What’s something you buy which is cheap/basic that is really good?

[Earbogeys]

Mine is bars of unscented soap from (predictably) Aldi, and also Waitrose own salt and vinegar crisps.

What gems are in your life?

Oxo peelers. I hate using any other peeler.

Tescos own cherry Pepsi dupe. Think it's called X or something. I prefer it to actual Pepsi

@Hairyfriend Same!!! Good value for money I feel.

@MonicaGellerBing Sounds nice. I like Aldi’s “Professor Peppy” and the name makes me

Lentils.

Vaseline

I bought bar soap during the first lockdown as I couldn’t buy shower gel etc.

It’s amazing. I use it in the bathroom and kitchen sink for hand washing and in my shower. That stuff lasts so long and plastic free!

Soda crystals - put a spoonful in with every load of washing in hard water areas.

After years of using fancy clothes wash, when they discontinued Method super concentrated laundry liquid, I switched to own brand plain pack clothes detergent. It's brilliant at cleaning clothing, lasts forever ever, low scent and is packaged in a cardboard box.

Frozen Apple strudel from most big supermarkets. It’s about £1.30, delicious and very satisfying.

Astral moisturiser.
I have extremely dry skin and used to pay a fortune for expensive ‘ hydrating’ lotions. Most were crap
Started using astral and my skin looks great.
May not work for everyone, but it worked for me.

Boots Natural Collection foundation and mascara.

Agree with soap. And washing powder. Cheap vinegar and bicarb for clearing drains.
All things I mainly started for environmental reasons but are way cheaper and more effective as well

Alberto Balsam shampoo and conditioner. Think they are £1 a bottle. My hair looks and feels fab plus it smells lovely. Since I started using it my hair has no tangles.

Tesco dupe for quavers, taste like quavers used to.

Oh Asda, own brand toilet paper, much better than Andrex, Shades or something.

I rediscovered ginger nut biscuits when I was looking to find a sweet treat that had a little bit less packaging waste for my DD. She loves to have a few in her lunchbox and I find them irresistible too. Somehow I forgot they existed for about 30 years!

@Rina66 what are unstoppables? I'm always after ways to make my house smell nicer (can't bear plug in air fresheners etc).

Washing powder (just Fairy) - no plastic boxes, no gunged up washing machine, can't think why I ever stopped using it in the first place.

@Mrbob

Agree with soap. And washing powder. Cheap vinegar and bicarb for clearing drains. All things I mainly started for environmental reasons but are way cheaper and more effective as well

This

M&S sleep bras. £11 something in the sale. I use them as normal bras.

Aldi 85p Body Lotion. Bloody brilliant stuff - has to be the one in the white bottle. Sinks in quickly, low scent (so doesn’t clash with perfume), just as good as Vaseline / Dove.

Oh IKEA's washing up brushes (the ones with suction cup). They're the best brushes ever. Soft yet stiff - never seems to flatten like all the others I've ever owned. Think they're £1 each. Will never buy anything else after discovering these!