I will try to be more helpful... when you have a cold, the meds you choose should depend on what symptoms are bothering you.
Fever and/or achiness: tylenol or Motrin or aleve
Nasal congestion/stuffiness/runny nose: sudafed (yes, the one you have to beg for from behind the counter; accept no substitutes). Afrin nasal spray, but be warned that if you use this longer than three days, it will actually make your nasal congestion MUCH WORSE. Use it judiciously; if you can't sleep because you can't breathe through your nose, wash out your nose with Simply Saline and then do Afrin right before bed. Three days, so choose wisely. (If you never use it during the day, you might be able to get away with four nights right before bed.)
Sore throat: tylenol, cepacol spray, to a lesser extent 'cough drops'
Cough: nothing has ever been proven to work better than Vicks applied to the chest and neck. Over the counter cough suppressants don't work.
Chicken soup and honey/lemon drink also have been proven to ameliorate symptoms of common cold. In fact, there is more science behind chicken soup than there is behind the active ingredient of Mucinex.
Final word: there are many combinations drugs available. Know their ingredients. Be careful not to take these drugs plus individual drugs, as you could overdose on one of the meds. For example, Dayquil has a lot of tylenol in it, so if you take Dayquil, don't also take tylenol.