The Best Things To Buy Generic at Walmart, and Some To Skip
With inflation hitting Americans right where it hurts, it can be tempting to skip the name brands and go all in on generic goods to save money. But the truth is that just because an item is generic does not mean you’ll always get the best value for your money. It also doesn’t mean you won’t find some some very good buys on products you’ll genuinely like.
When it comes to generic or private brands, Walmart has its fair share of them. From food items to clothing and power tools, you can find a generic brand for many of the products you need or want. To help get you started on your quest for cheaper groceries and other items, here’s a handful of some of the best and not-so-great things to buy generic at Walmart.
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Best: Equate Cotton Swabs
“If you purchase the Q-tip brand, you’ll pay around $3.47 or more for a 500-count package; if you opt for the Equate brand, it’ll only cost you about $2.12 for a pack of 500 swabs,” said consumer analyst Julie Ramhold with DealNews.
Best: Equate Mouthwash
“You can get a 2-pack of 50.7 fluid ounce bottles of Equate mouthwash in Blue Mint flavor for about $5.97 — that’s 101.4 fluid ounces total, which is 5.9 cents per ounce,” said Ramhold. “If you opt for a 33.8 ounce bottle of Cool Mint Listerine, it’ll cost you $5.53, which is 16 cents per ounce.”
Best: Great Value Honey Wheat Bread
“You’ll pay just 98 cents for a 20 oz. loaf of this bread, but a 20 oz. loaf of Nature’s Own Honey Wheat will set you back $3.18,” said Ramhold. “That works out to about 4 cents per slice compared to 14 cents per slice.”
Best: Great Value Honey Graham Crackers
“A 14.4 ounce package of these s’mores staples is only $1.76 for the generic brand and they’re highly-rated,” shared Ramhold. “If you opt for the name-brand Honey Maid, you’ll still get a highly-rated product, but you’ll have to pay $3.38 for the same amount.”
Skip: Great Value Honey
“A 12 oz. container of honey will cost you $3.72 or 31 cents per ounce; you can get a far better deal by shopping at a warehouse club like Costco,” Ramhold said. “For instance, there you’ll find 5 pounds of honey for around $18.99, which is a ton of honey, sure, but it works out to 24 cents per ounce — so if you use this sweetener a lot, it’s well worth it.”
Skip: Great Value Pure Maple Syrup
“A 12.5 oz bottle of pure maple syrup at Walmart will cost you a whopping $7.98, or nearly 64 cents per ounce,” Ramhold said. “However, if you shop at Costco, you can get a 33.8-ounce bottle of pure maple syrup for around $14.49, which is only 43 cents per ounce.”
Skip: HART 215-Piece Mechanic’s Tool Set
Bad generic buys don’t only apply to grocery items. HART is Walmart’s store brand that features items like power tools.
“HART also carries toolsets, like their 215-piece mechanic’s toolset, which retails for $119,” said Rebecca Gramuglia, consumer expert at TopCashback. “However, Lowe’s sells a comparable 216-piece set for the same price. And if you’re looking for more bang for your buck, Home Depot carries a 270-piece mechanic’s toolset for $129 — a $10 difference with over 50 additional pieces.”
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