five name brands worth paying for

I love buying store brands to save money {especially when it comes to groceries}, but there are definitely a few name brands I refuse to stray from in the personal item category. :D

Here are five things for which I will gladly fork over the extra dough:

1. the Otterbox

This Otterbox has saved my phone approximately 782 times. Since February.

I drop my phone all.the.time. {could you tell? haha1} And over and over, I thank the Lord for that pink Otterbox.

I don't know if other brands work- I'm actually afraid if I open the case, I'll drop and break my iPhone before I get a chance to put it in the new one.

{p.s. my cover is worn out after 6 months- I'm hoping old OB will replace it for me? Do you think they will?}

2. Scott's toilet paper

I both love and hate Scott's tissue. :)

I love it because it lasts more than one day per roll. When you have six people using t.p., it can get expensive to buy Charmin. 

But I do not love it because it is not Charmin. If you know what I mean.

But after years of my husband making me buy it {it seems pricey compared to off-brand}, I no longer hesitate to spend the money. Practicality got the best of me... and I was tired of never having tp on the roll.

So we buy the BIGGEST pack ever at Sam's Club. Like once a month. :)

3. Crest 3D White Luxe toothpaste

This is the most amazing toothpaste. It's called 3D white luxe {glamorous white}, and it's worth every single penny.

It's the most effective whitening toothpaste I've ever used.

It isn't cheaper than whitening this way, but it tastes much better. :)

4. Nike and Asics running shoes

My running shoes are the only shoes I wear at least six times per week, so buying a quality shoe is a must for me. 

After my third child was born, I had a weird foot injury wearing regular tennis shoes, and now I might be the pickiest shoe person I know because I can't wear just any old shoe. If I choose the wrong shoe, my knee, Achilles, and arch will be screaming at me within an hour of wearing them. And I'll hurt for a week.

So here are the only two shoes that work for me right now:

the nike flex experience $60

the asics nimbus  {$120-135}

I love them both. After years of wearing only the Nimbus, I was excited to find a cheaper Nike shoe that worked for me in August. I love the Nimbus, but it is pricey for sure. The Nike is a very wide shoe with a low back so it doesn't rub the Achilles like most Nike's do on me.

Do you have weird shoe requirements too? :P

5. an Apple computer

For the last five years, I've been a die-hard Macbook fan. I love, love, love my Apple computer. Last year I asked my husband for a PC for blogging {Windows Live Writer is amazing}, and I went back to only using the Macbook in about a month. I felt crippled using a PC- nothing worked the way it should! Thankfully, we found it a new home with a PC loving friend.

For Mother's Day, my husband surprised me with a new Macbook, and I love it even more than my old one. The OS is so intuitive- Macs just work for me, and I can't imagine going back again. {*cold sweat}

You can find a great deal on a Macbook on eBay and Craigslist- you don't have to buy a brand new one. Whether you buy used or new, I think the time and frustration saved using a Mac is worth the extra cost! :)

So what name brands will you gladly pay for? I'd love to hear what works for you!!

disclosure: links to external retail websites may include affiliate information which give us a small percentage should you choose to purchase the item using my link. All opinions given on this site are 100% my own.