What things can't you compromise on?

sillyvixen

jbreckmckye wrote: »

The fact is, a meal made with a small amount of excellent meat, bulked out (with beans, oats, or veg) will end up nicer than a dish built from a larger portion of cheap and nasty, grisly offerings.

i had to admit to my best friend what i did to my bolagnaise, as her kids liked it more than hers! i cooked my meat as per my recipe and it looked as bit small - so i added a hand full of lentals and grated carrot and more water and left to cook down - her kids lapped it up and has seconds - she phones me a couple of weeks later for my recipie as her kids preferred my spag bol to hers- as a result she buks her meat with carrots and lentils and her kids preffer it!!

juno

Crocs shoes for work.

I really never thought I'd say that as I hate Crocs, but they're so much more comfy than any others.

Mitchum deodorant.

Gigervamp

I remember years ago on the soaping forums, which in those days were mostly American, people were raving about Crocs.

I've bought a pair of Lidl's version just for when I go camping. Don't see what everyone loves about them and I certainly wouldn't use them when soaping. Too many holes.

elf06

Mitchum deoderant (allergy to most brands :mad:) but I do try to alternate with another decent but not quite so expensive brand to keep costs down (short term use of another doesnt seem to affect me too much)

Heinz tom sauce (DS is allergic to any other kind )

Anti dandruff shampoo (used to use H&S but will only buy it on offer now and more often buy Mr T own brand as its way way way cheaper)

Loo roll. Buy Nouvelle Soft whenever it on offer (local co had 12 rolls for £2.49 recently )

Washing powder or in my case liquid! DS has allergies to some brands and for some reason powder doesnt rinse out of my machine properly (not using too much as I tried putting the tiniest amount in and had the same result :think:) so now I buy own brand liquid or treat myself to other brands when they are on offer

Think thats all from me :rotfl:. Most other stuff I will happily try alternatives but it does annoy me that my local supermarket has stopped stocking their own brand pull up nappies :mad: DS only in them at night and I offset the cost by using 'real' nappies when he was a baby!!

Loadsabob

The main one for me is meat - I buy organic, free range and local, because after being veggie for 18 years I only started eating meat again because I wanted to support organic, local and free range producers to keep farming in Cornwall going. And I thoroughly enjoy every meat dish I cook. I could write you a list now of all the meat I've bought in the last two years, and yet it feels as though we eat meat quite regularly. But I guess it isn't often; it's just that when we do, it's fabulous stuff. Propbably quite cheap as I've bought in bulk and included the frugal cuts and offal. And local fish, too.

• Heinz ketchup and beans. I've tried organic, and it's nice, but it's not the same! I think nostalgia plays a big part there.
• Local organic eggs.
• Big brand cereals - sugar puffs! Nostalgia again But some mornings I'll have my hm bread as toast, so the cost is spread.
• Cleaning products. I buy Ecover (made my own once but the essential oils gave my boyfriend excema ). After years without heavy chemicals, I feel ill and sneezy when I smell artificially scented cleaning products and air 'fresheners'. None of it smells at all natural to me.
• Tea bags. Usually Clipper, and now Twinings Lady Grey. I hate cheap tea, and like may tea drinkers, if my cuppa doesn't taste JUST the way I want it to, I'd rather not bother.
• Loo rolls - always recycled unless they're out of stock. Can't see the point of using new pulp for loo rolls!

My big thing is quality. I'd rather have much less, but of quality, than loads of cheaper things that don't add to my quality of life.

mi_jardin

In our house its:
Shampoo- got to be head and shoulders
Coffee - dh has to have beans, but I buy Mr S brand
Tea - I like Twinnings Everyday Tea but only buy when its on offer
Coke - dh again, it has to be Coca Cola
Shoes - I will only buy clarks/hush puppies, quality and I do live near the factory outlet shops

stingy_rach

As with most people it has to be meat mainly. Cannot buy economy anything and try to use the local butcher if poss.

My other main one is coffee. My DH uses Lidl own brand and I can't even smell it. Luckily I work for a rather fab coffee company so get discount!!

Reverbe

elf06 wrote: »

Heinz tom sauce (DS is allergic to any other kind )

really allergic or just wont eat other kinds cos I am trying to work out what is in Heinz or isnt in Heinz that is in every other brand of ketchup?Can any of you label readers help?

Reverbe

How interesting Loadsa. I was given a load of free Clipper tea bags and I find them worse than Tescos Value ones .. in fact I'd say they were the worst teabags Id ever had - they tasted like stale sweepings... If I still have them I will send mine to you if you like.

Leopardlady

This is a great thread, i am not too fussed about anything and thought things like shampoo was a very serious point, and always looked out for deals on H&S, but then as the budget got tighter i still felt it was too expensive, so one day (in spite) i bought boots own and tried it. I love it, it works just as well and only costs less the £1 for a bottle!

I think we only have branded things when they are on offer cheaper than the own brand stuff! The money we save, does mean we have nicer wine, but this is still only a treat