4 Ways to Save Money with Store Brands

4 Ways to Save Money with Store Brands

Name brand products are heavily advertised, so it’s no wonder that many people are brand loyal. However, name brands are not always inherently better or higher quality than store brands and switching to store brands can save you a whole lot of money. That’s why I have 4 ways to save money with store brands…

• Find the factory location on the label.

  Many store brand products are actually manufactured in the same factory that produces the name brand product – but labeled separately for “store brand” and “national brand”. If you look for the production location on the store brand label and it matches the one for the same name brand product, there’s a good chance it is the exact same product. This is a great way to save tons of money without even noticing a difference in the product.

• Make label comparisons.

  Even if the manufacturer is not the same, the store brand product may still be incredibly similar to the name brand one. By comparing the ingredients labels, you can see how similar the products are. Ingredients are listed in the order of the largest amount used in the product to the smallest amount used. For example, when you see “wheat”, listed as the first ingredient, that’s the main ingredient and the product contains more of that than any other ingredient. So, as you compare the ingredients lists, if they are all the same, listed in the same order, you can be fairly certain the products will have very similar tastes and textures.

  Many store brand products will also have a label on the front that says, “Compare to…” and then mention a well-known brand. When you see this label, you can be certain that the product is very similar in quality to the national brand.

• Try several different store brands.

  Some store brands are better than others, and finding a store brand you like may be as simple as changing where you shop. If you know you don’t like the Walmart brand, try buying the Target brand. If Target still disappoints you, move on to the next store. This takes a little bit of trial and error, but you’ll soon find a brand you’re happy with.

  Many shoppers report actually preferring the store brands of certain products from stores like Aldi or Trader Joe’s to the national brands. Stores like these sell only a few brand name products, with most of their products sold under their store brand. Because their business model is built on the concept of saving money with store brands, these stores’ brands are often superior to that of major retailers. To further back their store brand products, they also often have a money back guarantee if you’re unhappy, so no harm in trying them.

• Look for sales and use coupons.

  Coupons for store brand products may be hard to come by, but they do exist. Several stores offer digital coupons through their app or loyalty program that includes coupons for their store brand items. These coupons combined with the already lower prices of store brands allow you to save some big bucks. And, of course, if you’ve tried lots of store brands and still prefer the name brand, you can save money by pairing sales and coupons. Swagbucks.com has coupons for tons of name brand products. Look under their “Shop” section and choose “Grocery Coupons”.

Store brand products often have a bad reputation of being inferior to name brands. However, the only difference is often the product advertising. By trying out these few tips and tricks, you can be well on your way to saving tons of money on store brand products while still enjoying name-brand-level quality.