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Which do you prefer? Ever had a generic turn out to be superior? Just list random products..

Toaster pastries -- Name brand. Not sure why companies haven't figured out how to properly synthesize a good Pop Tart knockoff, but everytime I pick up a generic pop tart they taste pretty awful.

Milk, Sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, and most other diary products -- Generic. I really can't tell much difference between store brand and national brand.

Vitamins -- Good god, why do people pay for name brand vitamins?

Detergent -- For some reason I can't stop myself from compulsively buying Tide. I know the el cheapo brand is probably just as good since I'm not a busy mom trying to get out grease & grass stains. There's something just so hypnotic and trust inducing about that bright orange and yellow box. On a totally unrelated note, there's something weird and sexy about this ketchup spill picture on their front page ( http://www.tide.com/images/home/media_200505_newtidetogoinstantstainremover.jpg )

Frozen pizza -- One of the areas where the el-cheapo brands pretty clearly trounce all the heavy hitters. Mama Celeste and store brand "Party Pizza" cook up nice and crispy, while the crust on Red Baron, DiGiorno, Tombstone, etc just ends up nasty.

DVD-R/CD-R -- Has to be name brand, even though I've never really had that bad of an experience with the generics.

Soda -- There's no substitute for Coke & Pepsi....but I think Dr. Pepper knockoffs are close enough to justify buying them in favor of the name brand. IIRC, the Sam's/Wal-Mart brand used to be called Dr. Riffic :lol

Shoes/underwear -- Don't really care....whatever's cheap.

Shirts/pants -- I'd like to buy the crappy cheap brands since I really hate paying for clothes, but they're always pretty uncomfortable and poorly constructed. I can't stand anything from Old Navy for that reason (and Old Navy doesn't qualify as generic even). I usually hit outlet malls pretty hard for stuff though.

Condoms -- Name brand of course.....I think I'd be worried the whole time if I was wearing some generic brand or FOOD LION QUALITY CONDOMS (tm). :lol

 

[SKluck]

Name brand, always. I'm not a penny pincher, I don't care if something is 3.24 or 3.49, I want guaranteed good shit.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

http://www.tide.com/images/home/media_200505_newtidetogoinstantstainremover.jpg

You made this whole thread JUST to justify your sick tide.com porn scrounging. DIDNT YOU!

 

[Ristamar]

- I like my cheapy Memorex CDRs

- I go both ways with clothing: I always wear Levis, I have some nice shirts, but a lot of my shirts/boxers/etc are certainly bland and/or generic

- Most PC hardware I go with a trusted brand, save for my floppy, and my Lite-On DVD player (which works very well)

- Videogame controllers: First party (licensed) or bust

- Facial Cleanser/Shampoo/Bodywash: I haveold standbys I trust and they are pricey, but I also have some cheapy soap, shampoo, and conditioner since I feel I don't have to use the expensive shit all the time

- Groceries: If I like it and isn't total garbage for my body, I'll eat it

- Detergent/Softener: I'll use most anything, as long as it is free of perfume and dyes

 

[iapetus]

Delivery Pizza Generic. How can people actually eat the crap Pizza Hut and Dominos put out? Give me the local pizzeria with the dodgy chicken wings and the doner meat pizza any day of the week.

Toothpaste Branded. I don't know why. Actually I do - it's because the generic toothpaste I've tried has tended to taste vile.

Whisky Branded. If it doesn't have the name of the distillery on it, and if that distillery isn't in Scotland (or the Penderyn distillery, for which I will make a special exception) then it's just methanol that someone pissed in as far as I'm concerned.

Soft drinks Branded for Coke, generic for most others. Tesco's own-brand diet ginger beer is particularly pleasing at the moment.

CDRs Whatever's cheapest, and it isn't always the generics.

 

[DopeyFish]

i work at a pharmacy and i tell people all the time "the content is EXACTLY THE SAME, you'll save money!" and they brush me aside. What else would Vitamin E 400 IU be?

 

[miyuru]

:lol yeah for drugs, when you get down to it, an active ingredient is an active ingredient

 

[Mama Smurf]

Delivery Pizza Generic. How can people actually eat the crap Pizza Hut and Dominos put out? Give me the local pizzeria with the dodgy chicken wings and the doner meat pizza any day of the week.

Do you live in a major city in the UK? I've tried most of the generic pizza places round here for delivery, given how much cheaper they are, but they're just awful. The food comes cold, or late, or the toppings are sparse, or the pizza itself is just crap. I'd never buy delivery pizza from anywhere but a brand name now, but maybe it has more to do with living outside of the cities.

As for a lot of other things, we have like a tier system in supermarkets in the UK. Asda for example (which is where I shop) has Smartprice, own brand, Extra Special own brand and big name brand (like Coca-Cola). Though to be honest, I'm not sure if Extra Special comes above the big name brands or not, I can't afford that stuff.

What's good about it though is that, whatever tier you normally buy at, just one week try the tier below and see what you think. A hell of a lot of things you'll either find acceptable or you won't even be able to tell the difference. As far as I'm concerned, tinned spaghetti hoops taste the same from the very top tier to the very bottom, so I end up spending 11p while some sucker is buying the Heinz name for 41p.

However, there's plenty of other stuff you wouldn't want. Smartprice cola is foul stuff, despite its 19p pricetag, and Asda cola isn't much better, so, though a whopping £1.13 more, you've really got to go for the Coca-Cola brand. Not that I buy fizzy drinks, but I know it's the case.

Seriously, just try buying the tier below and see what you think, you'll end up saving loads.

 

[Ristamar]

Since when did local pizza shops become generic? If anything, the major chains are generic...

 

[Diablos]

Toaster pastries -- Pop Tarts

Milk, Sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, and most other diary products -- Generic.

Vitamins -- One a Day men's

Detergent -- Arm & Hammer. It's cheap as hell.

Frozen pizza -- DiGiorno

DVD-R/CD-R -- Ritek, Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim (genuine Verbatim that is. Which is hard to come by now.)

Soda -- I'm not a soda addict so whatever I feel like drinking at the time is what I get.

Shoes/underwear -- Sketchers, New Balance, Old Navy

Shirts/pants -- Whatever.

Condoms -- Fuck off you

 

[border]

Remember when Arm & Hammer was just baking soda? Now it's like they've got their hand in everything that requires a nice scent or freshness. Toothpaste, detergent, fabric softener, Plug-in deodorizers.....how long before they start making douche?

You made this whole thread JUST to justify your sick tide.com porn scrounging. DIDNT YOU!

I am not a fan of messy porn where they cover themselves in syrup and crap.....but there's just something about that one glob of ketchup, sliding down down her modest-but-ample round breast as she cradles that thick hot dog...

 

[iapetus]

Do you live in a major city in the UK? I've tried most of the generic pizza places round here for delivery, given how much cheaper they are, but they're just awful. The food comes cold, or late, or the toppings are sparse, or the pizza itself is just crap. I'd never buy delivery pizza from anywhere but a brand name now, but maybe it has more to do with living outside of the cities.

Could be, though back when I lived in Cheshire there were a couple of pretty good pizza places within delivery distance.

Currently living in Reading, alternating between Pizza Gogo (actually a small chain) and a new place that I've forgotten the name of which does great pizzas at a lower price but truly horrible jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese.

Best local pizza place I've ever had the pleasure of eating at was Eatalias on Leith Walk in Edinburgh. Huge, authentic Italian-style pizzas for ridiculously small amounts of money. Ah, the weight I put on when I lived just round the corner from there...

 

[Chittagong]

Some random habits:

Sodas - always name brand. Current favorite Fanta Free - Ananas Grapefruit

Clothes - always name brand. Too many to list

Frozen food - lowest cost, doesn't matter

Bread - what ever is good (fresh baked) or cheap (packaged)

Milk - lowest cost, doesn't matter

Yoghurt - always name brand. Danone Vitalinea 0.1%.

Console accessories - always name brand, and first party only

Painrelief, vitamins etc. - lowest cost, doesn't matter

Alcohol - always name brand. Heineken, Corona, Smirnoff and more. Lot's more actually.

Internet Service Provider - lowest cost with highest speed, payed by employer

Airline - always an Oneworld alliance member.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well now I'm hungry.