Page 7 | Examples of false economy where cheap means crap

BessieSurtees · 11/09/2025 10:10

Girasoli · 10/09/2025 20:20

I buy cheap school shoes for DS1 on purpose...they all get scuffed in 6 weeks, I feel less bad when its Aldi rather than Clarks.
I spend money on coats though - usually mountain warehouse in the sales. They last both DC and are still good enough to be passed on afterwards.

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.

taxguru · 11/09/2025 09:14

PuppyMonkey · 11/09/2025 08:35

Totally disagree about Clark’s Shoes. I started off thinking that’s what all good parents should buy but had numerous occasions when the £64 shoes I bought were fraying and flaking after a week or two. From then on I bought supermarket versions which lasted just as well or if they did wear out, I simply bought another pair for £8.99 or whatever it was at the time.

Clarks used to be really good quality, but over the years, like a lot of "brands", they've downgraded their quality, yet still charging "premium" prices, so yes, to an extent they are often pretty crap these days. We've stopped buying them as they're just not worth the price anymore as you can get similar quality elsewhere cheaper. A bit like M&S clothes really who've done the same.

It's not just material quality though, with both M&S and Clarks, it's things like sizing that have gone to crap and manufacturing quality - the last pair of boots I bought from Clarks were really uncomfortable and when I put my hand in, you could easily feel a kind of "Lump" where the stitching had been botched. That would never have happened a couple of decades ago! Likewise the last pair of school shoes we bought there for our son, the stitching started to unpick within a few days. They also suffer the same sizing inconsistencies of M&S as I once bought some boots in Black which I liked and went back to buy the same in Brown which didn't fit at all - when I compared them, they were visibly different sizes despite being the same range/size as per the labels - that happens a lot with M&S trousers/jeans etc too. Go back to the 90s, and you could get a particular size from stores like that secure in the knowledge they're be the same size/dimensions as other similar items from the same store - if you were size 12 for M&S trousers, you'd be size 12 for M&S jeans - that's no longer the case. It's all so random and inconsistent - quality, sizing, the lot really.

PuppyMonkey · 11/09/2025 08:35

Totally disagree about Clark’s Shoes. I started off thinking that’s what all good parents should buy but had numerous occasions when the £64 shoes I bought were fraying and flaking after a week or two. From then on I bought supermarket versions which lasted just as well or if they did wear out, I simply bought another pair for £8.99 or whatever it was at the time.

ConstableStable · 10/09/2025 20:55

Agree with so many already said:
Binbags
Ham
Tin foil and cling film
Glue sticks

Also plasters

And a very niche one -
Cotton buds (the stick part needs to be firm in my opunion, and cheap ones are often bendy)

godmum56 · 10/09/2025 20:43

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 agree about jam but prefer St Dalfour unless its tiptree little scarlet strawberry jam

WalkDontWalk · 10/09/2025 20:27

Ham.

Girasoli · 10/09/2025 20:20

I buy cheap school shoes for DS1 on purpose...they all get scuffed in 6 weeks, I feel less bad when its Aldi rather than Clarks.
I spend money on coats though - usually mountain warehouse in the sales. They last both DC and are still good enough to be passed on afterwards.

anyolddinosaur · 10/09/2025 20:01

Mattresses and shoes - if you arent in one you are often in the other. A good mattress will help preserve your health.

Bumblebee72 · 10/09/2025 20:01

NeverDropYourMooncup · 10/09/2025 19:56

To be fair, if you're buying a cheap parachute off Temu, you're clearly only ever going to be using it once.

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Isn't there an old saying: You'll never regret buying a cheap parachute: if it works you've saved money, if it doesn't work, you won't be able to look back, so either way, no regrets.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 10/09/2025 19:56

BreezyPeachGoose · 10/09/2025 17:35

Parachutes.

To be fair, if you're buying a cheap parachute off Temu, you're clearly only ever going to be using it once.

Pixie2015 · 10/09/2025 19:56

SherlockJones · 10/09/2025 16:52

Cheap sticky tape

this - i was going to start a thread about this 😃

Pragmatism · 10/09/2025 19:55

Glue sticks

Complet · 10/09/2025 19:53

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

I’ve bought cheap and expensive baking trays. None have lasted more than a few years. In fact, the more expensive they were the shorter they lasted. The Le Creuset ones were particularly shoddy.

Champere · 10/09/2025 19:52

Coffee, running shoes, curtains, lip filler

Cardemomle · 10/09/2025 19:52

MidnightPatrol · 10/09/2025 16:52

Shoes!

Definitely! I cannot bear uncomfortable shoes or ones that fall apart.

FirstCuppa · 10/09/2025 19:50

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Risqueeeeeeee

MidnightPatrol · 10/09/2025 19:50

housethatbuiltme · 10/09/2025 19:46

But as a disabled person this is great for me... I drag my foot when I walk and it doesn't matter if a shoe is £5 or £500 it destroys them equally but it hurts much less when its 'only' £5 from Primark thats getting chucked in the bin.

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Every cloud…!

To add: this outlook really made me laugh.

Crikeyalmighty · 10/09/2025 19:50

I’m funny on wine !

boots, bin bags, cookware

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/09/2025 19:49

Jam - Bonne Maman

Coffee- Nescafe

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

FirstCuppa · 10/09/2025 19:49

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

Carpet
Bedding
Batteries

Unicornskies · 10/09/2025 19:47

Nextdoormat · 10/09/2025 19:40

None Clarks kids shoes. Clark's shoe are not as good as they were, but my son. 10 years ago, went through a phase when he refused to go into any shoe shops and online shopping wasn't as big. I bout supermarket shoes, the lasted 2 weeks, tried others 4 weeks. Never again, I now buy Clark's shoes for DGD they were still good after 12 months, obviously kept ensuring they were the correct size. Latest ones cost £50, but considering they were worn every school day well worth it.

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

housethatbuiltme · 10/09/2025 19:46

MidnightPatrol · 10/09/2025 16:52

Shoes!

But as a disabled person this is great for me... I drag my foot when I walk and it doesn't matter if a shoe is £5 or £500 it destroys them equally but it hurts much less when its 'only' £5 from Primark thats getting chucked in the bin.

camelfinger · 10/09/2025 19:45

Fake Lego.
A lot of household stuff or gadgets that you buy off Amazon for about £10.

Nextdoormat · 10/09/2025 19:42

PruthePrune · 10/09/2025 19:07

Shoes, bed linen and cookware. As a PP said earler, cheap anything really. I really hate cheap bedding though, it goes all bobbly.

Always buy Next bedding, reasonably priced and lasts forever.

Gall10 · 10/09/2025 19:42

Aldi fruit & veg….rancid before you get home.