It is often useful to keep a supply of bandages around the house or in one's car in case of emergencies or minor cuts and scrapes, but there is generally no need to purchase expensive bandages for this purpose. Cheap bandages are almost always sufficient for the minor cuts and abrasions that can occur in a household setting. It is important, however, to choose relatively good cheap bandages that won't fall apart and will effectively stop bleeding and protect a wounded area. To make the best use of limited money, it may also be useful to purchase a variety of different types of bandages in order to handle different types of injuries.
Many types of inexpensive bandages can be as effective as more expensive alternatives, but it is important to examine one's options in order to get the best possible cheap bandages. Bandages should, no matter what the cost, be sealed and contained in a sanitary manner in order to ensure that the bandage itself does not contaminate the wound it is intended to treat. Purchasing cheap bandages from known and trusted brands is often a good way to ensure quality, but generic alternatives are often cheaper and may be equally effective. Reading reviews or asking a store employee about how different types of bandages compare may be helpful. This can be particularly helpful when the bandages come in sealed packages, making it impossible to compare them directly.
Buying several different types of cheap bandages ensures that, in any given crisis, one will likely have at least one type of suitable bandage on hand. Small adhesive bandages tend to cost very little but are generally only effective for small wounds. Larger bandages that can be wrapped around a limb and packed with gauze to apply pressure are good for larger wounds but would be wasted on small cuts or abrasions. Maintaining a variety prevents such waste while ensuring that suitable types are available when needed.
Though one's choice of bandage does play a part in treating a wound, it is also important to develop practical knowledge of how to use bandages. Learning basic wound treatment ensures that one will be able to use available materials to stop bleeding and treat a given wound. It may also prevent one from wasting bandages. Learning how to treat wounds also gives one a greater understanding of which materials are necessary, thereby improving one's ability to select the best cheap bandages.