Q: Aren't buying generic products cheaper than buying a name brand with a coupon?
A: Sometimes, but not always! It just depends on the product and the sale cycle. The majority of my stockpile items are name brand, including food and non food items. When a generic is cheaper, by all means, buy it... as long as it is quality! How do you know if it's a high enough quality for your own personal preferences? Try it out! I have tried many generics that I've been very happy with. Occasionally I'll come across something I'd never buy again though. The key is knowing the prices of the products you buy. I highly recommend keeping a price book, tracking these prices at your favorite stores. The sale price cycle is six to eight weeks, so when your favorite name brand product hits its lowest price and you have a coupon for it, it is almost always cheaper than the generic. Top that with a promotion, such as a Catalina, Register Reward, Extra Care Buck, or in store discount promotion, and the name brand product price goes way below a generic's price, many times resulting in a freebie or money maker!
Examples:
Week 1:
-Hunts Diced Tomatoes $1.59 vs Generic Dices Tomatoes: $.89
-Even with a $.50 coupon, the generic is going to be a better buy. I can never tell the difference!
Week 7:
-Hunts Diced Tomatoes $.99 (on sale) vs Generic Dices Tomatoes: $.89
- The Hunts tomatoes would be cheaper with the $.50 coupon!
Week 13
-Hunts Diced Tomatoes $.49 (in store promotion from buying ten participating times...Dillons always has these.) vs Generic Dices Tomatoes: $.89
- The name brand here would be a freebie! Stock up! Even if you don't have a coupon, its cheaper than the generic! How will you know this? By tracking prices in a price book! One of the keys to couponing is knowing when to "hold" your coupons until the best possible time to "play the game."
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