One thing you buy but shouldn't/could buy cheaper

[druthb00]

Forgive me if this thread has been done before...but I'm new What's the one thing (or several...hehe) that you buy that you could get cheaper, but won't?

For me, it's bread, I'm a sucker for good bakery French or Italian bread. I also am a sucker for good cheese...like manchego or gouda for example.

It just seems like no matter how cheap I can be on some things, there are certain items that I cannot buy cheaply (or maybe it's that I dont WANT to ?)

[Rhayne]

Good question. There aren't many things that I have to have in a certain brand. Hmm... I would have to say the main thing I won't bend on is facial products. I only buy certain brand names and won't buy store brands of them. But I usually have a coupon so it's not all that bad. The main reason for this is I have very sensitive acne prone dry skin and some off brands or store brands make my face red, flakey, dry and itchy.

[druthb00]

Good question. There aren't many things that I have to have in a certain brand. Hmm... I would have to say the main thing I won't bend on is facial products. I only buy certain brand names and won't buy store brands of them. But I usually have a coupon so it's not all that bad. The main reason for this is I have very sensitive acne prone dry skin and some off brands or store brands make my face red, flakey, dry and itchy.

Ooo, that's a good one, I'm the same way. Except add oily lol.

[frugalfranny]

Will have to think on it .....but one thing isn't even a food item----I guess it is considered junk food - medicine for me.

Gatorade........I won't buy the Costco brand as I don't like the flavors that they have in it. The red one is icky!!

Can't think of anything else-------the bread thing = I go to the discount market so can get some really good bread for cheap.

[dcompton]

Jigsaw puzzles. I love them, work them in massive spurts, then not for several months. If I am devoting hours and hours of my life to them, I want them to be good quality and a picture I really like. I buy them on line, usually enough at a time, once or twice a year, that I get free shipping. I look locally at what's out there, and I'm just not interested in any of them. But this year -- no new puzzles. I have a bunch I haven't worked yet, and I do them more than once.

There are a few food items I am brand loyal to. Kraft sandwich spread, Campbell's tomato and cream of chicken soup come to mind. For bread, usually I can find Orowheat on sale, but don't buy just ordinary sandwich loaves. If I'm going to eat a sandwich, not my favorite to start with, I want it on good bread. I seldom buy ice cream because it eats a hole in my brain until it's gone, but if I do, I want Bluebell. With these I always regret substitutions.

Shoes - SAS sandals. Expensive, but I can wear a pair for years.

There are surely other things, but I can't think of any right now.

[ladykemma2]

birkenstocks (not betula, papillio or newalk)
bluebell ice cream
scotts toilet paper
franks durkee red hot hot sauce
campbells tomato soup
walmart plus size jeans fit me perfectly
oil of olay regular

i do buy specific brands which is why coupons do not generally work for me.

edit: oh yeah hellmans mayonesa the kind made with lime juice.

[Lora88]

Hellmans mayo
open pit bbq sauce
only columbian coffee
canada dry diet ginger ale will not drink any other soda
and in those fun days when I used to drink blackberry brandy Leroux only and it had to be the polish style oh those were the days

[Grainlady]

Maple syrup. There are valuable saccharides in maple syrup and maple sugar that aren't readily available in other foods. It's worth every penny.

Butter. I'm not brand loyal, but I am BUTTER loyal. Once again, there are nutrients found in butter we don't readily find in other foods - vitamin A and trace minerals, butyric acid and lauric acid.

Coconut oil. I choose more expensive coconut oil over shortening. Once again, coconut oil has many health benefits. It's easier to digest, and beneficial for use by people who have had their gallbladder removed, because fat digestion is hindered as a result. It's also high in lauric acid.

Wheat. Good quality wheat is essential for making good quality breads and baked goods. Milling your own flour is the only way to get ALL the nutrients, proteins and fiber possible from wheat. Commercial whole wheat flour has already lost most of it's nutrition, and the valuable wheat germ oil begins to go rancid as soon as oxygen hits it after milling. Some studies have shown that vitamin loss begins as quickly as 3-hours after milling. So when you purchase commercial whole wheat flour, you are paying a premium price for little more than some extra fiber. Some commercial whole wheat flour is nothing more than white flour with some bran raked back into it to make it "brown". You don't even get the germ, which is where much of the nutrients are.

[pat in east texas]

Bread. I always buy the best available.
Shoes. Unfortunately, my feet are made for expensive shoes.
Real butter.
Alessi red wine vinegar. Store brand is a lot 'thinner".
Pasta - several brands, but not the store brand.
Fabric.
Knitting yarn.

[NikoSan999]

Folgers
Jif ( I don't care but the kid can tell the difference)
Coffeemate

[druthb00]

You know after reading through these replies...I started to think to myself: I really gotta try some of that Bluebell ice cream they're all talking about....and then decided this was a really stupid "frugal" thread to start lol, instead of titling it what I did, it really should be "Tell me what expensive stuff you're hooked on so I can become hooked on it, too!!" Just a thought, but really I'm kidding...fun thread

[WV_mom_of2]

I buy.....

Kraft Mayo for dh and ds
Kraft Miracle Whip for me
Oscar Mayer bologna
Oscar Mayer hot dogs for me(dh and the kids eat the cheapo's, I can't because I have IBS)
Name brand ketchup(Hunts, Heinz or Del Monte whatever is on sale)
Ragu spaghetti sauce
MT. DEW

[Samigirl]

Best Foods Mayo
Real butter
Folger's coffee
Hidden Valley Ranch
Diet Coke (for DH)
Pantene conditioner....with naturally curly hair, I've GOT to have my Pantene!

[AnW819]

Lysol wipes. They are a total waste of money but I feel like I HAVE to have them.

Seagrams Ginger ale. All store brand ginger ale STINKS!!!!'

[qcrazy]

Well this made me relize I am in no way brand loyal, only thing I caan think of is charmin tp and I can do without that if I find cheaper.

But for my DH its THE ''DEW''!