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

[fateisdestined2025]

Cakes for me. Homemade cakes taste better.

There was a recipe for Mumsnet microwave jam here a few years ago.
Equal amounts of sugar and fruit, blast it for 3 minutes (good large bowl to avoid boiling over) then 30-second blasts until it’s set.
I occasionally do that if some fruit is on the way out, so 2 bruised apricots or a peach cut up make a couple of portions of jam.

Lidl’s Aussie dupes shampoo and conditioner are very good. Wish they did a leave in conditioner spray and hair mask.

OMG - Thank you for posting this.

You can also use conditioner in place of shaving foam (well on your legs at least).

I'm buy more own brand stuff now

• butter
• cereal
• plain porridge

They are packaged to look very similar.

I think learning how to make pastry is a game changer. From pies, to jam tarts, quiche, egg custards, a pasty filled with stew or curry or beans. It doesn’t take long. A minced beef and potato pie will feed 4, using very little mince. Bought fruit pies are really expensive or really crap. Bring back homemade apple pie - with custard.
Another game changer is forget Muller rice - make a big pan of rice pudding - have it with fruit, jam - for breakfast or lunch or pudding.

Thanks to the person who recommended Pure Magic spray. Hadn’t heard of it but had the ingredients so made a batch. It’s great!

What is this please? I skimmed back through the thread, but didn't see it, but that's not unusual for me!

Nancy Birtwhistle ( Bake off ) has a few recipes for cleaning in an environmentally friendly way. I made her pure magic spray and it’s great.

What is this please? I skimmed back through the thread, but didn't see it, but that's not unusual for me!

Pure Magic is Nancy Birtwhistle’s citric acid based spray. It’s like Viakal/toilet duck/whitener. I also use it for showers and sinks.
200g citric acid
150 ml of just boiled water,
stir to dissolve
add a few squirts of washing up liquid
10 drops of essential oil.

Leave to go cold so it doesn’t crystallize, use as a spray and rinse thoroughly to avoid sticky residue.
Spray around toilet overnight to whiten and clean.
Very very efficient.

I used to buy GF loaves which were ridiculously expensive and didn't keep well, now I buy Warburtons GF rolls which are cheaper and I can finish them all before they go off. They're thinnish and split into two to toast.

Placemarking

M&S custard creams and Bourbons. Way nice and actually cheaper than Tesco's own.

This thread is making me really miss Aldi! Moved to NI and there are no stores here 😭

Always buy supermarket own brands, way cheaper. X

Daily Costa/Starbucks - bought myself a proper coffee machine.

big initial outlay but cheaper in the long run!

I buy the big bottles of shampoo and conditioner from beauty supply sites instead of getting the normal sized bottles. Means I can afford the nice products

Do you have Lidl? I know they do in the republic.

Asda fruit and nut muesli - much cheaper and nicer than branded.
also Asda chunky soups and their oxtail and scotch broth. Easily as good as Heinz and much cheaper.

Asda tolet rolls and tomato ketchup, tesco chesse and onion quish.

Sainsbury’s Red Label tea bags are great.
Aldi nappies - as so many have said.
No.7 instead of Clarins & Clinique (my skin still seems happy).
Cooking more ‘special’ meals at home rather than eating out. A bit of an investment in good ingredients is cheaper than mediocre food out and big savings on drinks to go with (hard and soft).

Nancy Birtwhistle is great. I have a couple of her books and follow her on instagram. Most of the things she does are really quite simple and easy to do. I find her really inspiring.. Not only the money side of things is great but how much greener the alternatives are.

Isn’t it more that shein copy rather than retailers selling on Shein stuff? I get very targeted shein and temu ads which are copies of the style of clothing I like to buy and browse the most often.