What do you not buy anymore because you’ve found a cheaper/better alternative?

[fateisdestined2025]

Cakes for me. Homemade cakes taste better.

For the pasta sauce people, you might already do it, but I always buy the frozen chopped garlic and use it straight from the freezer, same with ginger, ( for Chinese) I forgot the brand now but asda have it in big bags, lasts ages and no smelly garlic fingers or waste.

Taj is the brand, just over a pound for a fairly big bag. Cheaper than asda s own

With the exception of a few items, expensive make-up is a rip off imho. There has been a revolution recently in the rise of cheaper dupe brands that do the job just as well and imho, are probably made in the same factory.

E.L.F. on Amazon have some great products for example! Check out beauty vlogs for more information.

And having had my hair cut in expensive salons all of my life, I now seek out a local salon where the cutting is just as good if not better, but there are no frivolous add-ons and I now pay a third of what I used to. You have to be prepared to try a few out though.

If I want to buy a popular item of clothing, I always check if it’s on Vinted in my size first.

I follow Nancy Birtwhistle on Insta and make my own stock, stock cubes, preserved ginger and dishwasher tablets.

granated is 79p at our local home bargains compared to the same amount at supermarkets for £1.10 or £1.15

also ice cream cones are 79p for 21…much Cheaper than supermarket prices.

Yeah those are hardly dupes at those prices!

You could add a splash of red wine or a couple of tablespoons of lea & perrins / Worcestershire sauce, however I agree with adding tomato puree for depth.

Shop at local Middle Eastern mini market for big bunches of fresh herbs, coffee, tea, honey, olive oil, spices , dates, good quality fruit and veg and jars of chick peas.

I don’t buy from shein or temu

When making a tomato sauce, make sure to really cook down the chopped onions/garlic. Can add tomato purée now and cook it out thoroughly. Add brown sugar to counteract the acidity. Can add Worcestershire sauce and I often add roasted veg like peppers or courgettes. Then give the sauce time to reduce down!

Thank you for your enlightenments
Seems absolutely sumptuous 💚

For what’s known as “Four Quarters” cake, where you weigh your eggs in their shells and then use the same amount of SR flour, cooled melted butter and sugar.
I use two thirds that weight of sunflower oil instead of butter and it turns out beautifully.

@Sgtmajormummythats a great tip!

loving the pasta sauce tips too!

any tips on pizza dough?

But you've said they use more luxury ingredients so that means that they're not the same

Nowhere near enough “luxury ingredients” to warrant a £2 difference from Aldi to M&S.

Not sure if this is now the case now. Mr Kipling do Aldi’s Holly Lane cakes. As I remember MK and HL Battenberg cakes were next to each other. The best before, batch codes layout and font were both identical. Even the Angel cake slices had the same dark red inner tray.

Im talking about 6-7 years ago

Yes if someone might happen to have a wheat free recipe it would be brilliant & most appreciated 🙏

@Fruitsherbertat the moment with the school runs and having baby at home all day I’m finding baking hard. Might be easier to buy store bought for now.

@Aaron95do you use a scented washing powder if you don’t use conditioner?

@Comedycookwe always had branded as kids and it was at primary school one of the teachers bought own brand for a party…got me thinking why we didn’t try those.

@muddyford I’ve got a bottle of asdas own brand mayo which I hope will be good!
@RightOnTheEdgethe Asda ketchup is great!

@Annielou67i will be doing this with the jam and yogurt. Although my 2 under 5 sometimes get really fussy. Will try it the DH today.

I usually shop at Ocado and like the M&S Mayo, it's quite sharp tasting.

Fortnum and Mason Florentines no idea why I kept buying them but I did... roughly £11 for a box and now I've discovered some in Tesco 1/3 of the price and tasted and even look so much better.