In these generally austere times, we’ve all tried to save money, and this is where cheaper supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl have really taken off, and you see many people purchasing own brand items, even in the bigger chains of supermarkets, to save a few pennies.
And I’m all for it, you know, anywhere we can save a few pennies. I tend to go to Asda for my general shopping. I have tried Lidl and Aldi, and props to them, they do have good stuff, but I cant help it, I like my Asda better, and when I am feeling slightly flush, I will go to Sainsbury’s as I do LOVE their stuff… or better still M & S Foods… but I really am spoiling myself then!
Okay, lets get back to the topic in hand… Is it better to buy own brand vs. branded 10 of a cheaper product, vs. 1 really good one.
I’m going to discuss this via my tissues selection. Usually, when my in-laws are here, my Father-In-Law (FIL) gets the Kleenex branded tissues, Andrex toilet paper, and the kitchen roll too. He gets it as he used to work for Kimberly-Clarke, the paper-mill that makes these products. He was there for over 35 years, until he had to retire for medical reasons. But, nice company that they are, they allow retired employees to continue getting staff discount at their special shop on all their products. I don’t like to take the mickey, and take all his pension, via tissue products, and he won’t accept money from us, so once in a while I will take what he offers, otherwise I will buy it myself.
I must say I do prefer the branded items for this sort of thing, so it costs me £3-4 for 2 boxes of tissues, when they are on offer. During cold season, and now as it is hitting the hay-fever season, tissues are used an awful lot in our household. Thinking I would save a couple of Pounds, I bought the Asda own-brand tissues, and the box looks bigger, apparently there are more tissues in the box… but, this is my problem… look
Asda’s own brand tissues
You pull out one tissue and four come out all together, as they are slightly attached to each other! As an adult we know to pull carefully and return the ones you don’t need back to the box, but the kids, well they don’t have a clue! They pull, and a stream of tissues come out. Then they don’t differentiate, all 20 tissues are used to wipe one little sniffle… rendering them all useless! So one box lasts oh, 2 days?
In comparison, my more expensive, but oh so lovely Kleenex tissues, you pull one, you get one! And helpfully the next one is standing to attention, waiting until its turn to serve the nose comes along!
Kleenex Branded tissues
So they last so much longer than the own brand ones! Personally I have to use them, the others are for dire emergencies, and tissue shortage times!
And I have to say, the same goes for baked beans and tomato ketchup… only Heinz will do for me, I don’t like the aftertaste of the others!
One of my dear friends extols the virtue of a particular chocolate that Aldi does. I have yet to try this to report back, as for me chocolate is VERY important, and though it makes me itch, (oh how I itch when I have over indulged on chocolate!) I am happy to try different ones! Oh, and I can recommend the Lidl fresh pastries, baked in store, YUM!
See I’m not posh, or an own brand snob, but I do think that sometimes it is better to pay a bit more when you know something will last longer! I could get 2 boxes of own brand tissues for the price of 1 branded, but the branded lasts longer… false economy???!
Oh and don’t get me started on the whole BOGOF ( Buy One Get One Free) or reduced “Buy 1 for £1 or 2 for £1.50” nonsense! Unless I’m entertaining, and I need 2 huge punnets of strawberries, its a waste of money to buy 2, they don’t have a log date on them, and if they turn, I can use them to make smoothies, but the kids won’t touch them, neither will Hubby Dearest, to eat, anyway, so I sometimes end up throwing things away. That’s money down the drain, isn’t it!
