No thrills groceries and toiletries

Mort

Sainsbury's basic range food is pretty good on most things and in some cases has less additives. I don't trust the health wheel labelling though, I have seen the same quantity of sugar get a bad rating on the basic range but a healthier rating on the own brand.

Go for the multi-buy offers but only on things you normally use.

I don't buy cheap loo roll.

Standingtall

Arggghhh!!:mad::mad:

I just remembered! I bought cheap dried dog food from Lidl, back in November. It absolutely stank, it was revolting. However, I put the issue to one side thinking a little smell for five minutes won't hurt, it will quickly be eaten.

But then:

The blooming stuff gave the dog wind:rotfl::rotfl:

Never again will I go quite that far in cutting costs:rotfl:

evie451

Standingtall wrote: »

Arggghhh!!:mad::mad:

I just remembered! I bought cheap dried dog food from Lidl, back in November. It absolutely stank, it was revolting. However, I put the issue to one side thinking a little smell for five minutes won't hurt, it will quickly be eaten.

But then:

The blooming stuff gave the dog wind:rotfl::rotfl:

Never again will I go quite that far in cutting costs:rotfl:

oh Standingtall what a laugh you have given myself and OH with this, yes the only individual living in this house which will not do discount foods is the bloomin Cat, the Aldi cat food smells horrible too and seems to disagree with him.........A cat with wind is a lethal weapon :eek:

..ukeuro

Thanks so much for the advice and sharing your ideas.

Next time I go shopping, I'll try more of the no frills range and introduce gradually.

Thank you

camuk81

And as Martin says changing one brand can save £1,700 in one year!

mumto2monkeys_2

I've just bought the cheap cat biscuits from Lidl to try...

:eek:

sugarcube84

Really thes best bit of advice i can give you is give them a go. I have changed all our shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothpaste etc to own brand (not all value range) and we havent noticed a difference.

Food wise, we are now shopping at aldi/lidl and get much better qaulity food than supermarket own or value range and it is working out cheaper.

I still do a top up shop as smartprice baby wipes, sponge scourers and a few other bits and bobs work out better/cheaper than the aldi/lidl version.

I am using up all the stockpiled tolietries/un used presents etc and make up will be being replaced by aldi verions not the brands im currently using (Mac and bobbi brown!!)I have already got a lipgloss and mascara ready for when mine run out, i got them from the thread in the freebie low spend board from beauty direct. Both for just the price of p&p.

Like others have said keep an eye out for freebies.

Chesntoots

My cat will eat the cheap cat biscuits but NOT the food.... This is how it went:
Day 1 - Chester - "Ok mum, I will give it a go."
Day 2 - Chester - "I only ate half of what you gave me so if you throw away the half packet I left in my bowl and give me a fresh pack, I will possibly eat it."
Day 3 - Chester - "I'm not going to eat any of THAT again..."
Day 4 - Me - "OMG there's a ripped up dead pigeon in my living room!!!"
Chester - "Told you I wasn't eating it..."
Day 5 - Chester wins and gets Gourmet Pearl...I eat value pasta...

Bullied by my cat...I'm soooooo ashamed....

Spendaholic_Chick

evie451 wrote: »

the only individual living in this house which will not do discount foods is the bloomin Cat, the Aldi cat food smells horrible too and seems to disagree with him.........A cat with wind is a lethal weapon

Same here! I have two moggies and a couple of years back changed them to all dry food (in an attempt to stop the smell being so bad from the litter tray :eek:) but they'll starve themselves rather than touch anything that isn't whiskas or iams.

Meanwhile we eat value tomatoes, pasta, fruit juices, and shops own almost everyhting else. The only things I don't skimp on are corn flakes (gotta be kelloggs), toilet rolls, sausages and mince - can't stand the cheap stuff.

buffster_2

I'm quite lucky with toiletries as I have a cash and carry card from a previous job, which I was allowed to keep. Although I have to pay VAT, the savings on toilet roll and toothpaste mean I only have to stock up once a year and can continue using brands I like.

For food, I quite happily use own brand stuff for items such as tinned tomatoes, beans, ruce and pasta. I don't find there's much difference in taste. But we all have different taste buds, so you really just have to try something and see if you like it.

As for cleaning, I just use vinegar (white distilled, not malt!) with some drops of essential oil in it, a lemon and bicarbonate of soda, and the oil is the most expensive out of that lot!

I tend to use vinegar more during summer months when I have the windows open, as even with the essentail oils in it, the smell of vinegar can still linger. I squeeze the lemon juice onto a cloth and that does really well for cleaning taps, as does the vinegar.

You have to watch where you use the bicarbonate of soda and how well you mix it into a paste, as it can scratch things like baths etc otherwise. I find if I really mix it into a watery paste that it does the job though. And it's great for cleaning the plugholes in sinks. Sprinkle some around and in the plughole, pour some boiling water over it and it all fizzes up and scours that plughole clean.

It's also a good deodoriser, so the sinks smell a lot fresher. You can also pour some in a small tub and leave it as deodoriser in the kitchen (or bathroom!) or put some drops of essential oil in it and you'll have a cheap, nice-smelling air freshener.