To ask you share brand swaps that are just as good as the brand?

[bobstersmum]

I dont shop at just one shop for groceries, I shop around, I am happy to get everything supermarket own label in whichever shop I'm in, apart from a few things! Can anyone help steer me from these brands by recommending cheaper alternatives please?
Daz washing powder /capsules, I just find these clean the best.

Lenor fabric conditioner

Vimto cordial, all other cordial just tastes too sweet and syrupy!

Kp dry roasted peanuts, dh won't eat any others!

Quavers, are there any very similar?

Nescafe cappuccino sachets, all others I've tried are not as good.

I know it's not a lot of things but these things are something we buy every week (apart from laundry things which is less often) and can add up to quite a bit depending on what shop I buy them in.

Drop fabric conditioner, you won't notice a difference

Those cappuccino things, might as well just whip up a froth with a blender

Aldi quaver types are nice

No answer on Vimto sorry.

Never buy brands really.

I've never used fabric conditioner, only non bio tables (whichever is on offer) and I only ever use one not two.

My clothes are nice and soft and don't have an overpowering Lilly smell or whatever

@BarbaraofSevillle
I'm often traipsing around different shops for non artificial sweetener juice for my DC but I buy summer fruits high juice sugar version from asda and morrisons.

They usually have a different colour lid. I do hope they don't stop selling them like Aldi did or I will be in trouble. Have you looked online?

I never use fabric softener. Total waste of money IMO. Lidl have good fake versions of most things.

Another vote for white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner. I'm in a hard water area and my clothes feel stiff if I don't use anything, but white vinegar does as good a job as any fabric conditioner I've tried.

I’m very impressed with Aldi’s version of Pepsi max. It’s just over 40p for a 2ltr bottle and is very nice. I can’t stomach Asda and Tesco colas so this was a nice surprise.

I bought Aldi’s tomato ketchup instead of Hellmans or Heinz. I asked DS1 this afternoon if it was ok and he said he’d not noticed any difference.

Asda do a copy of Percy Pigs. I think they're 60p and they are very nice.

The chlorine will come out of the water as it stands anyway, regardless of temperature. I remember this as if you set up a new fish tank you have to let the water sit in the tank for a day or so before you put any fish in as the chlorine harms them.

Chilling the water makes it much nicer to drink as well though and probably taste less of chlorine anyway.

If you find the recent AMA by the person who used to make washing detergents, the focus on fabric softener in the UK is scent as that's what the marketeers think people care about, but the biggest benefit is that it actually does soften your clothes, especially if you hang instead of tumble dry. She also said that in the longer term vinegar is not good for your machine as an alternative.
Sorry to slightly derail thread, but kept seeing comments on this one and wanted to share from my favourite AMA

I don't use fabric conditioner either , I just use fairy no bio powder , can't really tell the difference tbh

Tesco’s chocolate oaties are much nicer than chocolate hob nobs.

Tesco- stockwell teabags
80 for 50p! Blue box
Love them

Tesco thick toastie
55p

I can tell if the washing doesn’t have conditioner. It really isn’t as soft. But our water is so hard you need a knife to cut it.

Waitrose Essentials tinned spaghetti, so much nicer than Heinz. Any supermarket own brand peanut is nicer than KP (they always taste bitter).

Waitrose loo paper is the best

tesco bunny bites are much nicer and cheaper than pom bears

Lidl Formil washing powder is very good. I think it came out with a high score in Which trials too.

Lidl Formil laundry detergent (I use the gel) is excellent. It smells nice, doesn’t irritate DD’s eczema and everything comes out clean. Their version of Vanish powder is great too and will shift pretty much anything.

Lidl Froggies are more popular than Pom Bears in this house. Lidl sandwich thins are good.

The shiny new Lidl stores also have lovely bakeries, too!

Unfortunately we need to use conditioner aswell as water is so hard here your clothes end up awful without it, I'm gonna try the white vinegar suggestion tho!! Otherwise I only buy comfort in the massive bottle (116 washes I think) when it's on offer at Tesco for £3.
I find Tesco value tomato sauce just as good as branded. Their beans aswell, not the cheapest ones the next ones up, 4 tins in blue packaging for a pound (and I'm fussy with beans!!)
Aldis norpak butter is great.
Hate aldis crisp or chocolate.
Their lasagna and spag bol sauces are lovely, usually about 55/60p each.I will get mince meat from there but only if I'm planning to use it that day. I find keeping aldi meat it doesn't last as long as Tesco for example.
I use all aldis baby stuff, I find the quality excellent, baby wipes strong and 50p a pack if u buy the 4 pack, bedtime bath 65p and just as good if not nicer than johnsons, me and partner use it aswell! Their cheap versions of L'Oréal kids shampoo (65p) great aswell, and their kids cheap version of sanex (99p) good. Aldis facewipes I think 59p are great for my acne prone skin.
I used to buy everyday value toilet roll but I do believe you use more so it ends up being more of a waste of money, I go home bargains and buy a massive bag of toilet roll from there £3.49 for 18 rolls and it's so much thicker and lasts ages.
I only buy crisp and chocolate that is on offer. I plan meals around things that are on offer. My partner and kids have sensitive skin, so I need non bio wash, I check Tesco website regularly for when persil non bio goes on offer (quite a lot) and make sure I only buy when it works out at 10p a wash as a rule. I want to try aldis but bit scared at mo as partner and eldest tend to itch and get rashes if it doesn't agree with them!! Can't think of anymore at the mo.

Never use fabric conditioner...

If you live in a hard water area then you need to use fabric conditioner really. It's not pointless....it's just if you need it or not. My friend doesn't use it and her towels are crispy 😳

I buy branded of a lot of things but I buy own brand antibacterial hand wash to fill up my handsoap dispensers, they're just the same and the ASDA white one smells lovely! Glass cleaner is also just glass cleaner so any of them is fine! Bathroom Cif is the best though!

On the alcohol front though....own brand pimms from all the supermarkets is cheaper and tastes just the same to me 😎

emma2939 My DH gets eczema from Bio powder but Aldi or Lidl both do a non bio and they have been fine

Love Aldi nappies and baby wipes.