To ask your "same but cheaper" hacks?

[Fishface77]

I've read that
Blue tin Nivea is a cheaper version of creme de la mer so I've bought 3 tins!

Please can Anyone recommend anything that is as good as the branded version but cheaper?

Right. I'm registered with KIKO website. What do I need most? I've never heard of them before and I fancy some new make up!

I buy Sainsbury's version of Special K and am very happy with it. Waitrose version however tastes like cardboard!

We use Aldi nappies as standard but save Pampers for overnight.

I'm also one for just trading down and so my trolley is a mix of the supermarket's budget, standard and luxury brands as well as the "luxury" brands.

Last sneaky trick: I've trained my little one's taste-buds to like the cheaepr stuff. So while my DH and I will only eat Heinz beans, my DS will happily eat 25p Sainsbury's own low salt and sugar beans!

Sparechange I was thinking exactly the same about the suits...

Snap

I need a decent primer. Everything slips off my face. I have tried (with no luck):
Bare minerals
Smash box
Laura mercier
Benefit
MAC strobe
Chanel
Estée Lauder
Bobbi Brown pore perfector
B by Superdrug

Also to add that I shop in Waitrose a lot as its in a convenient location and while I'm very open to own brand I'm often disappointed by Waitrose own stuff. Their spaghetti hoops tasted of pure vinegar and frozen broccoli (which I just use for one recipe) seemed half rotted compared to Sainsbury;s own .

Oh yes, nappies. Ever since Pampers became crap (sorry, I know some people are still fans but Babydry(?) ones became useless overnight), we switched to Tesco ones on the advice of a friend. They're brilliant.

I've gone right off Waitrose but it's because my local one is a bit badly managed. I only shop there now for things I can't get in Aldi or Morrison's.

AgathaMystery - I wear very little makeup but was recommended Body Shop primer when I got married. I'd never bought it before so don't have anything to compare it to but was happy with it.

Thanks Karen will add to the list (apols for hijack)

Sainsbury liquid feroglobulin is almost identical to Spatone and Floradix

I'm going to try the Kiko eyeshadows and blusher. Thanks to this thread I got the No.7 Radiance Under Eye Concealer and I prefer it to my YSL one. It brightens the under eye area nicely and I looked more 'awake'. Fab thread. So much to try. I agree Aldi's Mini Magnums are delicious. I use Almat Bio gel tabs and their version of Comfort and really like them. The conditioner has a mild smell which I like. The Comfort one I had to give to a friend because the pong was so over powering.

I don't rate Aldi's kitchen/bathroom cleaning products. Especially their toilet gel and thick bleach. They seem very ineffective. Esp the bog gel.

I buy any ingredients for Chinese/Japanese food from one of the Chinese or Thai supermarkets in town. Much cheaper for things like soy sauce, sushi ingredients, rice pancakes etc and full of interesting things to try.

I always thought all that mattered was who the underwriters were

I don't work directly in insurance underwriting although I have been involved more generally in the industry
But as i understand it, underwriters have 2 roles - making sure the company can afford to pay out its claims, and deciding what the premiums should be according to criteria

So the Sainsbury's policy will definitely be 'good for it' to pay out claims
And they will alter the premiums for you and your pet based on the risk scoring.

But the two could have totally separate rules and criteria for paying out claims, paying direct to vets, etc

When it comes to putting up premiums after a claim, some will look at your pet individually and some will group your pet in with hundreds of others and then look at the claim history of the cohort before deciding whether or not to raise premiums or exclude certain conditions

For primer, have you tried Larnacane..?

It's sold as a cream to put your your thighs to stop Chub Rub but I've used it as eye shadow primer for years
Not sure if it works as foundation primer but it's a couple of quid a tube in Boots so worth a try
It can be used on chafed and sore skin so there is no issue with using it on your face

AgathaMystery Have you tried Maybelline baby skin, I rate it I've not used another since I tried it.

Because SPF factors in suncreams are regulated, there is no difference in the protection offered by a cheap sun cream or expensive one.

You are only paying for added-extras, like how easily it rubs in, not the quality of the sun protection. Yet prices can vary wildly.

AYankinSpanx the eyeshadows and lipsticks from kiko are brill, also body shop make up is very good, I've recently got an eyeliner, lip and cheek stain, mascara and lip liner from there and i'm happy with all of them.

Sparechange

Aren't they just rebranded but the same policies?

For example hsbc sell insurance but it's actually Aviva that provide the insurance.

The premiums will be different (usually the rebranded is more expensive) but the underlying product is the same??

I used to be a buyer for Tesco and there are loads of big brand companies that make the same items for the supermarkets just in their own packaging.
Bulmers make Tesco own label cider for example.
The supermarkets don't have their own factories making their own stuff, they have contracts with the big brands.

Placemarking..great thread OP

Incidentally used to work at Bahlsen years ago and they made biscuits for M&S, exactly the same just different packaging!

Re: insurance. No - in a word, they aren't all the same. Let's use a bar of chocolate as an analogy.

• You can buy cheap as chips ordinary chocolate.
• You can buy 'brand' chocolate that might taste a wee bit nicer and have some extra things going on.
• You can buy Green & Blacks - or other high quality chocolate that's 60/70/80% cocoa content.

All of them are chocolate - but just because you can buy them all in one shop doesn't mean they are the same.

This is why it is so important to check the T&C of the insurance that you buy. Different products are aimed at different target customer groups - the needs of a young and commonplace pet are going to be different to someone with an exotic reptile! Some pet insurance products might offer 'lifetime cover' - others won't. Some may ask you for a co-pay in addition to your excess once your pet reaches a certain age - others won't. The limits of cover (your sums insured) can vary according to the cover you have chosen as well. It's also common to have an insurer working with a 'corporate partner' (such as a supermarket) to deliver a branded offering, which will have some small refinements or differences to the insurer's 'standard' own-name stuff. This doesn't happen all the time but the only way to know is to check your T&C. Boring but necessary!

Tesco Everyday Value individually wrapped pads are my absolute favourite pads. They're non-scented, no wings (but quite broad, so cover whole gusset well) and very very thin. Probably not good for heavy flows, but if you're like me in that medium flow is the heaviest you get, you should try them.

Dry pasta - unless you want the healthier wholegrain ones or the multicoloured ones, you really might as well go with the cheapest as they're pretty much all the same.

I find Vaseline/Boots own brand lipsalves really good. Carmex I find makes my lips worse if anything. I would say the Nivea ones I've tried aren't very good, I literally had better results from using Nivea creme on my lips instead.

Results will vary with different chains I imagine, but I always go to the £1 shop for greetings cards if I can. I've been complimented before on how nice the cards I get from there are, and really why spend £3 on sparkly cardboard when you can spend £1?

I second (3rd 4th 5th and 6th ) aldi mamia wipes. Utterly brilliant so much better than any other brand out their. I also want to (ahem sorry for the street talk) big up Aldi aloe Vera toilet rolls. So.much better than any other brand. Doesn't fall apart after one wipe (sorry tmi) absorbent and bloody good value £2.99 for 9 rolls..
Have to add also B & M is miles cheaper for shampoo / conditioner act ( but so is trago mills for us Devonian folk) ( and Cornwall)
Love this thread.

AYankInSpanx - a friend wears Marc Jacobs Daisy to go out, and we happened to be in TOFS (The Original Factory Shop), and they had a perfume called Miss Daisy (100ml for £3) and she reckoned it's quite a good likeness for the price. Disclaimer - I've not smelt either so can't say

I found thiss* website that lists value perfumes that smell exactly like more expensive ones.

MrDacres

But what you are describing are not 'like-for-like' policies.

Tesco Finest Tonic - six bottles for £2.99 or sometimes on offer for £2 (or 2 for £4) are really nice, and cheaper than Fever, very little difference but the Tesco ones don't have flavour varieties.

Aldi 'Activia' yogurts are lovely and less than half the price of the real ones. Ditto their corner yogurts for the kids. DH prefers the Aldi prawn cocktail crisps to Walkers, and their Choceur range is lovely and cheaper than branded.

One to avoid - I've not found a single own brand All-Bran that comes even close to the real thing - the fakes don't mush down to gooey sweet loveliness, they stay a bit cardboardy IME.

Brilliant thread, placemarking for future reference