What things can't you compromise on?

Dave101t

i do compromise, once, to test the quality and im always right to stick with what i know:
head and shoulders - great. vo5, loreal, herbal essenses etc - always leave dandruff.
branston/heinz beans with sausages - great, cheap supermarket ones - horrible.
robinsons/ribena - great, shop versions - not so nice
listerine - great, that dentyl stuff - doesnt seem to do anything.

missychrissy

I can't compromise on wine. I would rather drink much less but pay a little more for a better tasting wine. I started making my own about a year ago and am hoping to be completely self sufficient by Christmas. I am the same with homemade wine, I will only drink those I really like. I use the not so good up in cooking.

*Iluvmymini*_2

Must be Marmite
Colgate
Decent shampoo & conditioner
Tarantella tinned toms
Good shoes for kids
Thats about it I think, not too much I dont think.

bluebag

Belisarius wrote: »

Hi there,

I'm quite new, so hope you don't mind me starting this discussion. It's something I've been thinking about / trying to deal with for a long time.

I am generally a very thrifty person when it comes to most things ... I don't own much & it doesn't bother me that I don't. I'm happy with second-hand or cheap, supermarket clothes ... I'm happy not to have the heating on much at all ... I only buy books, DVDs etc. second-hand ... I'm happy not to go on holiday ... all that kind of thing.

But I find it almost impossible to be "thrifty" about food. I read all these threads about people buying economy brands or eking out quantities, and planning every single meal in advance, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I have tried & tried, but it makes me incredibly unhappy. Don't get me wrong - I adore cooking, and make everything from scratch. I just can't compromise on buying nice ingredients or scrimping on quantities, and I like the freedom of cooking what I feel like cooking on that particular evening. I wouldn't say I'm extravagant, but I'm definitely not as thrifty as I could possibly be - it just makes me tense, anxious & miserable. I think it's because I associate "nice" food with safety & security as my parents are very foody.

I guess I'm wondering if other people have this, either with food or something else? What do you find it hard to be thrifty about? Why do you think that is? Do you think you should work to overcome it, or just let it go as one of those things?

Hi, I understand where your'e coming from I think, my mum is like that she shows her love with food and warmth, you'd die from the weight of the blankets she has over you on the bed.LOL. But it's her way, for me it's holidays, I would rather do with value beans than not be able to get away for a few days in my tent every now and then. At the end of the day we all need somthing that makes us happy, otherwise it's all work and bed. Each has their own path to tread, what I find great about this place is the free exchange of money saving ideas, that is what it's about for me, ways of saving money so I can acheive what I want to, be that get out of debt, save for a holiday or a comfortable retirement.
Happy saving.
bb

Money_saving_Diva_2

Umm.. decent toilet paper. Bought the tescos Daisy one once as it seemed a bargain - never again! I do buy in bulk if a nice brand is on offer to save a little though.
Clover - I have tried every other margerine/spreadable butter going and I keep coming back to this. It even tastes good when you bake with it.
Marmite - accept no substitutes!
and on behalf of my OH - decent decaff coffee.
Farm assured or free range chicken - cheap stuff has no texture.

Diva.x

randomer

I 'm not keen on misery or miserley! :rolleyes:What has helped me is a weekly list and shop. Very standard stuff but it stops the spending running out of control and is time efficient too.
We have decent home made food most of the time but the odd take away or thing out of a box isn't that big a deal.
I can't cope with cheap meat . Some of the own brand stuff is OK but not all of it

OrkneyStar

Decent meat.
Lurpak or Bertolli.
Cravendale.

lossed

iamstacie wrote: »

In an effort to bring my shopping bill down I've made a lot of compromises on things I'd usually buy such as milk, I've bought 4 cartons of UHT which means I'm not having to go to the shop so often whihc means I'm not buying all the 'extras' I'd usually pick up, and because we only use it in tea & coffee we've not noticed a substantial difference. I've also dropped down to value mince and am frying it off and draining the fat & water off rather than buying steak mince and not draining it. Baked beans is another one, since I add a bit of butter to whatever brand I buy anyway, it makes sense just to buy value ones, and I dont really notice any difference.

The compromises I can't make is with binbags, as the cheaper ones seem a false economy as I usually end up using 2 just so the rubbish doesnt pop through, and squash, as value stuff just taste like coloured sugar water. I'm hoping by listing these things we don't compromise on, someone else might come along and say 'actually I use the [binbags] from [lidl] and they're pretty good' and offer alternatives.

So, what don't you compromise on? Maybe another poster can recommend an cheaper alternative that works?

If theres another thread, please move mine, I just couldn't find exactly what I was looking for when I searched.

Thanks,
Stacie x

Hiya i have just joined this site yesterday as I am in dyer straights. I just wanted to say, I use the charity bags that come through the door as bin bags. I am in need before anyone else at the moment. I recycle quite a bit too, so by bin bag lasts me quite a few days.

locutus2003

I won't compromise on meat - particularly for the kids but also for me. I'd rather eat less.

Anything else, we try the basic/value/essentials (yes, we shop at Waitrose mainly) and if that's not OK keep going up a brand. I've discovered that Tesco and Waitrose own brand (not value) weetabix is no different (to me) from Weetabix. Tried Sainsbug's Basic weetabix and they were revolting! However, I've learned that often non-branded is as nice. However, if it isn't then I will always go back to the branded stuff - so I suppose I won't compromise on that either!

Also shoes - cheap shoes never fit me (for a start) and I won't compromise on shoes for the kids either.

Gosh, I compromise on less than I thought!

Swindon_Baggie

astralbee wrote: »

I have two recommendations on supermarket brand products that up until recently I would not have comprimised on:

1. Asda "Zero Sugar Zero Aspartame" Cola

Most off-brand cola tastes vile. This is especially true of Lidl's "freeway" premium cola" which I find leaves a metallic aftertaste. YUK! Then I discovered Asda "Zero" Cola, which is on sale alongside their regular full-sugar cola and 'diet' equivalent. It seems to be a response to the relatively new 'Coke Z' product, which is rather like Pepsi Max in that it is sugar-free but tastes closer to "the real thing" than the classic diet versions which have been around since the 1980's. Try this Asda product - I think it is the best Cola on the market, especially as a mixer!

2. Asda "Essential Care" 24Hr bodyspray deodorant
Until recently I only bought Linx 24hr deodorant. I tried cheaper products but they all seemed false economy. IMHO, anti-persperants are nasty things that leave a powdery residue all over your clothes (and cause cancer, apparently!?); meanwhile the cheap deodorants seem ok going on, but then give out after a couple of hours and you end up stinking... unless it's just me being incredibly manly(!)
But this product I tried on a chance - works really well! It seems to last as long as the other '24hr' product it imitates, and the range of scents are decent too.

I realise these are two Asda products - I do not work for them, honest!!

One thing I would love a recommendation on is a decent razor!!! I have a really strong beard (again - manly, manly me!) coupled with sensitive skin (ok, a wee bit girly) and if I use a cheap razor I cut myself to ribbons. I'm ok with Mach3 but they are so expensive!! I recently tried the homebrand razor from Aldi which was a fraction of the cost even with loads of spare blades, but it turns out to be a tool for performing skin-grafts (surely some packing error). Any suggestions to replace the mach3?

Darrell
:rotfl:

I second the Asda Zero, really good.
In a choice between Coke and Pepsi, Pepsi is a bad word in my house. And a can of full fat coke is always kept in the house, so it can be made flat with pure cane sugar, and used for indigestion / bloating / general stomach pains.

I would also add:-
Fairy Liquid, nothing else comes close to long lasting. It outlasts the savings of cheaper cr*p.
Twinings Earl Grey
Aqueous Cream, use it on my feet post shower/bath, face, and hands, and everywhere. (My missus also uses it on her horse, but thankfully a different tub!)
Salted Lurpak
Quaker instant oats golden syrup sachets
Pickled Onion Monster munch
Asda Tiger bread
Hartley or HM Jam

On a techie note
Intel processors
Linksys Routers / modems and Wireless
Sony / Philips DVD R
Samsung LCD's

I would also never wear Regatta or such. It has to be Berghaus and Genuine North Face and their ilk, I know it costs more, but its bloody worth it, I just have to buy less (oh Cotswold camping, why do you tempt me so, just because I'm going up snowdon again, doesn't mean I need a new gore-tex £250 jacket!).


For shaving, I recommend a couple of options. I'm the same as you, tough beard, and sensitive skin.

Blade dullness is caused by rust, not shaving itself. Store the razor in a pot of oil, water hates oil, and will float to the top, my blades last about one to two months. YMMV

You could try drying the blade with a towel or hair dryer. There is even a machine that can dry your blades for you, but not worth it.

Use olive oil, or Aqueous cream (Boots or Wilkinsons) as a 'shaving foam'. Allow them to soak in for a minute, and then shave away. Or at the moment I use the One planet shaving oil from Asda, not sure where else you can get them. The olive oil and one planet options also mean the blade is oil coated when you have finished with it, and will delay the rust getting in.

The oil also substitutes the effect of the blade moisturiser strip that will go in two or three shaves.

Shave in boiling water, mains is not hot enough. Boiling water softens the blade so it follows your skin closer, and opens the pores to make shaving easier. Soak the water in, before applying the 'cream / oil / foam'.

Finish with cold or chilled water, it stings but closes the pores really tight, and seems to help if you get nicked.

Following these, my Gillette Fusion Power blade usage has gone down from £36 a month to £2/£3 a month, I have stopped using pre and post shave moisturisers and the one planet stuff is about £2 and lasts a couple of months.

If you can get used to it, try a safety razor, used one a couple of times, top notch, but couldn't get the action right (lost allot of blood), so had to go back to the fusion. BTW, its only the way you shave not the shaver that cuts you, it would take time and skill to properly use one which would be worth it, however I think I would die from blood loss before I got the hang of it (call me uncoordinated why don't you!). Try a blog call the art of manliness, its from USA but actually quite good.