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Compromise: what do you cheap out on?

Quality versus quantity – it’s a constant balancing act in so many areas, and not least of all the supermarket. I’m curious: what do you scrimp on?

People generally say to buy budget rice, pasta and so on. I’m a fan of basmati/jasmine rice, though, and I usually manage to pick those up on special. We also tend to buy branded sauces, frozen foods, tuna, eggs, crackers and biscuits, usually on sale.

Where we do tend to go for price over name, though…

Bread: we usually buy the house brand for $1.44, or the next step up at $1.79 (which is SO much nicer).

Toilet paper: we tend to buy Earthcare recycled TP when it’s $1.99 for four, otherwise it’s Kiwisoft at 12 for $3.79. I draw the line at Budget TP, though.

Canned vegetables: Tomatoes, chickpeas, corn. Anywhere from $1-1.70 a can.

Cooking oil: T goes way overboard with the oil when cooking, IMO.

Milk: We go through it like water.

Dried pasta: It’s all the same to me. T likes to buy the expensive stuff, though, so I let him pick every once in a while.

5 thoughts on “Compromise: what do you cheap out on?

  • Reply unknowntheartist April 18, 2010 at 01:17

    MOH and I rarely cheap out on groceries, which may be because we both grew up in fairly low income backgrounds so we always had to source the home brands for the essentials. Nowadays, we go nuts not specifically on the best brands but the best quality foods, fresh or processed.

  • Reply Veronica April 18, 2010 at 02:32

    I go shopping at ALDI and pretty much EVERYTHING they have is not name brand. I can buy two weeks worth of groceries for about 100 bucks. I cut corners food wise buy shopping there!

    I’ve tried most of the different products that you might worry about being off brand, like dairy, and suffice to say I’ve been quite pleased at the taste!

    I would suggest seeing if maybe they have one near you and giving it a go!

  • Reply Amber from Girl with the Red Hair April 18, 2010 at 04:53

    DEFINITELY canned veggies, toilet paper, paper towel and those kinds of things!

    We just started making our own bread actually – you should try it. Cheaper AND healthier!

  • Reply The Asian Pear April 18, 2010 at 17:07

    we cheap out mostly on everything except toilet paper. we buy nice TP except we always buy on sale. never full price.

  • Reply Stephany April 19, 2010 at 05:30

    I can be very picky about my groceries. The store I shop at is not cheap but they do have their fair share of good sales and I like the atmosphere there. 🙂

    We tend to buy store-brand veggies, paper towels, and sometimes cleaning products. But not so much food. We like to go with name-brand stuff.

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