I’m not only a big fan of the clearance rack; I also enjoy store-brand stuff instead of paying for the big names like Charmin*, Fresh Step** and General Mills. Nothing like saving a buck on the off-brands. I figure…why get “Cinnamon Toast Crunch”^ when you can instead get “Cinnamon-Like Coated Flakes of Squares”? The kids don’t know the difference. And it’s a secret between me and the cash register (wink).

Right now I’m eating Non-Brand Dry Roasted/Lightly Salted Peanuts. Not too bad. They certainly live up to their claims. If they used adjectives like “yummy” and “won’t remind you of eating paste!”, then we’d have a class-action lawsuit on our hands. If I have the opportunity to get the store-brand, I usually go for it. Want a Snicker’s^^ bar? Nah. Get a “Delicious Candy Log Stuffed with Lightly Salted Peanuts” bar instead– save 2 cents.

There are a few things I don’t go for on the non-brand issue. Peanut butter. It must be Jif and it must be creamy. And coffee. Not creamy, but gotta get at least the eight-o-clock brand, which is borderline store brand (A&P) but still tastes better than these peanuts I’m eating right now.

*Charmin, Copyright 1971. All rights reserved (except for 1-ply)
**Fresh Step, Registered Trademark of Meow Meow Meow Corporation, a division of Henrietta, that one cat from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
^Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a registered trademark of Dentists Making Money
^^Snickers, Trademark of the Gentle Laughter group.