The Great 'What do you regret skimping on?' Hunt Revisited

Hezzawithkids · 19 February 2014 at 1:43PM

Shoes and clothes. I've stopped buying cheapo rubbish from Primark etc because the quality is generally appalling, clothes lose their shape or fall apart after the first wash and need replacing. Cheap shoes from anywhere are a false economy - they fit badly and don't last. These days I would rather spend a bit more on quality and get things that will last.

LutonGirl · 19 February 2014 at 2:23PM

My dear old Mum used to advise not scrimping on a bed or shoes. If you're not in one you're in the other.

wiggywoo9 · 19 February 2014 at 2:37PM

Cheap plastic nappies from Wilkos- felt like I'd duck-taped my son's bottom. Utterly un-absorbant either. Though for the same price at Morrisons and ASDA, those ones are great- recommend for poor parents like me!

I must have no taste buds as I actually love cheap pop, buy it in bulk every few months. Branded stuff is too full on and hurts my teeth! I have never bothered with 'posh' loo roll it all goes in toilet anyway, why not spend only 70p on it at Wilko? Actually haven't had many problems with cheap stuff, as I'm at the bottom of the money scale its all fine. Just don't expect too much or long life of the product.

Elisecas · 19 February 2014 at 3:57PM

There are many things I buy from value ranges including nappy bags, fizzy water, most cleaning products (we like the Daisy brand at Tesco), paint rollers etc. And I shop at Aldi most of the time. But if I had to replace it then I ended up paying more, so it was a false economy. Here are the things I've thus stopped compromising on:

-- Paint: Dulux needed one coat, own brand needed many
-- Loo roll: Cheap and (imho) andrex loo roll go faster than premium own brands
-- Margarine: ok, so we get thinner, but we get Clover or Flora buttery now
-- Sandwich bags: Ikea sandwich bags are amazing, and we use them over and over and over, so worth the money
-- Fairy liquid: you know why, right?!
-- Sheets and towels: the good ones wash and wash and wash and wash and...
-- Mattress: After two ikea ones we splashed out and NEVER regretted it!

Pinkypants · 19 February 2014 at 4:43PM

Cheap toilet roll, the quickest way to find your inner self!

flubberyzing · 19 February 2014 at 5:59PM

I went through a period of buying cheap and cheerful loo-roll, and hated it.
Now will only buy Andrex Quilted (I watch out for it on special offer) because I decided life was too short to be made cross with nasty thin loo-roll multiple times a day.

northwest1965 · 19 February 2014 at 6:12PM

flubberyzing wrote: »

I went through a period of buying cheap and cheerful loo-roll, and hated it.
Now will only buy Andrex Quilted (I watch out for it on special offer) because I decided life was too short to be made cross with nasty thin loo-roll multiple times a day.

Have you tried Farm Foods 2 for £4 Nicky Toilet Roll? I think it is, as good

Teacher2 · 19 February 2014 at 6:59PM

Cheap ground coffee. I now wait until the Taylor's is on offer and bulk-buy and store. Ditto decent loo rolls and Champagne.
Cheap meat. Tough and horrible. Trade down instead, i.e. good chicken instead of bad steak.
Cheap Paint. You have to put twice as many coats on.
Cheap hand cream. Too runny.
Value beans. No beans and all tomato sauce.
But some cheapie bargains are worth it. Tesco's value butter is great and undercuts everyone. Market fruit and veg, Looks a bit battered but tastes good. Tesco's basic Cava is cracking hand to hand combat fizz. And Prosecco makes a nice fizz if you can get it on offer.

Sharon87 · 19 February 2014 at 8:21PM

Teabags. I never buy cheap ones, always PG Tips

For larger purchases, I have to say shoes. Cheap shoes either hurt my feet, wear out quickly or cause me to fall over. Had some flat ankle boots from New Look, the sole was rubber and the heel was cheap plastic. The heel kept slipping away and I fell down a lot! After a week of wearing them I gave up on them. I now nearly only buy big brands of shoes, or from good shops.

Digital Camera - bought one for cheap off ebay, it was Sony, so I thought ok, should be good - wrong! It was slow and the battery cover kept sliding off! It also came with photos of the previous owner or his girlfriend in her bra... what an idiot! I eventually resold it on ebay (with the memory wiped) and bought a decent new camera that lasted me 2 years. Which was good for me as I dropped it a lot and it took tens of thousands of photos at gigs and nights out!

gemando · 19 February 2014 at 10:13PM

Basics muesli! Definitely not worth the saving. Probably going to have to add some of my own dried fruit into it. Although I'm partial to my alpen so maybe I just have expensive (and sweet!) taste.

The Great 'What do you regret skimping on?' Hunt Revisited

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