[Marilyn]

We buy a mix of the store brands and name brands. Just depends. I have to be careful with detergents. Hubby is alergic to some of them, so I use All Free, just to be safe, and Downy. I don't use the fabric softener sheets of any brand because they cause the lint to be sticky and it builds up in the exhaust air tube and plugs it up where the flapper is outside.

The store brand zipper bags and trash bags are really good around here. I use them all the time. There is actually a tall kitchen garbage bag that I like better than the name brands & I keep a big box of super cheap kitchen garbage bags in the pantry for miscellaneous uses. They come in quite handy.

We buy mostly fresh vegetables, but when we do buy canned or frozen, I have bought the store brands and don't notice much, if any, difference. A few stems in the green beans, but I pick them out and they taste fine. I'm picky about flour and usually buy the King Arthur unbleached all purpose. I think it makes a difference. Any brand of sugar will work as long as it's pure cane.

It definitely pays to use a calculator and compare prices at different stores. You'd be surprized sometimes what and where things are actually cheaper.

Happy hunting and experimenting. I like finding bargins and saving money. No time for garage sales, but I can do comparison shopping at the grocery.