This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Walgreens.
I don’t think it’s overstating it to say that we are a family that loves Walgreens.
No. Let me rephrase that. We loooooooove Walgreens.
It’s shameful, really. We shop there two or three times a week. We know our cashiers. We know our pharmacy techs. And more than anything else, I know to check out in the cosmetics department when I’m stocking up on shampoo and make-up because they’re always well-stocked with coupons.
There’s one other thing I happen to know about Walgreens – and I know it from first-hand experience.
Their store brand is fantastic. Seriously. I buy the Walgreens Brand of, well, whatever as much as I possibly can, especially when it comes to any sort of over-the-counter medication. The Walgreens Brand is almost always significantly more affordable than a competing name brand, and I’ve never been able to tell one iota of difference in quality. If the Walgreens pharmacist recommends it, it’s good enough for me – especially since the Walgreens Brand has the same major active ingredient as other national brands.
A couple of weekends ago was perfect case in point. My husband came down with the man cold of all man colds – there was all manner of loud breathing and loud nose blowing and loud sneezing going on in our house. He was so congested, and one Saturday morning he just seemed miserable and tired and maybe even a wee bit cranky. That’s understandable, though. All that breathing through the mouth can be exhausting.
Given the husband’s condition, I decided that I was going to Take Action. We had plenty of cold medicine already, but I kept thinking that D would be so much more comfortable if we could get a vaporizer cranked up and running. I’m a big believer in using vapors to help a cold; it’s what my mama always did for me, and I think it’s a great way to get some relief without taking decongestant after decongestant. So I drove to Walgreens, grabbed a cart, and stocked up on some cold remedies. I bought a vaporizer, some liquid vapors for the vaporizer, some cough drops, some ibuprofen for the big man and for our little man (he was feeling a little fever-ish) – and every single item was the Walgreens Brand. I probably saved eight or nine dollars just by buying the store brand.
(If this photograph had a title? It would be “Mama Doesn’t Mess Around.”)
(Because Mama likes it when her people are happy and WELL.)
We weren’t at all shocked when everything I bought worked beautifully. We’ve used the Walgreens ibuprofen and the cough drops for years, but the vaporizer and the vapors were new for us. They’re FANTASTIC. I could get used to sleeping with the vaporizer whether anyone is sick or not; it’s a soothing presence in the midst of all the dry indoor heat, and the liquid vapors smell divine – they’re so, so soothing.
Here’s the best news of all (besides the fact that my husband’s cold is almost completely gone): I get to give away a $100 Walgreens gift card. I can tell you in all honesty that there are few things in life I would enjoy more than a Walgreens gift card. I mean, JUST IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES. Anyway, if you’d like to win a $100 Walgreens gift card courtesy of BlogHer, leave a comment that answers the following question: do you typically buy store brands or national brands? A combination of the two? Whatever’s the most affordable? Also, be sure to check out other participating bloggers. This giveaway is open February 18 – March 13.
Happy Walgreens, y’all! And by all means: Try Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness products. Visit the site for more information.
Rules:
– No duplicate comments.
– You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
– a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
– b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
– c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
– d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
– This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
– Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
– You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
This giveaway is now closed.
I love the Walgreens too! In fact I have a very funny holiday memory of Walgreens on Christmas day. God bless them for being open. And I’m a big fan of store brands for medicines. Bring on the savings!
I love Walgreens too. Great giveaway.
I am a big fan of buying store brands and saving money that way. It is EXTREMELY rare that I stick to the name brand of something – 99% of the time the store brand is just fine!
Here’s the URL to my tweet:
http://twitter.com/#!/stephanieshep/status/38646442923008000
Store brands :) Love Walgreens.
I almost always buy store brands. There are a few grocery items like cereal and peanut butter that we don’t mess around with, but for things like pain medication, cough drops etc — store brand is awesome!
My husband doesn’t “get” drugstores, but I love the selection and the convenience of a small store (as opposed to a supermarket or big discount store).
I am all about the store brand! There are very few items I insist on being national brand because like you said, they have the same ingredients.
I shop at Walgreens all the time! The main reason: no lines.
I go for the store brands because of the cost savings.
tweet-http://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/38648886365143040#
Generally, I try to buy the store brands to save money. This is a great giveaway!
I don’t usually buy the store brand but now that I’m in frugal mode, I have started to do that more often.
Well, there just happens to be a Walgreens right up the street. I love popping in there when I need something in a pinch. We typically buy store brands. Same quality, lower price. Win-win!
I mostly buy store brands since they are usually cheaper and work just as well….why pay more for a name?????
Def a store brands girl!
I love Walgreens too! I tend to use a mixture of storebrand and national brands. It really just depends on price!
I am a store brands gal on most things. Except mayonnaise.
I wanted to yell out with happiness when I saw this giveaway! I love walgreens!
I buy store brands all the time. Love the Wal-itin D (works great and much cheaper than Claritan D)!
I buy either. There are a few name brands that have my unswerving loyalty, and a few store brands that I avoid, so it depends on the product. I haven’t tried many Walgreen’s store brands, though.
It depends on the day- somethings I MUST have the brand, b/c I’ve been using the brand for ages and if it ain’t broke….
We use a combination. I tend to buy a lot of the WalMart (Great Value) brands and have been happy with them. I do stick to name brands on cereal and crackers for some reason.
I’d say about 85% of our shopping is store brand items. I am loyal to a few brand name items, but usually I have a coupon for them so it works out.
I love Walgreens, too! I love the register rewards program and am there most Sunday afternoons. We are nothing if not adventurous. Great giveaway!
I always go with what is the most “cost effective” (i.e. cheapest!). That almost always means the store brand.
I typically buy store brands and I love Walgreens!
Sometimes on food I’ll buy other brands, but where medication is concerned, if there is a store brand, I will buy the store brand. My favorite little words on a box are “Compare to…” Yes! I’ll take it!
I buy store brands. They always work just as well as the national brands and fit my budget SO much better. Walgreen’s is a must for me – combining their sales and coupons stretches my dollars so much further. Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the Walgreens. In fact, I may be an addict to Walgreens. I just always have that nagging feeling that there is probably something in there that I CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT!!!! I visit them in several towns, because you just never know what one has that the others don’t! But I must admit, I did not know about the Walgreens brand Vapor Liquid. I shall be trying that one!
Usually buy the store brand of most everything. Except cheese.
I usually buy the store brand since it’s cheaper.
I LOVE Walgreens!!! Love, love, love it. We have threee in our town and they are all so convenient. I normally always buy store brands because they work just as good and are so much cheaper!
I usually buy the generic brand (usually Doller General Brand) and then get disappointed and in 2 dys now have to go out and get the name brand kicking myself for wasting the money the first time. Perhaps I will give Walgreens a try. Thanks, sheila
I have an on-going debate with my boyfriend about store/”name” brands. He says store brands all the way because price, but I say there are some things you just have to buy “name” brand!
I work right next door to a Walgreens and I LUV it so much. I also Luv the people that work there. Wonderful.
Thanks for the heads up on the store brand! Our chain store here in Texas, HEB, has wonderful store brands – much better than name brand. I love knowing that I can now add Walgreens to the list of trusted brands!
I typically buy store brands at HEB since I find that they are equal or better to name brands. Very few things do I prefer the name brand – Chips Ahoy, for example. Not that I need to be eating them :-) I do not typically care what the price is unless the difference is great – then I would probably opt for store brand.
Thanks again for the heads up and the giveaway!
$100! Woo-Hoo! I buy the store brands too!
I would have to say that I do a mixture. Thanks for the great giveaway!
I am all about store brands except for a couple things – Dove bar soap, Dawn dish soap, Velveeta, and Kleenex, to be precise! I like shopping at Kroger for the express reason that they put the price per ounce on their items. ; ) And you betcha I buy the cheapest per ounce regardless of brand!!
I love drug stores like Walgreens. They always seem to have more variety of holiday items and hair products than big stores like Target. And I buy store brands for almost everything – except Kraft Mac & Cheese – gotta have the blue box for that one!
If I am at Walgreens—Store brands always. Love the fact that nearly every week something you would use often is buy 1 geet 1 free. At some other stores it depends, I don’t trust all store brands the way I do Walgreen’s :-)
I buy store brands all the time, especially Walgreens. In fact, it is a rare thing that I buy a name brand item for colds, headaches, etc.
Hi, I typically buy the store brand unless I have a good coupon!
Here’s my tweet – http://twitter.com/#!/shala_darkstone/status/38669937438494720
I almost always buy store brands unless I can get the national brand cheaper the deadly sale/Manufacturer coupon/store coupon combo. Watchout, I’m a plan-ahead shopper. That said, I’ve always been pleased with Walgreen’s brand stuff.
I’d love me a Walgreens gift card. Good giveaway!!
I’m just embarrassed to say that I am a sucker for the national brands. I’m sorry. This gift card could convince me to change my ways though!
I typically use the store brands unless there is a coupon for the name brand that makes it cheaper! There are a few things that are always name brand though but very few!
I buy a combination, I have found a few store brand things I don’t like here and there so I buy the national brand. When the national brands are on sale cheaper than the store brands I buy those. I buy a lot of store brands though, if I try it and it seems the same – why not? I also sometimes have stupid reasons (like when I am sick I want the brand of cough drops I had when I was a kid) for buying national brands. :)
Both. If I have a coupon (which Walgreens is fabulous about) I’ll buy the name brand. If I don’t, I always trust the Walgreens brand! Love it!!!
I am a big fan of store brands. I will usually try the store brand. I feel there are a few items where the brand name is different (and better), and in those cases I will pay the extra money. But in general, I get store brands.
And I was just at Walgreens on Sunday, where I bought their store brand bandaids and antibacterial ointment :) A fun coincidence.
store brands all the way
I typically buy the store brands. I have not found any difference between the two and Walgreen’s brand is way more affordable.
I’m a store brand girl, except where ketchup (Heinz) and toilet paper (Charmin) are concerned! And I love me some Walgreens!!
Store brand. Always. Walgreens is a newish discovery for me. I loooooove their great deals on digital prints. I order online and go pick them up (we have one super close).
I do both. Sometimes on food products I stick to name brand but pretty much everything else, I try to get store brand.
I love Walgreens! I love to buy their store brand OTC medications. I’m especially thrilled this week because many of those medications are Buy One, Get One Free!
I buy the Walgreens brand for lots of things.
I’d love to win this contest!!!
Krista
I usually buy the cheaper one, unless I’ve had a bad experience with the alternative.
I have just recently started couponing, so I generally buy what’s cheapest! I would just die to win this gift card!! :)
I buy whatever is cheapest!
We go through so much children’s ibuprofen, tylenol, and benedryl, I’d be crazy to pay for the name brand products!
I generally go with the store brand if available – love to save money! And I love Walgreen’s. I enjoy waiting for prescriptions because I always discover some little something or other that I didn’t even know existed!
I do some of each. Some things I can tell the difference, others not. we buy store brand ibuprofen but name brand Aleve. I know that sounds crazy but I haven’t had good results with store brand aleve. I almost always buy walgreens brand cold remedies too. My walgreens is just two blocks away and we love it too!! I especially love it when lipstick goes on clearance. (I need an intervention)
I buy store brand medicines when they’re available. But most of my food and toiletries are name brand. (But I try to use coupons and sales, so they often don’t cost any more than store brand!) My favorite store brand is the Target store brand. And the Sam’s Club brand, which is not only effective, it is also very inexpensive if you actually need that much of something.
I buy whatever is the most affordable, considering coupons, sales, etc. I’m a huge fan of store or generic brands.
Both. I buy store brands on most medicines and various other products. Even potato chips. However, there are just some things that cannot be replaced. Including Scott toilet paper, Heinz or even Hunts ketchup, Hellman’s mayonnaise and Diet Coke. As in Coca Cola Diet Coke. Milk–store brand is fine. Bordon’s rocks, but store brand is totally fine. Bread–not so much. Sara Lee rules and really doesn’t cost much more. I could go on and on but suffice to say that I buy both. :) And Walgreens IS amazing! I do my photo printing there, love their make-up specials and nobody has a better selection of greeting cards.
Mostly store brands if they are the same!
I always buy Walgreens brand over the counter drugs, but I am picky about my laundry detergent so it is ALWAYS Tide! ! !
I buy store brand. The other ones are overrated.. Thanks for the giveaway…
For me, it really depends on the product. But on an average shopping trip, my cart will usually have both brands.
I love shopping at walgreens, too.
I almost always buy store brand unless I have a coupon. Whatever is cheapest!
I use all of Walgreens brands too. They are awesome.
I shop at Walgreen’s all the time too. Would love to win the gift card – could sure make good use of it! Thanks for the chance to win.
store brands whenever possible . . except for tissue (for both ends!!)
The store brands…they are so wondrous! And half my fam is sick so I could use this. : )
I buy a mixture of both, depends on where I am. I swear by Walgreens brand ibuprofen instead of Advil for sure! Especially the gelcaps.
I’m a serious couponer and frugal shopper… so the best way to shop at Walgreens is to use coupons with their Register Reward deals… I usually get all my toothpaste, body wash, razors, deodorant, etc, for FREE… but I do like the Wags versions of Excedrin or Advil.
Thanks~
I buy both name brand items and store items. I do buy the Walgreens brand often. When my son was little (28 years ago) I had put the last diaper that I had on my son and needed to get some more diapers quickly. I decided to walk down the street to the Walgreens store. They were having a great buy on their brand of diapers and I decided to try them. They soon became our “regular” brand of diapers because the worked great and cost so much less than the name brand diapers.
Thanks for doing the giveaway.
Store brands rock!
We buy store brands and they always work great!
We love Walgreen’s too. We have one near our house, and I go there all the time.
For most things, I buy whatever I can get the best deal on, but I do have a few name brands I’m loyal to…Lawry’s seasoned salt, Duke’s Mayo, LeSeur peas…
I use store brands almost always. And we’re kind of Walgreens junkies here too :)
What a great giveaway! Friends tease me because of my passion for Walgreen’s. LOVE IT. I can find anything there and visit at least weekly. I love their coupons and you can get some great deals if you play your cards right. I know there are rabid Walgreen’s goers who spend lots of time playing the coupon game there. I’m not quite that intense but I do love the place. I agree, their store brands are fabulous and I am comfortable buying house brand versus name brand, though when they have a special and/or coupon on name brand, that’s a great option. I hear their cherry sours are better than name brand…and cherry sours are medicine for certain ailments, definitely!
love the walgreens brand and I always buy milk there!
I love Walgreens too! And I buy a combo depending on the item & price.
I love Walgreens!
Generally speaking, I’ll buy store brands. Except if they don’t work or measure up to name brands.
I used to buy ONLY the big name brands but now I have started buying the store brands. The pricing is so much less that the national brands and in this economy every penny counts.
kerrik312000 at yahoo dot com
I ALWAYS buy the store brand, if available!
Big fan of the store brand. Almost always.
And for the Walgreens win (to prove they really have everything) I got a $10 rice cooker there 4 years ago that has become a family dinner staple! Who says you have to pay a lot for a rice cooker that lasts:).
I buy the store brand, unless I can get the name brand with coupons and it would be cheaper.
i usually buy national brands for food products, on over the counter meds, i typically buy store brands. thanks!
I almost always buy store brands!
I LOVE store brands! I LOVE Walgreens too-I took my daughter to their walk-in clinic last week (after taking my son to the pediatrician earlier in the week) we left the pediatrician with only a negative Strep test-the great people of Walgreens did a Strep test, a Flu test AND a Mono test on my daughter!!!! I loved that they did all of those!!! The pediatrician said to come back in a few days if my son didn’t get better! UGH!
I do have national brands for which I feel inexplicable fondness, but I also am good with lots of store brands. I wish I had thought of that vaporizer when I had that evil sinus infection in January!
i love thier netty pot!
I also LOVE Walgreens but have to admit I have never really tried the store brand. Next trip, I’ll give those store brands a try. Right now I LOVE the mascara that you recommended a few weeks ago so keep those cosmetic ideas coming.
Store brands usually, and actually, store brands are usually name brands that are just packaged under a different name and sold for a lower price.