other brand.
I like Awesome’s all purpose yellow concentrated cleaner – it has replaced my 409, Simple Green, Resolve, etc.
More Costco stuff: garbage bags, parchment, paper towels, napkins (anyone remember from Oprah, that we should use one less napkin a day?)
I save and I just don’t splurge!
I use only the finest Egyptian Cotton toilet paper, 1000 threadcount.
And as I despise the low-rent feeling of mopping up spills with paper towels, I have a small staff of housemen to follow my wife and I around and clean up after us. I prefer when they lap our spills up with their tongues, as it saves on food costs, but sometimes I let them get away with using the corner of their velvet uniform jackets.
I don’t ever buy cheap detergent. Or any detergent, really, since I throw all my clothes away and purchase new ones. Who wants to wear second-hand clothes? Not this guy.
Seriously, though, I don’t have a strong opinion on this. Good TP? That’s a must. Other stuff I kinda buy what’s on sale, and my wife is pretty intractably frugal, so she’s a bargain hunter for sure.
Other home necessities…hmm…I do favor good whisky, but I buy duty-free or in countries with cheap alcohol…
Nice to see the Viva paper towel love. I always bought Wal-Mart brand paper towels until someone suggested I use Viva to avoid lint and streaks on my straight-outta-the-80s light fixture in my kitchen. What a difference!
I buy Kleenex with lotion and Purex unscented because my youngest has skin issues. Always Charmin, but not the quilted kind. My sister has to use cheap, thin TP because of her septic and I hate it. Barilla pasta is the best (I’m a full-blooded Italian, so take it from me). I have to buy large garbage bags from my trash company, but for inside the house I use plastic grocery store bags for our little trash cans.
Beyond that, most things are up for grabs. I might buy name brand because it’s the only company that makes XYZ. Otherwise, I am firmly rooted in “get the cheapest.”
It’s good to be thrifty, and value conscious. But sometimes this can get out of hand, and become counter-productive. Its also largely in the eye of the beholder, with any two people having difficulty finding common ground for value.
I’ve long joked about this syndrome (which also occurs in business and other organizations). Why pay full price for a good product or service that gets the job done and performs its function well, when for 2/3 that price, we can get something that’s quite inferiour and close to useless?.
I buy store brand paper products unless I hit a sale. One exception is Chinet paper plates. They really are better and don’t melt like the foam ones. I prefer name brand cleaning products and toiletries but there are a few store brands I will use, such as Kroger dish detergent. One thing I do splurge on is kitty litter - I prefer Scoop Away and so does our cat.
When we travel we bring our good toilet paper with us. Except on cruises, where the “good” stuff can cause your toilet to back up :(.
Life’s too short to have your butt sanded.
I buy Walmart TP extra soft.
Only Viva paper towels.
I buy Bounty napkins for every day use. When we have company I use cloth.
Don’t care about dish soap as I put everything except crystal in dishwasher.
I buy a lot of store brand that I cook with like sour cream, cottage cheese, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, pasta, etc.
I splurge on potatoes. We often spend $50 or more on potatoes every week because I like the best. Also linens for the bed. I’m cheap about almost everything else, but I like expensive and plush bed linens.
Toothpaste, soap and shampoo. My dad spent his career at Bristol Myers who owned Clairol, which many times was wonderful, but I lived through vote toothpaste - which doesn’t exist now for a reason, body on tap shampoo that gave tremendous waxy buildup, and ban soap that dried my skin out.
I use the big roll of plastic wrap from BJ’s. The thicker the plastic wrap the more wonderful it is. The thin stuff drives me nuts!
We buy brand-name for most household products - TP, paper towels, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, tissues. I’m usually not happy with the off-brands we’ve tried and don’t find them worth the savings.
this thread is funny! I don’t care much about what we use; usually buy store brand; don’t like the ultra cheapest products like at Dollar General or such (i had trash bags rip once). I do like strong and sturdy paper towels that have chose-a-size.
@eyemamom Vote toothpaste! I remember that - my grandparents used to buy it, although I don’t remember anything about the quality. And while we’re on the subject, I do spend more on toothpaste than I have to, because my H likes the tubes with the large,flat flip-top caps and they tend to be more expensive.
I tend to be a name brand on sale purchaser. I will use the store brand ziploc type of bags or paper napkins (for everyday, usually buy Marcal since they are recycled). But always buy name brand TP, northern or charmin depending on price. Also Tide, and name brand dish and dishwasher soap. Have not found others to be worth it.
How about shampoo? I know some reports have found there is no difference, but I still tend to buy the not so cheap brands.
Those reporters who claim there is no difference must have had bold heads… Anything other than my specific type of Kerastase shampoo leaves my hair limp and greasy. I pay through the roof, but that $35 small bottle lasts me almost a year.
MIL always bought quality toilet paper at reasonable price - insists on this brand which can be bought at her local WalMart in a fairly large package. I believe it is the White Cloud. They also have Febreeze around, and DH used it generously on FIL’s fabric chair.
For bathroom ‘scent’ I have tried something from the dollar store in our toilet area - it is the kind that you slide up the little plastic circular side, and it slowly works.
I like the ziplock type storage bags for some things. Now there are pretty good knock offs.
I also like Bounty paper towels, but haven’t tried Viva. Will have to try it.
As others, you decide what you really like and gives you ‘value’. When I get the discount tags for Bath and Body Works, I buy. We all like the foaming soap.
Each family member likes their own kind of deodorant. I like corn starch baby powder - not name brand specific.
We like softer two ply facial tissue, but will buy with the aloe if someone has a cold and needs the ‘extra’.
We like the softer two ply toilet paper. Not brand loyal but won’t buy cheaper.
I really like the bathroom spray cleaners that help with soap scum - seems a lot of them are more going to disinfecting or grease removing or multipurpose rather than soap scum.
I use the plastic grocery bags to line the trash in my office and bathrooms. H has a taller kitchen size office trash can that fits the large paper grocery bag. We like using the heavier Target bags for cleaning the guinea pig cage, but usually shopping there I bring in cloth bags for the extra savings.
I always liked Dawn dishwasher soap in the kitchen. For the dishwasher, I use the packaged wash/finish pods - try to buy with buy one get one or discounted somewhere. If one has hard water, can always add finish solution in the dishwasher spot.
I brush my teeth often when I am at home. I did buy Kirkland Complete and like it - but I do like the flip top on toothpaste, and I can’t put that head on the Kirkland because of the size, but that is OK.
I often try things from the Dollar store. Recent item I love, Vitamin E skin cream. Large jar for $1. I have dry skin, and I use it under heavier face cream.
I have a big enough quantity of the woven plate holders (you pop in the plastic/paper plate) that works for most purposes. Often can find them for a bundled price, or $1 per woven plate holder.
We use Paul Mitchell hair products. Love the Tea Tree for our dry/dandruff scalps. I use their Detangler like conditioner and don’t rinse all of it out. Their conditioner is really good for hair that needs it.
We do like the high thread count, Egyptian cotton bed linen, and thick bath towels - but try to buy via discount like at TJMaxx or other.
In my kitchen sink and prep area, in addition to a throw rug, I put a thick cushion-y mat that is intended for out of the shower, but it is great to stand on (comfort for the back and for the feet).
$50 per week on potatoes, @zoosermom? Do they not grow potatoes where you live?
I use a lot of generic products. Many generic foods, toiletries, and meds have the same ingredients as the name brands. But there can be differences between generics too. I prefer the consistency of one store brand peanut butter over another, and I prefer fresh, course ground at our local farmers’ market to that.
I will pay for non rBST dairy products and hormone free local meat, and those tend to be expensive. We use cloth napkins, so we don’t buy paper unless we’re having a BBQ. Then we get big, soft, multilayer (nongeneric) ones. We get paper towels for parties too. Otherwise, we just use sponges and mops to clean up spills. We use brand name toothpaste, but use generic mouthwash. I’m very fond of chocolate and coffee, so I’m willing to spend money on those too.
Not locally, no, and I like particular butter potatoes (which are expensive) for the bulk of the week, and reds, purples and babies for other things. They add up and it’s my splurge!