Coupons vs. Generics, Round One: Contact Solution
Posted by Lise on 11 Sep 2008 at 04:27 pm | Tagged as: frugality
Like many soft contact-wearers, I use a multi-purpose solution to care for them. In particular, I’ve tended to be brand-loyal to Opti-Free, which is what was given to me when I got my first set of lenses, and because I like their “no rub” solutions.
… yeah, yeah. Let’s just say I’ve learned my lesson.
I use coupons.com on occasion, and recently they offered a coupon for $1 off Opti-Free Replenish. I usually use the Opti-Free Express, and to be honest, I’m not clear on what the difference is between the two, except for price. Nonetheless I printed out the coupon and figured I’d try it out.
So here I was, standing in Hannaford with my coupon in hand. I had three different options:
- Opti-Free Replenish – the one I had the coupon for – 10 oz
- Opti-Free Express – the one I usually use – 12 oz
- Hannaford-brand multipurpose solution (not a “no rub” solution, but otherwise comparable) – 12 oz
To further complicate the issue, each option was available in a 2-pack, as well. So really, I had six different options at six different price points, and I can’t do math in my head very well. Based on nothing at all except that I had a coupon in my hand, I I chose the Opti-Free Replenish 2-pack.
In retrospect – with a calculator – did I make the right choice? Turns out not.
I used CVS pricing to do a comparison below, since I didn’t have the Hannaford prices on hand and they don’t do online orders. Plus, the CVS brand is a “no rub” solution, making it even more comparable. This is how the price per ounce worked out:
Opti-Free Express
- 12 oz @ $8.99: 75 cents/oz
- 24 oz @ $16.99: 71 cents/oz
Opti-Free Replenish with Coupon
- 10 oz @ $8.79 – $1: 78 cents/oz
- 20 oz @ $16.79 – $1: 79 cents/oz – my option: the most expensive!
CVS/Pharmacy brand
- 12 oz @ $6.79: 57 cents/oz
- 24 oz @ $11.99: 50 cents/oz – the winning choice
Well, I now have my two bottles of overpriced, brand name solution that I was tricked into buying by a slip of paper worth a 100th of a cent. At least I’ll know better in the future?
Next time on Coupons vs. Generics – frozen vegetables.
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Most price labels on the shelves also list a per ounce, per pound, or per hundred count cost. At least, at my Stop and Shop and Target section (where I buy cat litter) do. I always look at these when I’m doing my comparisons, even though they’re usually printed in much smaller font. It means that sometimes you end up getting the name brand sandwich baggies because on sale they are the same cost per hundred count as the off brand.
Hannaford lists the unit prices, too, but they’re usually in some insane unit like gallons for contact solution. Plus it’s hard to calculate how a dollar coupon will affect the unit price on the fly.
Coupons do make the math harder. Not a problem for me, as I’ve determined that at this point in my life, scouring flyers, clipping coupons, etc., isn’t worth the costs for me. Yes, gallons is a stupid unit for measuring things like contact solution or nail polish, but so long as the units are consistent across competing products, it’s still a handy tool for comparisons.
Although, now I want to see products labeled in really silly, but perhaps more meaningful, unit terms. IS the family pack of condoms really a bargain over the three pack? What’s the per babyblocker cost? Which brand of spackle should you get? What’s the per nailhole cost? Which bottle of aspirin should I get? How many Conversations with Mom does each relieve? (Medications, with their widely varying suggested dosage sizes [a side effect of drug patent law] can be really difficult to do direct comparisons on. Even the over the counter comes in so many different formulations; 6 hour, 12 hour, extra strength, raspberry flavored, pill, liquid, suppository, inhaler, strong enough for a man, but made for a woman, green, only usable on tuesdays, imported, exported, homeopathic, toxic, placebo, metric, canadian, infield fly rule, en passant, childrens, reduced calorie, fat free, a la carte, full spectrum, rub, no rub, tickle, ph balanced, unsalted, embossed, unleaded, etc….)
George Carlin? Is that you, returned from the grave? ;)
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Not to be a downer, but I have had 2 separate eye doctors warn me not to use generic saline solution. They’ve told me i could wear my weekly contacts up to 2 months as long as i took them out each night, but whatever I do, don’t use generic solution. Both said they don’t clean as well, and they don’t sell it themselves, so it’s not like they make money off of them. Plus they have never recommended a specific brand over another, so it makes me think this is legit advice.
Hi D – thanks for commenting. I can only say that I’ve never had an eye doctor tell me that generic multipurpose solutions were problematic, and that looking on Consumer Reports to see what they had to say about eye care products, they only pointed out that some people have allergies to the multipurpose product.
I should probably also point out that saline solution is not the same as a multipurpose cleaning product, so that may make a difference, as well. No doubt you don’t want to use generic saline solution because it doesn’t have any disinfecting properties.
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I know this is an old post, but I’m a new reader and I wanted to throw my 2 cents in. I am an avid couponer. But I always look at generics vs. the name brand w/ a coupon. I have found that when it comes to OTC Meds and other personal care items, unless the name brand item is on sale AND you have a coupon, the generic brand is usually cheaper. Personally, I shop at WalMart for those sorts of things and almost always find their Equate brand to be cheaper. I also learned that my cell phone has a calculator, which I frequently use to calculate unit cost and I always have it with me.