False economy (merged threads)

mrsmab59

Peeejaay wrote:

I'd like to reply to a couple of posts here if I may. Regarding vacuum cleaners I am a professional cleaner and find that almost all Dyson cleaners are terrible-cheap quality and poorly designed. I know lots of people will now defend their's but that's my opinion and I believe that although they are one of the higher-priced makes it comes down to being a relatively new brand who have paid for huge amounts of advertising to become a household name. The best vacuums I have used are a Panasonic upright costing about £100 and a Henry canister cleaner-believe it also cost around £100.
Also concerning pet food almost all dog foods sold in supermarkets are practically identical and all contain a lot of additives to make pets eat them. You can buy a similar type of food (I'm talking about dry type dog food here) in large pet outlets or animal feed centres made for commercial feeders. I use one called Valu-mix which costs £8 for a 15kg sack and has lasted my spaniel for over six months so far. These are only my own opinions and I don't wish to offend anyone.

I totally agree with you re Dyson cleaners. I paid around £250 for one because it was marketed as being perfect for picking up pet hairs (I have 2 dogs and LOTS of shedded hair to pick up). But it sucked up a lot less than the Vax I'd previously had for around 18 years...not to mention having to see the disgusting sight of dust and hair swirling round the Dyson canister :eek: Needless to say I've gone back to Vax with no problems.

As for dog food I've always fed my dogs on cheapish dry food until they get to about 10...then they get spoilt with a more expensive senior dry food because my vet said it's easier for them to digest. My oldest dog is now 15 and apart from arthritis her health has been excellent, she has had no problems with digestion etc.

mrsmab59

tiff wrote:

PJ How do you get a dog to eat dry dog food, mine wont touch it. He's always had tinned food but I would like him to have dry food. Is it too late for him to change or could I wean him on to it?

My dogs have always eaten dry food because I don't like the smell of tinned food. But I'm sure that given the choice they would rather have the tinned stuff!
I think that to wean your dog onto dry food you would have to do it gradually, mix his regular food with dried food, reducing the tinned food over time until you can cut it out altogether. BTW dogs fed on dried food drink more water so don't worry if yours seems thirstier once he starts on his dried food.

summerday

When our labrador was a puppy he had terrible digestion, we asked the vet why and he said a lot of labradors have digestion problems and said dried food would solve the problem. We tried it and ever since it has worked- he only has problems when we feed him scraps of human food. Try Pascoes (this is the one our vet recommended), and mix a little warm water with it in the bowl. This makes the meaty chunks turn into a kind of gravy and is more appetizing to the dog. Another tip to encourage the dog to eat (and I'm sure I'll sound nuts here!) is to put his bowl down as normal, and if he turns his nose up at it put your face very near to the food and pretend you're eating it, a few sound effects don't go amiss and make sure your dog can see you. This will soon make them change their mind!

Sarah

Magentasue

Our dog has had dried food from the beginning but the two we had before her were raised on butchers scraps and tinned food. When times got hard, we weaned them on to dry food. To start with, it was just a little in with their normal meal, then we increased the dried and added warm water and a little bit of Bisto to make a gravy. Then we reduced the gravy until they were just eating dried.

I don't remember it taking that long but I do remember we did the gravy because they used to pick out their tinned food and leave the dried in the bowl!

tiff

Sorry that this has gone way off topic, but do you just give them the dried food and water and thats it? I will have to mix in with tinned food to start with. Where is the best place to buy it?

kazd

I have a thing about shoes and my children, as a child I always had startrite and have perfect feet ie no bunions etc.

I have always bought them either startrite, a few Clarks (not many not so keen on their styles), Doc Martin, Timberland, buckle my shoe etc.

However, for the last four or five years I have been shopping in a shoe shop called Charles Clinkard, they are brilliant, there is one particular fitter who I will sit and wait for. Having said that I have on occassion had to take some shoes and boots back that I have bought for my daughter. She has really narrow feet and we really struggle. The same goes for their trainers, I have always bought branded trainers as they spend a lot of time in them at weekends etc. The good thing about Clinkards apart from getting shoe retailer of the year for several years is that they have a loyalty system, so for every six pairs of shoes I get 50% discount on the seventh. (Easy to clock up with three children).

My eldest though is now 10 and they did say that he is of an age where he can tell whether a trainer is fitting properly. So my husband now takes him into the sports shops for his trainers, I am still finding that hard to come to terms with. It goes totally against the grain for me to buy his shoes from sports shops, but nowadays he needs at least three pairs, two for school and one for at home.

culpepper

dont buy an all in one printer/scanner/copier thingy.
One of the components will die before the others and you will have to either buy the dead bit seperately or buy the whole lot because they wont work without the crucial part.
Dont buy specialised DIY equipment for one job.Either borrow from family or hire from the tool hire shop.
Cheap saw blades , drill bits and wood working tools(eg from pound shops) are often made of inferior metal and wont stand up to use.
Battery operated toys will sit in the cupboard/toybox unused and unloved once you get fed up forking out for new batteries because they were left on by mistake.
Cheap packets of batteries will last much less time than better known brands.

MrsMW

Our very spoilt Lurcher is fed on dry food, but he won't eat it on its own so he has either a tin of cheap sardines or half a tin of cheap tuna or occasionaly chicken mixed with it. The vet always remarks on how good his teeth and coat are, I think it must be all the oil he eats.

Lucie_2

Cheap Coffee.
We only drink "proper" coffee at home, not instant & I have tried endless brands in my search for a perfect cup of coffee.
Just yesterday I threw away a pack of Ikea coffee (£1.25) with only 2 spoonfulls used & went out & bought a new tin of Illy (£3.99). The Ikea stuff was pretty grim.

Mrs_Thrift

I know it's a bit late for you now Lucie, but you can use coffee as a body scrub - really wakes you up in the morning, and is allegedly good for cellulite. For about 1 cup of ground coffee, add 6 tablespoons of oil (I use half olive and half sweet almond) and mix it up. I also add peppermint essential oil so the coffee smell isn't too overpowering.