In this economy, saving is essential. And with four kids, I am constantly looking for ways to cut down on our costs. I never really thought of store brands as being good quality. Growing up, we always had items such as Palmolive and Bounty in our pantry. Of course I was an only child, and well Target didn’t exist then. But this time while I was out shopping with an enormous list (I’m serious the list looked like I was feeding an army) and a small budget, I decided to give the Target brand a shot. Some are hits and some are misses, but trust me the good outweighs the bad and you will not be sorry. So here it is my Top Ten List of Up and Up items at Target! (in no particular order)

1. Up and Up Sensitive Skin Wipes: Okay I was a bit nervous about trying store brand wipes, especially since my youngest has extremely sensitive skin. But while at Target I saw another mom purchasing these so I decided to give it a second thought. I was even more sold when I saw that the packaging said they were enhanced with cotton. So I gave these a shot and could not be happier. Similar to Pampers wipes, they are super soft and quite large. They are also very durable and don’t leave any nasty remnants behind, which is important.
2. Up and Up Little Puffs:  At one point my two tots were going through these like water. I usually bought the Gerber brand, but gave these a shot and was quite pleased. They come in a variety of flavors that my tots loved and were quite cheaper that the more popular brands.
3. Up and Up Baby Wash: Again, I usually used Aveeno or Johnson & Johnson brand but gave this a shot. I actually bought two of these by accident and I’m pretty happy I did. This wash is super mild and non irritating to eyes. Great lather and gentle makes this one a winner!
4. Up and Up Garbage Bags: As you can imagine, my family goes through tons of trash. I always used the Glad with Force Flex trash bags and they always worked great for us. However, faced with a two dollar differential, I chose the Up and Up brand. To me they are exactly the same. Great Force Flex technology and Odor Control, these bags are super sturdy and affordable.
5. Up and Up Paper Towels: I’ve never understood why on earth items like toilet paper and paper towels have to cost so darn much. Although I do understand that a cheap paper towel is like using a freaking tissue! I was nervous about this too, but I bought one roll to start just in case. These work great! They even come printed and are super thick and absorbent. Definitely buy these!
6. Up and Up Aluminum Foil: This is another product that I think is highly overpriced. I mean seriously it’s foil for goodness sakes! I usually pick up the regular duty but they also make a heavy duty which is a bit more costly, similar to the way Reynold’s does their pricing. This is a good alternative to one of the costlier brands, it’s pretty sturdy and holds up well in my oven.
7. Up and Up Foam Plates: Given the fact that I would have to have a high powered industrial dishwasher to wash all of the plates we would go through in a day, we usually eat on disposable plates. These plates are pretty good, just be careful about microwaving them for too long. I usually microwave food in a separate dish then transfer to the plate. They are sturdy and never leak.
8. Up and Up Dishwasher Tabs: Although we use disposable plates, we go through a boatload of pots and pans, silverware, and sippy cups. I gave these a shot when the brand I usually use wasn’t in stock. Suprisingly they work pretty well! My dishes come out super clean, if you like the auto dishwasher tabs, you’ll love these!
9. Up and Up Body Wash: For some odd reason my step-son loves to squirt body wash all over our shower then refill the bottle with water. For another odd reason neither of the older kids tells me that they are subsequently washing their little bodies with water. Lord help me. Needless to say, we go through a lot of body wash! I’ve tried pretty much all of the different offerings of Up and Up body washes, and have never been disappointed. They have great scents, that are never overpowering and if you like the moisturizing kind, they have that too. My skin always feels great after using this stuff!
10. Up and Up Ultra Concentrated Antibacterial Dishwasher Liquid: Last up, this dishwasher liquid always gets the job done. But be careful though, because they sell the antibacterial ultra kind, and the regular kind which isn’t nearly as good. The lather is pretty much non existent on that one and you will find yourself constantly needing more. The ultra however, is great. Cuts through grease and grime, and the suds last a good amount of time. Unfortunately, it only comes in one scent, but I happen to like it so I’m not complaining!

And there you have it! I always try new products from this brand so I’ll keep posting as I find new gems. If any of you have suggestions, feel free to tweet me @onecrazymamma or post your comment below…Happy Shopping!