MoneySaving Poll: What wouldn't you downshift on?

happyinflorida

I am amazed that so many people are paying far more than they need to for quality - in their opinion.

I've bought the cheap version of everything and with most things I've found them to be very nice and excellent value.

I won't skimp on sausages though after finding out what is put in the cheap stuff that grossed me out big time!

I think you just get used to cheap stuff - if you haven't got the money for the expensive stuff, you can't buy it if you want to eat! After a while you get so used to it, you like it!! lol

TBagpuss

I think for an awful lot of things it is a false economy to buy poor quality, as you end up having to use larger quantities, or replace things more often. But as Gordon says, most expensive is not the same as best quality.

I am not interested at all in brand names and happily buy and use own brands provided that the quality is OK.

And with some things (things like meat and wine) I make a conscious decision to have better quality but to have it less frequently (which probably has health, as well as financial benefits!)

Azari

Faulty poll (surprise, surprise).

It should have three options corresponding to:

a) Supermarket value
b) Supermarket standard
c) Supermarket finest/branded goods

I buy 'value' canned tomatoes because they are just as good as branded but I wouldn't buy 'value' teabags, although the supermarket standard ones are fine. Sausages have to be the very best quality.

So my responses are a bit hit and miss because I couldn't be sure whether 'supermarket standard' should go into skimp or not. In the end I decided: not.

Bargainetta

Totally agree about bread. I buy Burgen which is only a £1 in Iceland and, even at that price, has some actual nutrition in it. Alcohol is a funny one. I will buy the super cheap 2% lagers in the summer because they are very refreshing but won't buy at all if the ginger wine isn't Crabbies and gin has to be good too - Bombay Sapphire is my favourite. Don't buy sausages very often, all too fatty. Really don't care too much about loo rolls and buy my bin bags in the market, thick but unbranded. I too go for the low sugar, low salt baked beans - apparently good for lowering the cholesterol. Shoes have to be leather and comfortable unless they are beach shoes.

jgriggle

Supermarket own brands aren't necessarily downshifting.

I'm an Aldi convert and there are many things they do better than their branded counterparts.

I prefer their Jaffa cakes to the McVities ones, their Fruit and Fibre has twice as much fruit/nuts as Kellogs and is half the price.

But my real area of expertise is the booze!

Their Gin is better than most of the named brands, as is their tonic water. Shame they don't do the small cans though as the bottles go flat.

The sherry doesn't appear to be based on another brand but is very nice. Their port less so, except the posher stuff they get in at Christmas.

The Irish Cream they do is just as good as Baileys (get the special edition stuff though, the standard isn't as good).

The Archers (peach schnapps) equivalent - I think it's called Oscars is indistinguishable from the 'real' stuff.

I prefer their own brand Bourbon whiskey to jack Daniels but others may not agree.

Their Southern Comfort equivalent tastes nothing like southern Comfort. Still an OK drink though.

Although I've not tried it yet, their version of Pimms (Austins) is supposed to be nicer than Pimms.

caz1974_2

I'm an Aldi and Iceland shopper. And I use Macro to get cheap brands like loo roll, dishwasher tabs and laundry products, so quality counts I just bulk buy to get it cheap. Using Aldi I save about £30 a week on shopping, I have a mate I converted who saves £45 a week. I'd rather have the cash than points. Anything I use brand names for I compare the supermarkets on line then get the best deal.