WifeAdvice.com

Branded

Here’s where we answer our our readers’ questions. Please don’t blame us if the suggestions don’t work for you. You’re the one taking advice from a donkey.

This week’s lucky advice seeker has earned a $25 gift certificate to Black Angus, just by sending us this question! You could win too–see below for details!

Dear Donkey and Wife

I am admittedly frugal. I recognize that for most items the generic store brand is just as good as a nationally known brand. I rarely buy anything that is not generic, including the family’s food and my personal care products. However, when my wife goes shopping, she rarely buys generic items. Occasionally when we shop together I can plead with her to buy generic food, and sometimes she will give in; however, she will not budge on buying name brands for personal care products for both her and the kids even when the generic label challenges the consumer to “Compare to [insert my wife's favorite brand here]” I can’t even get her to experiment and try it. I understand spending more on a name brand if you tried its generic and it really isn’t as good, but how can I get her to think generic?

-A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

He Says

I love a good bargain and also purchase almost exclusively generic; although, there are a few items that I typically opt for the name brands: toilet paper, garbage bags, macaroni and cheese, and bagels.

I think I can provide a few ideas for you to help your wife consider generic products. First, start out by explaining that she settled for generic when she got married—I doubt a name brand guy would be reading this blog and submitting questions to me. Second, you could try to be sneaky. I would buy the generic version of her cereal and then swap it for the real stuff. Let her eat it for a while and then reveal your secret. This would also really work well for things like milk and eggs. Third, you could show the price difference between the products. Maybe she has never really looked at that. If the prices are too similar, switch a few price tags around. I am sure this will work since I continually fall for this trick when the grocery stores pull it. Fourth, you could go the opposite direction and taint the name brand stuff so it tastes gross. Take your name brand bread and sprinkle some water in the bag, then leave it open for a day. That should get things pretty interesting. You can then swoop in with the generic stuff and save the day.

I think you need to find a balance between the two brands. You should offer to purchase name brand products that you like so she feels like she won. Then, you can buy generics for the products that are super expensive. I always say that compromise is a good technique. Well, I never say that, but it sounds good.

She Says

I don’t have a lot to add to The Donkey’s advice, so I guess that means he has trained me pretty well (or that I grew up in an all-generic home). The only recommendation I can add is that you make a point of showing appreciation those times when your wife does make a frugal decision. Let’s say “for instance” that a wife buys all of her shoes at Payless, uses grocery store makeup, and often counts the free samples from Costco as her lunch for the day. Then “let’s say” this wife needs to purchase new sunglasses. She doesn’t go for the Gucci, Chanel, Oakley, or any top designers. She doesn’t even go to the Sunglass Hut kiosk at the mall. Instead, she goes to Wal-Mart and picks out the $5 glasses from those little plastic racks where the mirrors are only wide enough for her to see what the bridge of her nose looks like in the glasses. If your wife were to choose a pair of those glasses, and then decide that she needs a second pair to keep in the car–just try not to tell her that she’s single-handedly sending the family to the poor house! Trust me, it won’t go over well.

Need Advice? Contact us and ask a question. You may even win dinner on us!