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Original poster

Examples of false economy where cheap means crap

245 replies

unn · 10/09/2025 16:48

. Buying cheap baking trays and tins
. Buying economy washing up liquid. You need half a bottle to produce suds

OP posts:
ColinOfficeTrolley · 12/09/2025 05:59

*learn

ColinOfficeTrolley · 12/09/2025 05:59

Buy cheap buy twice.

It is ALWAYS a false economy. My husband and I never lean though.

Toddlerspaghetti · 12/09/2025 05:49

New Look sandals. Bought two pairs of new look's dupes of birkenstocks at the beginning of the summer and the rubber wore away in around 3 weeks. Never again!

Friendlygingercat · 12/09/2025 03:26

Towels and washcloths and bed lines. I am still using some Ralph Lauren leopard print ones I bought in the USA in the mid 1990s.

Athreedoorwardrobe · 12/09/2025 03:07

Foundation. Shampoo (the Alberto balsam ones are passable but most supermarket budget brands are so bad)
Bread... most budget bread is completely inedible.
Socks. Yes they were a few quid in primark but they won't last one wear.

Most things from SHEIN altho you get the odd thing that is randomly really high quality. I've got a dress from SHEIN that's listed me years and I love it.

I don't get this about loo roll though.. I buy the cheapest available and I think it's fine tbh.

Bearinthesmallmessyflat · 12/09/2025 02:36

Prams. You don’t need to go for the very expensive ones and some of them are just a rip off too cybex and silvercross but the cheap ones generally fall to bits well before they’re outgrown and are awful to push and fiddly to do anything with which is useless if you’re using it everyday.

Shoes I agree with but not clarks. The best thing for kids shoes is to find a good independent shoe shop but they’re like hens teeth now ):

Greenscreennightmare · 12/09/2025 02:03

Matches.

I have a large box of Aldi matches and I always have to strike 3 or 4 before one lights. Either the red bit just wears off, or it lights briefly before shooting off across the room.

booksnbaking · 12/09/2025 01:12

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/09/2025 19:49

Jam - Bonne Maman

Coffee- Nescafe

Though I buy Aldi dishwasher tablets and washing up liquid which are fine

I may have a manky palate, but I can’t tell the difference between Aldi/Lidl gold-type instant coffee and Nescafé Gold. Also has the smugness bonus of not putting money Nestle’s way.
Fully agree about washing-up liquid, and we use Aldi dishwasher powder which is fine.

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 12/09/2025 01:12

I'm all in favour of cheap bin bags. There's six of us so the bin gets emptied a lot. I feel less guilty if it's thin plastic and not rammed full.

Cheap tyres - also approve as I rarely get bald tyres. More often than not there's a nail in one.

Cheap shoes are definitely a waste of money. Especially kids school shoes.

Bleachedlevis · 12/09/2025 01:05

Mumptynumpty · 10/09/2025 18:14

Furniture. Old Victorian is better than new stuff.

White goods generally. Sometimes you get lucky.

Hoovers but not Dyson which is stupid prices.

Cars.

Bedding.

Glassware.

Agree about Dyson. Ridiculous prices. I think James Dyson is taking the p*ss

Tortielady · 12/09/2025 00:55

It might be a matter of taste as much as price and quality but I much prefer thick-cut marmalade (especially orange) and if that means shelling out for a jar of Frank Cooper's Oxford marmalade then that's what I'll do. I also prefer Colman's mustard. It zings at the back of the throat in a way other brands and the shop's own brand just don't.

the5thgoldengirl · 12/09/2025 00:45

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the5thgoldengirl · 12/09/2025 00:41

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Daygloboo · 12/09/2025 00:35

HouseFullOfChaos · 11/09/2025 18:51

St Michael clothes were the best quality. My teenage daughter's favourite night dress, which which she wears all the time, is one I wore when I was a teen. My mum got it from a charity shop in the mid 90's. It's St Michael and it's still in almost perfect condition. I don't think they'll ever again make clothes that last so long.

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St michael was brilliant. Nice material and really well put together. Just never going to get that again with such mass production as we have nowadays. But more expensive can be rubbish too. I just paid £170 for a sort of tunic/ top thing for a special milestone birthday dinner with relatives i haven't seen for years. When I got it , it looked like an old flimsy net curtain. Might as well have got something from Lidl.

SkinnyOatFlatWhiteForMePlease · 12/09/2025 00:31

Tea
Coffee
Toilet roll
Kitchen roll
Washing up liquid
Digestive biscuits
Tinned tomatoes
Dish towels

Daygloboo · 12/09/2025 00:19

FirstCuppa · 10/09/2025 19:49

Chocolate. Yucky waxy sugar coloured "brown" stuff Cadbury's, I'm looking at you.

Carpet
Bedding
Batteries

I like Cadbury coz i grew up with it. But I wouldnt really class it as chocolate.

JMSA · 11/09/2025 23:36

BessieSurtees · 11/09/2025 10:10

One year we bought a pair of school shoes from George Asda and quite by accident they ended up being the biggest bargain ever. While instore I mentioned that the previous shoes I had bought were wrecked within weeks. The assistant said they had a 100 day satisfaction return guarantee. I returned those shoes 5 or 6 times and got a new pair as a replacement.

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That’s just embarrassing.

fetchacloth · 11/09/2025 23:32

Pens
Kitchen roll
Mattresses
Shower gel
Dental floss
Walking boots/shoes
Digestive biscuits
Crumpets
Bacon, only thick back will do
Coffee

Shivaughn · 11/09/2025 22:51

I’m disagree with toilet roll, the cheap stuff is better as it doesn’t block the loo.

Crisps- the ‘imitations’ of crisps like Monster munch or wotsits are always horrible!

80smonster · 11/09/2025 22:48

Hotpoint appliances

LibbyOTV · 11/09/2025 22:36

Food, especially meat and dairy

Original poster
unn · 11/09/2025 22:14

MidnightTwin · 11/09/2025 20:58

They are not too expensive now since they've been out years. But the Cullincare Magiccan tin opener.

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I had two of these can openers. Both ceased working when I had just taken a lid off a can. You pull the arms apart and the lid should be released. No stuck. Ran hot water, sprayed WD40, banged the opener on the worktop. Nothing shifted it. My Kenwood electric can opener is 12 years old and brilliant

OP posts:
usedtobeprettybutImalrightnow · 11/09/2025 22:10

Shoes. I’ve just thrown away a pair of £200 boots I bought when my DS was born, now 17 years old. Sad days 🫣

CalzoneOnLegs · 11/09/2025 22:01

@LetsTryAgainNowThen I know exactly the textile you mean, it looks like cobwebs and it’s used for protective wrapping of electrical items sometimes, perfect for that but not bedding. Utterly just ripping people off. I hope they went under.

Nextdoormat · 11/09/2025 21:33

Unicornskies · 10/09/2025 19:47

I would have agreed with you until last year but recently I've found Next school shoes to be very good.

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Thanks might have a look next year, I like a recommendation 😀