One of the principles of controlling finances is cutting expenses. I think we can agree on that. One of my biggest expenses is groceries.

My mother has a shopping theory that includes buying store brands as oftern as possible. She says she doesn't spend as much, but I think the quality of the food isn't as good as a name brand. The local HEB brand green beans often include stems. I know that often the name brand company often packages the store brands, but I'd be willing to bet that their brand gets the better product. Why else would the store brand be cheaper?

And don't even try to tell me that the store brand macaroni and cheese is as good as Kraft's. I know better.

While I understand mom's logic, I also try to buy brand names for another reason: Peoples' jobs depend on it. When I worked at RJR, we sold Premium cigarettes, generic cigarettes, sub-generic cigarettes and house brand or sub-sub-generic cigarettes. At one sales meeting, one of the reps was smoking Doral, our generic. The regional VP picked up the pack, crushed it, and reminded her that we made money on full price smokes. From that moment on, she smoked Winston.