If you have children, you know that once they want something they see, it is pretty hard to change their minds. Commericals are pretty quick and they try and pour a lot of information into selling you something in a very short amount of time. Kids, who watch a lot of television or surf the net, see a lot of ads and some of them, especially if their peers are doing it, want to buy something.
If you are trying to save money, one of the little secrets that parents use is that they try to buy generic. Oh, I am not talking about buying generic supermarket soda like Albertson’s brand instead of Coca Cola (though I drink both and have gotten my son to drink it as well). I am talking more along the lines of getting a knock off designer knapsack for school or pair of shoes that aren’t $129 a pair. Eventually, manufacturers will make similar products, or as much as they can skate patent or copyright infringement. In some cases, kids will accept the product gladly. In others, they may raise a stink.
If you have been teaching your kids good fundamental financial values and learning about money, that shouldn’t be a problem. If you find yourself a slave to designer labels, maybe it is time that you go on a generic diet yourself to set an example for your kids. If you don’t have kids and your job doesn’t depend on you dressing like a celebrity fashionista, I would say start saving money and go generic.
Some exceptions are in paper towels and toilet paper. I am the first to admit that not all paper is the same and some is rougher than others. Maybe you have some exceptions as well. I am not asking you to go completely generic like in the old movie “Repo Man”, just be aware of what you are spending money on and ask yourself if you can get the same product or service for a cheaper price.