I also use duck brand clear packaging "General Purpose" tape. It is actually the cheapest tape I have found and works extremely well for me. I used to pick it up at Wal-Mart, then I actually found it at Menards (Competitor of Lowe's & Home Depot found primarily in the MidWest). I get a 4pk (55yd rolls) for $3.99. My penny pinching literally goes down to comparing prices by the foot/yard. Seems every other tape is a LOT more expensive (usually at least 2x, sometimes as much as 4x the price)
It does tear funky sometimes, so I suppose many would be opposed to it. It's "thin" and not that thicker less flexible stuff. You also mention having trouble with your tape sticking to bubble wrap. I prefer this because it's thin/flexible and not super rigid like the "heavy duty" tape, and I hate the tape that never comes off the bubble wrap. I get pkgs where if I try to remove the tape, it just tears the bubble wrap (the tape won't separate). I use small pieces of tape in specific areas to make it easy for the buyer to open the items... I hate fighting items with that rigid super sticky tape where I'm just destroying the bubble wrap, then again I save and reuse bubble wrap from my purchases for my future shipments/sales. (Penny pinching).
