to think there are some things you shouldn't scrimp on?

[MardyBra]

I've just used some cheap Sainsbo's dental floss and my gums are rebelling. AIBU to think that you shouldn't compromise on certain products - recession or no recession!

Or cheap steak! I'd much rather have small bit if luscious fillet steak than a large bit of tough old meat.

YANBU. "Life is too short for cheap wine".

I don't know about 'shouldn't' but there are certainly things I 'wouldn't' scrimp on... Cravendale milk, Yorkshire Teabags, Seed Sensations bread and Waitrose Davidstow Cheddar, off the top of my head.

I never scrimp on bedding. We spend a large chunk of our lives in bed so why not have the best cotton available, a good feather pillow and great mattress?

Oh and good ground coffee is a must.

Shoes
Mattresses
Sheets
Cheese
Meat
Coffee
Bread
Bras

Twinings Earl Grey.
I'd sleep on a concrete mattress before I gave that up.

Life just isn't worth living without decent tea.

Toilet paper.

I want to buy cheap stuff because after all you wipe your arse with it a flush it down the loo.

But cheap toilet paper fucking sucks. It is horrible.

Ah... I second shoes and toilet paper.

Philadelphia. The sainsbos basics one has wheat in it so my DH can't even eat it!

Tis all very well, but one can't comfortably go without cheese and meat and bread and bedding, so if you have to scrimp, you have to.

On the other hand, there is no excuse for cheap perfume. EVER.

coffee, decent winter thermals, shampoo, foundation (Cheap ones have more orangey tomes - eekk!) good warm coat, boots (nothing worse than cheap shiny leather boots that always fall down to the ankles ! however, I have some lovely comfy cheap summer sandals which are fine)
Will think of more soon . . . oh and def tea as well.
No perfume is better than cheap perfume !

I meant: its better to wear no perfume than cheap perfume
ugh cheap perfume shudders

Why not go one week vegetarian, one week luxury?

Very Unreasonable of you.

Tea, coffee, Toilet paper - Cheap versions YAK. Downgrading to staples, i.e tinned to tomatoes etc, reasonable but to suffer cheap tea NO! I drink way too much tea perhaps?

bras. Having good foundations means you can wear cheap and nasty clothes and still look great. If you boobs are hanging on your knees, nothing is going to look good.

Shoes

Winter Coats

Meat

Organic milk - I totally blame Gina Ford for this - she says in her book how much mucus was in non organic milk. I read this while drinking a latte, which I promptly spat out.

Carpets. Cheep nylon carpets are bleugh. >

hmm dont agree really

we dont have the moeny to 'not scrimp' on anything

except toilet paper is just a false economy to buy the very cheapest value stuff

just the basic tesco one is fine though

Agree with Trin, I'm reading these thinking it would be nice to have the option not to scrimp on some of this stuff!

Having said that, being tight about some stuff means I could just about afford to spend almost £50 on a new pair of shoes for DS. I could get ten pairs for that but I'd rather go to a shop where they're careful to make sure they fit properly and the shoes are waterproof and won't fall apart in a month.

Otherwise there are no bounds to my tightness.

Ooh yes agree with bras. Especially for the Large of Nork.

Am with TrinityRhino, lots of people don't have the choice. But I do agree in theory. My 'not scrimping'' might be different to others though. I did decide to splash out on two john lewis single sheets at £10 each as I figured we would have them forever (and are so much nicer).

Always (mostly) buy fairtrade tea and coffee, bananas, sugar (luckily sains does lots of own brands). We do organic milk,though not for mucus reasons but is supposed to be better for you nutrients or something. Gets supplemented with normal.

We have bought Asda and Sain value loo roll. Is fine. And much less galling when the kids drop a roll down the loo .

Clothes are mostly good quality (and not so) from ebay or second-hand. Especially for the kids. And shoes (so shoot me).

I would like to buy better quality, ethically sound and fewer things. So we try to save up or tbh mostly charity shops and ebay (ethically sound) as we don't have the money.We do use the cheap shops though too. I want to spend £90 on a frying pan that lasts forever but can't afford to, so compromise and get one much, much cheaper in the sale. it's hard to justify though when you can buy them for a fiver!

I don't care what i wipe my bum with and will NEVER get those who spend 4x on Andrex aloe vera roll.

I wouldn't scrimp on clothes ( i will buy charity but i do like fashion)

La Senza have an offer on bras atm; 2 for a fiver! they are nice although not high end luxury.

House, car and pet insurance.

I would never, ever scrimp on coffee or toilet paper .

But I wouldn't dream of spending £50 on shoes for my child - or myself for that matter - happily buy all clothes from charity shops (I enjoy the trawling around !).

Cheap shoes don't bother me either - DS's latest school shoes cost £7.99 - whatever you spend on childrens' shoes they end up ruined so why bother?

There's a difference between 'not scrimping' and 'indulging'.

Entirely agree that a decent bra is absolutely necessary. If a cheap bra from Asda gave good support and comfort, then perhaps Freya would be indulgence. As it is, Asda would be scrimping, Freya would be not scrimping. Rigby&Peller would be OTT indulgence.

I won't scrimp on shoes, not for my dc with growing feet, nor for myself with all sorts of joint problems. But that means Clarkes, not LelliKelli or Jimmy Choos. Bags and accessories, I couldn't care less about.

Food is relatively easy to scrimp on. IMO there are many own-brands that are nicer than branded. Home-cooking, different shops, vegey meals, etc.

I hate scrimping on loo roll - though I would if I had to - because it's a scrimp that you really notice. All the others don't really matter (unless you really want those Jimmy Choos!), but loo roll grabs your attention uncomfortably several times a day.

Being careful because you have limited funds is fine, being mean and making others miserable with poor quality or not enough food, clothes and toys, for the sake of holding onto your loot is not fine.