30 day Challenge: Generic Vs Brand Groceries

This month we have decided to focus our attention on our finances.  Part of living consciously means being aware of what is happening in your life, and where you can make positive changes. So, over the next 30 days, we will buy only generic, or cheapest alternative groceries.

This week, instead of grabbing our usual brands from the shelves, we looked for the cheapest alternative.  Our rules were: 1) If a comparable generic version was available we had to buy it, and 2) If a generic version was not available, we were to find the cheapest alternative available. The above picture is a small sample of some of the choices we made. 

I was surprised by the lack of generic items available for some of our common meal ingredients.  I had anticipated almost all of our purchases being generic, so I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see a buggy full of "great value" products.  We did, however, make some interesting discoveries. 

The greatest saving was buying Great Value dairy products such as margarine instead of our usual brand.  A large tub of Country Crock sets you back $3.38.  Seems reasonable, especially considering how long it lasts, but the Great value brand only cost us $2.14, which is a saving of $1.24. A half pound block of swiss cheese was $1.06 less than the brand alternative, and we saved $0.90 on sour cream. This is coupon savings without the hassle of clipping and using them!

Some of the other Great Value products were only 10 cents cheaper than its brand equivalent, and it was sometimes harder to justify buying the generic product instead of our usual brand option.  I won't go into the five minute debate in the frozen dessert isle, but let's just say that we walked away with a tub of generic ice cream.  It's understandable that such a small saving could cause you to rethink buying generic.  As we concluded, however, 10 cents here and there soon adds up, and if you're trying to save money, or the product is just as tasty and nutritious (or innutrtious, as the case may be) then there are some good overall savings to be made.

In the interest of full disclosure and honesty, I have to say that I did not buy the cheapest coffee.  The ONLY reason is because I have already tried just about every brand available, being somewhat of a coffee connoisseur, and I have figured out which ones offer the best flavour, freshness, and value for money.  (In case you are interested, it is Seattle's Best!)  

One discovery we did not expect to make was that one or two of our usual products were actually cheaper than the generic version.  For example, the Birds Eye Frozen Stir Fry vegetables cost $1.78 compared to the Great Value alternative, which was $1.88.  We also bought a frozen ready meal, which was $3.68 compared to Great Value's $6.00.  So, something to keep in mind when shopping for the best deals on groceries is that generic isn't always cheaper. 

It would also be a good idea to consider alternative brands besides generic.  Pillsbury yellow cake mix was $1.00 compared to our usual Betty Crocker cake mix at $1.14, and the Pillsbury icing was $1.50 compared to the Betty Crocker icing which is $1.62.  I would like to have bought generic bread because at $0.78 a loaf that would have been a tremendous saving, but they did not have a whole wheat option.

This was just the first week of shopping consciously for the best deal on groceries and I have to say that we did notice an immediate difference in the overall cost.  The last time I remember spending close to this amount was during a difficult financial time when we were eating a lot of eggs, pasta, and PB&J's. This time we were feasting on steak sandwiches, cous cous, chicken, enchiladas and more. We didn't need to buy any cleaning supplies or other household items this time around, so it will be interesting to see what happens to our bill during our next trip to the grocery store.

In the beginning

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.^a 2The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. ~ NLT

It is easy to sink into a comfortable routine where time passes and, with limited awareness, we carry out our daily tasks.  But, living without the conscious experience can make our lives formless and empty. Sometimes you can feel that something bigger is right in front of you and, yet, you cannot seem to reach out and touch it. 

I know, for me, over the past few years life has felt a little shallow and lacking in direction at times. I have a lot of ideas and passion, but have felt limited in my ability to bring about real change. Perhaps, I have simply become lazy, or maybe I have learned that my choices are more limited than they actually are and, as a result, I have come to believe that I am incapable of living the life I want for myself and my family. Recently, though, it has occurred to me that you have to awaken what is dwelling beneath the surface - your true potential; your true self - and begin taking control of the things that are yours to change.

Living consciously means being aware of every aspect of your life and being proactive about the steps you take.  It involves making thoughtful choices instead of passively allowing the pieces of your life to come together.  Though I believe there is a time for waiting, I also believe that there is a time for action, and often that is lost on many of us. 

My husband and I both have goals we would like to achieve, and hopes for our son's life too.  In order for us to achieve those goals, we have to make some important changes in our lives.  A few months ago we cancelled our cable television subscription, and I can honestly say that I do not miss it one bit.  Not only has it saved us money, but it has also helped us to look at our time differently.  Currently, we still have a Netflix subscription (though that may change soon - watch this space!), so we do still watch certain television shows as well as movies, but we have a considerable amount of control over what we watch now, and no channel surfing!

We have identified some important areas that have been holding us back from achieving our goals, and as we work through these issues and begin to live a more conscious existence, I will be taking note of all our changes, how they affect us, and report my findings here.

I hope all our readers will enjoy reading about our journey, and that you may even begin on your own path to living consciously.