Grocery Shopping

[2tiredmom]

Janet,

I use Era also and Downey but I don't buy it unless it's on sale. Normally it goes on sale at Meijer and I can get it for 2 for 5. Downey is cheaper at walmart and I always use a coupon for it also. I don't like any other products. So when it goes on sale i really stock up. I mean major stock up 10 or more at a time on the Era.
I just don't like anything else. I can't see buying Tide. It costs way to much.

[gja1000]

Just one word of caution about generic medications. First off, I use them whenever possible, so I am not speaking out against them. However, being a nurse I have seen one problem with a few generics (please don't ask me how....). It is true the strength and integrity of the medication are exactly the same. What may be different is the process for making the pill, and sometimes generics do not dissolve as well. Thus, sometimes generics come out just the same as they go in - visualize looking in the toilet and seeing the whole pill in a BM. When this happens, you have gotten no benefit from the medication.

This happens mostly in older people (80's and above) because older persons have less digestive juices and thus, the pills do not dissolve as well. So, if you change to generics and think it is not working as well, this may be why. You can ask your doctor if you can crush the pill prior to taking it. Please do ask though, as some pills should not be crushed, e.g., time-released or long acting pills.

It can happen to people of any age - but is most common in elders.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by gja1000

Just one word of caution about generic medications. First off, I use them whenever possible, so I am not speaking out against them. However, being a nurse I have seen one problem with a few generics (please don't ask me how....). It is true the strength and integrity of the medication are exactly the same. What may be different is the process for making the pill, and sometimes generics do not dissolve as well. Thus, sometimes generics come out just the same as they go in - visualize looking in the toilet and seeing the whole pill in a BM. When this happens, you have gotten no benefit from the medication.

This happens mostly in older people (80's and above) because older persons have less digestive juices and thus, the pills do not dissolve as well. So, if you change to generics and think it is not working as well, this may be why. You can ask your doctor if you can crush the pill prior to taking it. Please do ask though, as some pills should not be crushed, e.g., time-released or long acting pills.

It can happen to people of any age - but is most common in elders.

Gayle, thank you for such great advice. I had no idea about any of the information you shared. They, Drs., pharmacys, whoever, should tell everyone this information.

[Tink]

Instead of all the expensive cleaning supplies, I use a lot of generic bleach around here. I have some in a spray bottle for general cleaning, and use it for pretty much everything in the bathroom and kitchen. I buy scented ones so the smell is nice and what cleans better than bleach? If I want a piny smell I just add a bit of tea tree oil.

[Lindsey]

Tink, you reminded me! I think it was from a thread in YT that I discovered this... I also use vinegar for cleaning. It's cheaper than cleaning products too And I read that you can put a bit of it in a container in a room and it will take smells out of the air... Well Layla has had a few accidents on the old carpet in the basement, and I've cleaned as many spots as I could find but there was still a smell. I took a small tupperware container, put a bit of vinegar in the bottom, and put it downstairs. It really worked. It didn't smell like vinegar, but the pee smell went away!

[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.

[Marilyn]

By the way, I do buy store brand cereals they are fine with us. And also use bleach and vinegar for cleaning. They work well and are a lot cheaper. I have been known to dilute a bottle of Clorox Cleanup with bleach and water when it got low and really couldn't tell the difference.