Skip name brands and always buy these generic products to save you money.

Want to know a little secret about me????  I use to be such a brand snob….it’s true!  I was proud of the fact that I “only bought name brand.”  For some strange reason I thought that made me important, special, cool (not proud of this!).  Fortunately, I have learned and matured and I don’t think this way anymore!  I now know that brands mean nothing.  It’s true that some name brands are better….but some generic products are just good.  I actually prefer a few generic to the name brand.  If you are wanting to save some money I recommend you switch to more generic products and less name brand.  Here are a few of the products I recommend you always buy generic.

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1.  Medicine

Medicine is one item I use to always buy name brand.  I truly thought if I didn’t buy the box that said “Tylenol” it wouldn’t work the same.

It was mind blowing when my brother, who was going through medical school at the time, showed me that the ingredients on the name brand and generic pain reliever was the exact same.  I was paying double for the exact same thing!  I have never bought name brand medication since.

Start buying all of your medicine, both prescription and over the counter, generic.  You can feel confident buying the off brand because the FDA requires all medications to meet their strict standards.

2.  Cereal

One of the more expensive items at the grocery store is cereal, especially if you are buying it regularly.  Skip the name brand and buy generic instead.  This one simple change will make a huge difference in your grocery budget.

We love the big Malt O Meal bags of cereal.  Our favorites are:  generic lucky charms, fruit loops, honey bunches of oats, and frosted mini wheats.  Try a few until you find the ones you like best.

• Related:  10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

3.  Bottled Water

The cheapest way to get water is to buy a reusable water bottle and fill it up frequently with tap water.  Tap water is free, and you can’t get cheaper than free!

If you need or want to use a plastic water bottle buy the store brand as opposed to name brand.  Water is water and it’s not worth paying extra for!

4.  Sunscreen

Similar to medication, sunscreen is monitored by the FDA.  This means that the same ingredients protecting your skin in a name brand sunscreen will also be in a generic sunscreen.

The name brand sunscreens might charge a little extra for scent, but if that’s not important to you I suggest buying an off brand bottle instead.

5.  Spices

The quality of your spices depends more on the freshness rather than the brand.  When buying spices always check the sale by date and ignore the brand name.  You can a very fresh generic brand spice for a lot cheaper price.

6.  Toilet Paper/Paper Towels

Name brand paper goods, such as toilet paper and paper towels are expensive.  Fortunately, the off brand paper products are much cheaper and work just as good!  Walmarts store brand is my go to for the best price and most reliabel toilet paper and paper towels.

7.  Baking Supplies

Save yourself some cash and buy all of your baking supplies generic.  Off brand Corn meal, baking mixes, sugar, baking powder, etc. all taste and work just as well as the more expensive name brand.

The only exception I make is with  yeast.  I always buy my yeast name brand because it does seem to make a difference.

8.  Cleaning Products

Any one else out there as obsessed as I am with the Magic Eraser (it’s no joke a moms best friend!).  I use to pay a lot of money for this wonderful cleaning pad….and then I discovered I can buy the exact same thing for so much less, the only difference was their wasn’t a fancy name attached to the package.  Just search melamine pads on Amazon and you’ll find tons of affordable products that work as good as the original Magic Eraser.

Most other cleaning products are the exact same way.  You don’t need a fancy name brand product to clean your house.

Better yet!  Save even more money and make your own cleaning products!  Here are 5 of my favorite homemade cleaning recipes.

9.  Snack Foods

Buying snack foods at the grocery store is a quick way to spend a lot of money.  Make it easier on your budget by buying the generic brands.

Most snack foods will have delicious generic options.  My kids actually prefer Walmarts store brand Ritz crackers.  We also buy off brand granola bars, cookies, and frozen pizzas.

Try a few different store brands until you find the right snacks for you.

10.  Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Buy your frozen fruits and vegetable generic and you won’t tell a difference in taste or quality.  We usually use these frozen produce for cooking and smoothies and it tastes just like name brand.

11. Canned Food

Your canned goods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, etc, will all taste the same no matter what the label is on them.  For the healthiest option look at the ingredients and try to pick a can low in sodium.

Personally I do like name brand soups though!

12.  Condiments

Our family can go through a bottle of ketchup way to fast!  Fortunately, we always buy generic condiments, so we aren’t spending a fortune!  Try buying all of your condiments store brand, including mayo, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, etc.

• Related:  25 Items You Must Have In A Frugal Pantry

13.  Aluminum Foil

Another great product to always buy generic is aluminum foil.  This can be really expensive if you are buying brand name.  For most uses the generic aluminum foil will work just as good!

14.  Pre-Packaged Salads

I am a huge fan of pre-packaged salads.  Truthfully, I just won’t eat salad unless it’s already all cut up and made for me (real talk folks).

The Dole salads are delicious, but expensive, so I always buy my salads generic.  I was surprised to find that I actually like Walmarts store brand salads even BETTER than the name brand!  Go figure!

15.  Food Storage Baggies

It’s no secret that the cheapest way to store food is by storing them in reusable containers.  However, sometimes we just want to use a Ziplock bag!  Right?!?

There is truly no difference between Ziplock and the generic food storage bags.  It doesn’t matter what name is on the box, all bags will store your food the exact same.  Save money and buy generic!

In Conclusion

Switching which brand you buy at the store is one of the easiest way to save money on groceries and other household items.  This simple change will add up in helping your budget.

Remember, not all brands (generic or name brand) are created equally.  Try a few different products, experiment with the brands until you find what you like.  Just never be a brand snob like I was!

Pin For Future Reference:

What are your favorite generic products to buy to save money?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tello Mobile.  All opinions are my own.  I will receive compensation from purchases made through links in this post.

Read my Tello Mobile Review to learn everything you need to know about this awesome phone provider!

A few months ago my husband and I decided that my oldest needed a cell phone number.  This was honestly not an easy decision to come to.  The problem was that we didn’t want to add a lot of money to our already expensive cell phone plan.  I really didn’t want to spend another $40 a month!  But then, I heard about Tello Mobile.  “It’s awesome!”  My friend told me,  “It only costs $5 a month!  His phone is still locked down, but he at least has a way to reach us, and it hardly costs us anything!”  Immediately I knew this was exactly what we needed!  To my happy surprise, Tello emailed me the very next week and asked me if I would like to try out their service for one month in exchange for a review.  I was so excited to give it a try!  This is my completely honest Tello Mobile review.

What is Tello Mobile?

Tello Mobile is an MNVO (Mobile Virtual Network Provider), meaning it rents space on a larger provider network and sells it to the consumer at a discount.  This gives us, the consumer, an affordable option on high quality cell phone providers, which is amazing for all of us!

Tello uses the Sprint Network to offer 4G LTE coverage throughout the entire United States.   This network is prepaid, meaning no contracts and no hidden fees (a huge plus in my book!).  If you are looking for a no strings attached cell phone plan, Tello is where it’s at!

Tello Mobile FAQ

What plans can I choose from?

Tello offers two different types of plans, a “Build Your Own” plan or a “Pre-Built” package.

The Build Your Own plan offers a huge variety of options, making it easy to customize for your individual needs.  The choices are endless!  Feel free to choose from no minutes or up to unlimited talk and text.  You can choose a no data plan or unlimited everything plan!  Once you reach the 25GB limit your 4G LTE data will be reduced to 2G speeds!  The sky is the limit when it comes to these plans, so feel free to choose what is best for you!

If you don’t want to customize your plan, the pre-built packages are a great option!  Tello offers four packages to choose from and these plans vary from $10/month and up to $39/month.

We opted for a “Build Your Own” plan.  Our plan consists of 1 GB of data and unlimited minutes with free texting.  This plan is only costing us $10 a month!  Seriously, ten bucks!

How much is the activation fee?

Zero!  That’s right, there is no activation fee!  As a matter of fact, there are no hidden fees whatsoever!  With Tello Mobile what you see is literally what you get.

Can I call international?

Yes!  But, there are some limitations.

Calls within the United States, Mexico, Canada and China are included with your Tello Mobile plan.

However, if you want to make a call to another country you will need to add pay as you go credit to your account.  Use the Tello website to check all of the international rates.

• Related:  How to Cut Your Budget; When There is Nothing Left to Cut

Will I be able to keep my own phone?

Yes!  If your phone is compatible with the Sprint network you can totally keep using it with your Tello Mobile.  My phone is meant for use with Verizon, so Tello provided me with a $10 SIM card to use.  This was such a cheap, easy way to keep my phone while switching providers.

However, if you want a new phone, Tello can totally set you up with that as well!  They have a wide variety of different types and models of phones (yes!  both android and iphone!) to choose from.

How is the coverage?

Because Tello uses the Sprint Network, you can count on coverage similar to Sprint.  We haven’t had a single dropped call or problem.  The data has been a little slow from time to time, but for the most part it hasn’t felt any different than our old cell provider.

If you’re feeling unsure of the coverage quality, be sure to use Tellos website to check the coverage in your area.  It’s super easy to do, just enter your address and Tello will tell you exactly what type of coverage you can expect in your area.

Can I keep my same phone number?

Absolutely!  Simply contact customer service and they will transfer your phone number to your new plan.  Easy peasy!

What type of contract should I expect?

Because Tello is a prepaid service there are absolutely no contracts!!  This means if you are unhappy with the service you can cancel, upgrade or downgrade your plan at anytime!  I love that with Tello I am not stuck in a 2 year contract I can’t get out of.  I love that it gives me the freedom to change my plan when I want and how I want.

Tello Mobile Is For You If You:

• Are looking for a low priced cell service.  The cheapest plan is just $5/month.
• Don’t need a lot of data or minutes.
• Have good Sprint coverage in your area.
• Are looking for a good starter phone plan for your teen.

Tello Mobile is Not For You If:

• Sprint Network has poor coverage in your area.
• You use a lot of data on your phone.
• You travel internationally and you need roaming services.

So, what is my honest Tello Mobile review?

Our one month trial is officially complete and I can honestly tell you that I have loved Tello Mobile.  I kept expecting something to go wrong with the phone service, but it just never did!  It truly hasn’t felt any different than our much more expensive phone provider.  Tello has been exactly what we needed!  I love that I have been able to provide my daughter with a phone number without having to spend a lot of out extra money  If you are looking for a more frugal friendly cell phone plan I highly encourage you to look into Tello Mobile today!

Don’t waste any more time and sign up for Tello Mobile today!