False economy (merged threads)

LondonDreamer

For a myth, that making your own is always cheaper. I find this is particularly true for things like biscuits. Comparing with the most expensive ranges, it may be cheaper which is where I think this belief comes from. But comparing what I buy (happy with value bourbons, as an example) to what I make, it's never cheaper as I can't even buy the butter for less than the entire pack. I make my own because I enjoy it, not due to cost.

False economy, I'm going to agree with cheap detergent. We do have a dishwasher so don't hand wash that much, but I've had the same bottle of Fairy for nearly two years now as just the tiniest drop is enough for a sink full of bubbles. DH would say tea. He drinks Tetley and I've tried to switch to cheaper brands, and he can definitely tell when it's not even if he never sees the cheaper box. Now I just wait for it to be on offer and stock up.

oldtractor

one myth is that stockpiling is a good. It is if you can manage and rotate . its no good buying a years supply of flour and getting insects in it a few months later.also its not money saving if you keep dipping into a stockplie/freezer and eating all the expensive stuff because its there.Menus are needed and restraint.

RAS

it si also a myth that 2 for the price of one is cheaper; only if you can use it all before it goes off, and only if you do not scrump it all down in addtion to what yopu would have bought anyway.

pollyskettle

oldtractor wrote: »

one myth is that stockpiling is a good. It is if you can manage and rotate . its no good buying a years supply of flour and getting insects in it a few months later.also its not money saving if you keep dipping into a stockplie/freezer and eating all the expensive stuff because its there.Menus are needed and restraint.

I buy stack loads of flour at a time, freeze it for at least 24 hours, often longer, and then keep it in sealed tupperware until I use it (we had weevils once - never again!!)

I agree with the chocolate false economy. I continuely surprise myself with exactly how much I can eat of that stuff so rarely buy it any more. We use knorr stock cubes as the taste difference is evident, even between those and oxo. OH still hasn't noticed he's spent 6 months(!) on Sainsurys Basics tea bags (and my mother didn't notice either )

VfM4meplse

I bought a lot of vitreous enamel cookware, which is much better than cheap aluminium trays etc which warp so easily. Ditto my bakeware is good quality gives me a better baking result (but obviously not vitreous enamel!).

pollyskettle wrote: »

I buy stack loads of flour at a time, freeze it for at least 24 hours, often longer, and then keep it in sealed tupperware until I use it (we had weevils once - never again!!)

Doesn't freezing introduce moisture into the flour?

Emmala

Funnily enough, DH has just been muttering about cling film......the cheap one is driving us mad, but I don't want to throw it out!!!

pollyskettle

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I bought a lot of vitreous enamel cookware, which is much better than cheap aluminium trays etc which warp so easily. Ditto my bakeware is good quality gives me a better baking result (but obviously not vitreous enamel!).

Doesn't freezing introduce moisture into the flour?

I have no problems with it at all, works just as well as before it was frozen and everything tastes/rises/bakes just as well, so I'd be inclined to say no. I do tend to chuck it in a freezer bag (in it's packaging - I don't decant the flour into it!) prior to freezing, one of those zip locky freezer bags fits a bag of flour nicely.

Humphrey10

Clothing, furniture, and crockery. All three will last almost forever if you get good quality stuff. and it is very possible to get cheap examples of all three on the high street that won't last 5 minutes because it is so poorly made.

With furniture and crockery in particular you can get some great stuff second hand that will be much better quality than new stuff of the equivalent price.

Stephen_Leak

Supermarket basic own brand cling film and kitchen towels. I tried them. Epic fail.

However, I find that the next level up - the supermarket own brand - is fine. And then, of course, compare the supermarkets for price.

"Multibuy" offers are good - but only if it's something you use and isn't going to go off.

cleggie

A myth that i can think of is to do with clothing. Many people think that cheap clothing places (like Prim**k for example) is frugal, but i think that its better to buy a few good quality more expensive items that will last, rather than buy stuff from cheaper places that only last a season.

Saying that, i think that the biggest myth at the moment is that Prim**k is cheap! I went in there the other day and couldnt believe how much more expensive it was compared to a few years ago.