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?

Aldi Choceur chocolate range but the fruit and nut bar in particular, is better than Cadbury’s.

I buy the supermarket own brand greek yogurts and by far prefer them to posh brand ones!!!

Tesco baby lotion and baby bath smell lovely and you can use them to clean, wash and moisturise every bit of you - for a quid.

Sainsbury’s do dishwasher tablets branded House 24/7 that are £1.87 for 30. They work really well and I snap them in half and just use half at a time.

Waitrose oatcakes are delicious - anything Waitrose own brand is reliably a bit nicer.

I don't know about money saving, but I've just spent a small fortune on Marseille soap thanks to this thread!

For fellow Aldi skincare enthusiasts - you can buy a bundle online for ~£32, and it saves playing availability roulette in store. Plus delivery is free of you spend over £25. Mine usually arrives in two days!

Just adding the link for my last comment https://www.aldi.co.uk/skincare-favourites-bundle/p/000000582437000?gclid=Cj0KCQiAxc6PBhCEARIsAH8Hff2bTg4JEEsXSTwlrNgSOvplrWfZEAjRqsuGlti-DmwOFnJZbw--2EaAi-nEALww_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

The rose oil is a particular favourite of mine

@NotVictorianHonestly try Dr Bronners magic soap- it’s Marseille soap and so natural. Comes in big bottles you can buy online in delicious scents like orange. You can clean pots, pets, bodies, windows, cars, it’s brilliant and last for ages.

With regards to rice, I thought there was some evidence about arsenic poisoning and they now recommend adding extra water? I certainly end up draining some water away and have perfectly edible rice. I’m a bottle of Prosecco (sue me) down and possibly not making sense.

Tesco custard creams. I’ve tried fancier ones from M&S but Tesco ones are the best.

Also Tesco own brand sensitive washing tablets, the powder ones. I used to spend a fortune on the branded liquitabs. Then I needed some without fabric softener in and bought a cheap box just thinking they’d do. Now I don’t buy anything else.

Ok, I no longer have a superdrug or boots near me ( used to use their sensitive moisturizer), only others I can use are sensitive Olay or Simple ( god knows what they put in baby lotion but it makes my skin feel like it's burning/ stinging), so .....can anyone recommend a ( very ) sensitive skin moisturizer please? Ideally with SPF

@ShinyPikachu O Keefes is also good for dry hands and skin

The spiced apple washing liquid is divine

@Broccolliandcabbage My skin is sensitive and I use Tesco own brand face sun cream

Yess!! It is way better and always on an offer

Just to be a pain, I don't have a Tesco's either! We have a savers / Asda / Aldi and a Body care though! 😉

Boots own brand eye makeup up remover lotion. £1.50. Best I’ve ever tried.

Marks and Spencer's glass cleaner 99p it's amazing !

Dettol bar soap. 39p in home bargains/savers and is amazing.

Whhhhaaat? Reusable kitchen roll? ( Off to check this out)

@BertieBotts

You don't have to throw glasses away when they go cloudy in the dishwasher, just soak them in vinegar for half an hour and put them through the dishwasher again.

Make sure you keep your salt and rinse aid topped up and it shouldn't happen in the first place.

No, it’s nothing to do with limescale @BertieBotts, we have a very expensive central water softener and there is not a trace of limescale anywhere in the house. I’ve researched it extensively and tried all those things. It’s a sort of micro-etching phenomenon. It can’t be rectified.

Home bargains do this Argan oil shampoo, conditioner and hair mask for 99p each, it’s brilliant for dry hair; the only thing I have found better is Moroccan oil at mega bucks.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Ordinary own brand rice, long grain or basmati - just bung in a pan of boiling salted water, simmer until done, drain, rinse if necessary, bingo. Can never understand difficulties over cooking rice. I dare say rice cookers are good if you have plenty of worktop space but I don’t.

This is so many kinds of wrong I barely know where to start. You seem to be confusing rice with noodles?

What’s difficult about cooking rice?

There are many ways to cook rice, the absorption method is not the only way although I do personally find it easier. I think the thing to note really is that you are meant to rinse it before cooking not after!

@RJnomore1

What’s difficult about cooking rice?

Everything!! And at the end of it, even if you've cooked really really well, you're still left with fecking rice. Which is a sodding boring food stuff no matter how you cook it, so you may as well make it easier.