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?

Lidl: Milk chocolate, jams, flowers (last for ages!) tried their gin after reading this thread -am a bit of a gin snob but have to admit this was pretty good

Tesco: tonic water, cream cleaner, popcorn, loo roll

I loved the aldi nappies in sizes 1&2 but DD didn't get in with size 3 so much so we have gone back to pampers which are frequently on offer at tesco anyway.

For those whose dogs love 'dental chewies ' like ahem mine : Aldi do them at 49p a pack. Best value I've found.

If there is a toiletry brand or own brand that manufactures a liquid soap, shower gel and bath foam in the same range/fragrance then it is most likely the same product. I say most likely as I used to,work in the industry and don't anymore. Our R & D dept used to run tests.

Bath foam will always be the cheapest per ml. So buy a 750 ml bottle and decant into an empty shower gel or hand wash dispenser. Ones that spring to mind are Sanex, Waitrose own label and Colgate Palmolive.

Loving 00100001 the Binary Queen!

Pretty much anything in aldi! I also get loads of Asda's own things too and my OH can't tell, coffee, tinned tomatoes, kidney beans. He's really fussy and doesn't like cheap brands but he's never noticed until I've told him! Iceland £1 pizzas are also much nicer than the fancier more expensive ones, same toppings! Own brand juice etc

I've just done my roots using the Nice & Easy root touch up kit from Boots. £4.99 for a packet to do my hairline and the main bits of my parting and the top of my head (the bits that are visible). There's plenty in the colour tube and developer to do two 'servings' and it has blended really well with the rest of my hair. At £2.50 per go and 10 mins development time I'm pretty pleased with it!

Need to read this. Apologies for placemarking.

Mua make up from Superdrug the eye shadows in particular are very pigmented and last all day... I would go as far to say they are better then Mac.

I also like the eye/lip liners. I have never used the foundation but I use Mac, Estée Lauder and would love to find a same but cheaper version.

Morrisons own nappies for newborns and aldi nappies after they are brilliant I find pampers leak and I would NEVER use Huggies.

Also Aldi sensitive wet wipes have won awards their big and thick and just feel great quality £2.50 for a pack of 4 is a bargain they last for a long time and my little one has hardly ever had nappy rash

I also use own brand nappy creams and I find these just as good to prevent nappy rash whenever my dd has had nappy rash I use metainium about 2.50 and that clears it up in no time I've never found a cheaper equivalent to this but it's 2.50 I've only ever had to by 2 tubes in her life so i can't moan lol x

MrDacres how do you save half of the dye pack to use next time? I thought you had to use it all in one go. I only really need half so this would save me extra money.

My oh used to used 1/2 a dye bottle.

Re fruit buns etc. All the buns made on the factory where I worked had the same fruit content. The only thing different was M&S had spice syrup rather than powder and the same with the lemon zest flavour. Ultimately it all went into a huge cement mixer thing (same one, not cleaned from one batch to another).

I do that too dahlia. I use a plastic bowl and brush. Decant half the peroxide and half the tint into the bowl and mix. Just make sure to replace the lids tightly. You can't mix it all up and save half like my friend would do.
You can get a tint bowl and brush from the poundshops or quality save.

Thanks Sharon - I'll get a plastic mixing bowl

I only ever buy the cheapest / own brand:

cleaning products
bleach
washing powder
painkillers

Can't fathom spending any extra on brands or packaging!

Not RTFT yet but wanted to add that when wearing M&S Per Una perfume a colleague asked if it was Chanel Coco Mademoiselle as she said it smelled exactly the same. Have no idea if this is true as never tried the Chanel one but just thought I'd mention in case anyone wanted to try!

Aldi's pseudo-Pringles are nicer than "real" Pringles.

Another fan of Superdrug's "naturally radiant" range here - I like the glycolic peel as well as the hot cloth cleanser.

Lakie the salt and vinegar fake Pringles are delicious. I darent buy them as I really will eat the whole tube over the course of a day. I also love the Pringle shaped chocolates they do. Way better than the ones cadburys did and then snatched away. Humph.

I don't bother buying spreadable butter.

I keep a normal pack of butter in a tub on the counter, it doesn't need to be kept in the fridge except in hot weather, so it's generally of a spreadable consistency anyway. On cold days, I just put it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

Another fan here of Superdrugs naturally radiant range - hot cloth, balm and eye cream is ok.

Actually that's a point - any recommendations for good value eye creams for fine lines?

Sorry having to place mark this as Iwant to write down a few things and hit the shops!!!any excuse.....thanks everyone!!!i will think of some too

Placemarking I second Tesco's own black fabric softener

Another fan here of Superdrugs naturally radiant range - hot cloth, balm and eye cream is ok

I don't like Nivea - too cloggy and leaves my skin dull, but this ^^ stuff is amazing!

The night cream isn't quite rich enough for me, but the hot cloth/balm is absolutely amazing.

Blatantly place marking for when I'm awake enough to look through the thread properly.

Superdrug's hot cloth was reduced to
£2.99 at the weekend. Not sure if offer still on.
It's very very good although the actual cloths are not as good as the Liz Earl ones.

Using baby shampoo as a make-up brush cleaner works wonders! As does using wilko baby wipes for make up removal! Never buying expensive MAC cleaning products again