I am a strict-to-budget kind of person, and it's one of the traits I picked up from my mom because we went to the market together a lot of time when I was very younger. I learned to always take time to go through the list over and over again to be sure everything is intact.
Luckily for me, I have a woman who trusts my decision when it comes to shopping, so we barely go out of our budget except on days when we find something we need and weren't expecting to find it easily. Whenever I am out shopping, products quality matters to me a lot, but that doesn't mean I have to pay outrageous prices, especially when there are perfect alternatives that would still give me good quality.
Over the years, I have compared coffee products in terms of price, taste, quality and availability. I believe my choice is perfect for me, even though I am still open to exploring when there is a new product and it's worth trying. This habit of comparing products has made me stick to one type of product, so it even makes shopping a lot easier for me.
I don't know if the name "loyalist" fits my personality because as far as I can remember, it's been almost two decades since I had my first coffee drink, and somehow, I always go back to my very first product, which is Nescafé.
I have tried a few other coffee brands, but Nescafé remains my preferred choice. This loyalist habit of mine extends just beyond coffee, I am used to patronizing a product or service as long as it's comfortable, offers quality, and fits into my budget perfectly.
Coffee products are very expensive in Nigeria, and that's because the majority of these products are claimed to imported. When you try bargaining, they immediately tell you it's imported but I am not one of those who think everything that is imported is of good quality.
As a matter of fact a lot of these products tagged imported are packaged here and we pay outrageous prices just because it's written on the package that it's imported.
Some years ago, I was convinced by one of my company's distributors to actually purchase a different brand of coffee from her store, and it was like three times the price of my regular instant coffee. Honestly, the packaging and everything were really enticing, but that's not the point for me because I live in a country where we pay a lot more for packaging than the product itself.
A lot of people prefer sophisticated branding they can flaunt, especially when it's a trend, and wouldn't mind splashing money on it. I went for the product just to give it a try and as well build a connection with this particular person.
Upon trying the coffee, it was more like I bought my regular instant coffee in a different package with more money, and it was really annoying. I was able to tighten my bond with the distributor, but the coffee wasn't an option for me any more.
When I shared my experience with someone about the product, she said it was because I am used to Nescafé products, but it's not true. While I place so much importance on quality and taste, turning a blind eye to the price of these products is not a good idea.
I have tried other brands based on recommendations, which are very expensive, and splashing a huge amount on them doesn't fit into my budget. They are great, but it's unreasonable of me to do what I can't cope with regularly.
It's been years, and my regular coffee still gives me the taste and quality I have always known. Although the prices of the Nescafé products have changed over the years due to inflation but they're still very affordable for me, and it's fair to say that I am getting the quality I paid for.
The availability and consistency of Nescafé products is another thing I consider very much because there was a product I tried sometimes ago and couldn't find it anymore after that once. Nescafé products can be found everywhere, so I can afford them even when I am away from home.
Finally, there are times when I am very low on cash and my shopping list requires some trimming. After removing this and that, there is still always an option from Nescafe because they offer various sizes that can fit into whatever my budget is. Regardless of my choice at the moment, I am still eager to try new brands and if it fits into my budget then, Nescafe can have a competitor at my table.
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