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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What item (food, clothing, make up ect) is worth every penny?

229 replies

Birthdaygirltoday33 · 14/05/2023 15:34

In the cost of living crisis, things have increased in price, while value, quality and quantity has diminished...

So what do you think is worth buying, worth the investment in thew tough times items can be cheap or expensive, but must at least good quality...

For example m&s baked beans 50p a tin, cheap, but tastes better than more expensive brands.

Fairy washing up liquid is more expensive but lasts long and is overall better economy

OP posts:
CheersForThatEh · 14/05/2023 20:11

Whattodo112222 · 14/05/2023 19:56

Yorkshire tea biscuit brew..can't beat it.

Ive been wanting to try that for ages!

GeraltsBathtub · 14/05/2023 20:12

IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble · 14/05/2023 16:55

What country do you live in that you have a local tea seller?

Show quote history

There’s one in the covered market in Oxford https://cardewoxford.co.uk/

Cardews of Oxford

Cardews of Oxford

https://cardewoxford.co.uk/

Lucywithout · 14/05/2023 20:15

Jersey Royal potatoes. Such a short season and so good.

Addymontgomeryfan · 14/05/2023 20:17

Heinz tomato ketchup
Diet coke
Fairy washing up liquid
Blue mountain coffee beans
Royal canin cat food
Mac lipstick

That's it off the top of my head. Everything else we are willing to try cheaper brands when we need to.

Puffalicious · 14/05/2023 20:20

Whattodo112222 · 14/05/2023 19:56

Yorkshire tea biscuit brew..can't beat it.

Yes, yes, yes. And their night-time one ( better and cheaper than Pukka's).
St Eval Candles- Bay & Rosemary. Just the best. Full-stop.
Lavazza coffee (DH)
Seasalt coats - I now have 3 and they're brilliant.
New Balance trainers.
Patagonia/ Montane out-door wear. Expensive but have pieces 10 years old and still performing brilliantly/ don't look old.
Geox kids' shoes. Expensive but last and last.
Aberdeen Angus meat- don't buy much red meat, but when we do it makes a difference.
Oodies- dupes just don't cut it.
HP sauce.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 14/05/2023 20:22

I don't like the Teapigs Earl Grey very much.

M&S Flexifit knickers - so big, so reasonably priced, so comfortable.

Sensodyne Repair and Protect toothpaste - horribly expensive compared to other brands, but I can always tell if I try to get away with a cheaper type.

SnapBang · 14/05/2023 20:24

Kind of the opposite but thought I’d share - we have a bean to cup coffee machine and buy beautiful coffee beans from around the world online to try.

the other week a visitor arrived with a jar of budget coffee granules and asked if they could have that instead if “the fancy stuff”. We obliged and all drank it with him to be polite. Genuinely disgusting 🤢 we all have such different tastes!

Vitriolinsanity · 14/05/2023 20:25

Molton Brown handsoap

I only ever buy at Duty Free, but it smells so wonderful and a teeny bit is all you need so it lasts ages.

Superdry stuff for teen boys. Lasts bloody well and washes brilliantly.

Every day:

Marmite
Maybelline ginormous mascara
Amazon Prime

smearfears · 14/05/2023 20:25

OPI nail envy, cuticle oil and glass file. Along with body shop hemp hand cream.

I bit my nails for all my life. Not even kidding when I say they were bitten down so much that my finger tips bulged.

I decided one day enough was enough and these products have allowed me to grow strong, healthy nails. I've tried cheaper alternatives for maintenance but not as good

ADHDGURL · 14/05/2023 20:26

Also had my Ugg boots for 14 years.. Still wearable, heel is still structured.. Will treat myself to a new pair this year.. worth the £220 I paid in 2009

SnapBang · 14/05/2023 20:27

Also interested in reading people’s shampoo buys.

I have fine hair that i just cannot see any difference with no matter the shampoo? I do get it done in the salon every six weeks and I also use a professional treatment on it twice a week instead of washing. I ask drink lots of water. Is that enough? I’d love to improve the thickness of my hair even more but I’ve tried all different shampoos and to be honest get the same result with the cheapest of the cheap as with very expensive so I feel it’s a waste!

Luhou · 14/05/2023 20:28

Lurpak, twinings tea bags, bobbi brown vitamin face base, and good conditioner.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 14/05/2023 20:31

SnapBang · 14/05/2023 20:27

Also interested in reading people’s shampoo buys.

I have fine hair that i just cannot see any difference with no matter the shampoo? I do get it done in the salon every six weeks and I also use a professional treatment on it twice a week instead of washing. I ask drink lots of water. Is that enough? I’d love to improve the thickness of my hair even more but I’ve tried all different shampoos and to be honest get the same result with the cheapest of the cheap as with very expensive so I feel it’s a waste!

I've just bought this and the matching conditioner and my hair looked noticeably thicker after the first use. I fear it's going to play havoc with my scalp though.

Kyse23 · 14/05/2023 20:39

Marmite XO
Marmite rice cakes
Longley farm cottage cheese
Bougie boujee candles
Bumble and bumble Sunday shampoo for clarifying (lasts ages anyway!)
Microplane foot file

dropthevipers · 14/05/2023 20:41

Birds Eye fish fingers. nothing else will do. especially for the fish finger sandwich. toasted plastic white bread, grilled fish fingers, slice of beefsteak tomato, the best tartare sauce you can lay your hands on. If, for whatever reason, I find myself having to order final death row meal, it could well be that.

Lasouthpaw · 14/05/2023 20:45

My dove spray deodorant. It keeps going up in price but is the only that keeps me dry all day

Batiste dry shampoo.

Dr Beckmann Carpet Cleaner.

Pepsi Max. I can't drink own brand diet cokes/pepsis but will have own brand for most other things.

Yogity · 14/05/2023 20:48

De Cecco pasta. We used to buy tesco's own brand before

Mumoftwosweetboys · 14/05/2023 20:50

TinyPurpleFishes · 14/05/2023 15:38

Pampers pull ups are the only ones that don’t leak overnight with my 2 year old, the design of them is far superior to all others. I always bought supermarket own brand nappies when he was younger but more than happy to fork out for these now.

Interestingly the only nappies that worked for us overnight for our baby are the Aldi pull ups! I'd tried loads including Pampers and they couldn't contain his wee overnight!

GeraltsBathtub · 14/05/2023 20:51

Confrontayshunme · 14/05/2023 19:00

High thread count (400+) Egyptian cotton sheets. They wash well, last for decades and feel amazing. I always notice in hotels or other people's homes that the sheets are too scratchy for me.

Me too! I felt like the princess and the pea when I went to stay at a B&B and immediately felt how awful the polyester sheets were 😳

BritWifeInUSA · 14/05/2023 21:02

Branston pickle for everyday things. Other “sandwich pickle” just isn’t right.

Things we buy/have bought that we feel are worth every cent:
Samsonite luggage
business/first class flights
our pool (especially today when it’s too hot to do anything except get in the pool)

Cordeliathecat · 14/05/2023 21:06

SnapBang · 14/05/2023 20:24

Kind of the opposite but thought I’d share - we have a bean to cup coffee machine and buy beautiful coffee beans from around the world online to try.

the other week a visitor arrived with a jar of budget coffee granules and asked if they could have that instead if “the fancy stuff”. We obliged and all drank it with him to be polite. Genuinely disgusting 🤢 we all have such different tastes!

This is me!
we have a very fancy, expensive coffee machine and DH buys all sorts of expensive beans.
I won’t drink anything other than cheap instant. Anything else is too strong and overpowering. DH says I should just accept I don’t like coffee and stop wasting my time with coffee scented hot water!

PerkyBlinder · 14/05/2023 21:10
  • Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment - without it, my hair turns to straw and I only need a tiny amount day to day and a bigger blob once a week or so.
  • Aveda salon hair die - the colours look so natural on my hair and don’t burn my scalp
  • Decent quality chocolate - the Waitrose No 1 own brand single origin Dominican Republic 49% cocoa solids milk chocolate is amazing quality for the price. It’s £2.10 per 100g and the equivalent from Hotel Chocolate is more than double the price.
  • Aged balsamic vinegar - I love the own brand Sainsburys one which is £10 a bottle but is properly syrupy with great depth of flavour and lasts ages and is amazing quality for the price. V versatile in dressings, drizzled on pasta, chucked in bolognaise, reduced over steak. Yum
  • Perfume
  • Foundation - I use Bobbi brown
  • Square Mile coffee beans
  • quality shoes and slippers
  • cotton sheets and down duvet and pillows
  • Olverum Bath Oil. I ask for it as a Christmas present as one bottle lasts me all year - smells so amazing and is such a luxurious treat.
  • Am also a sucker for a nice loose leaf tea blend from Bird & Blend or another local independent tea place.
Mopbucketmoo · 14/05/2023 21:13

Fresh flowers, proper butter and decent coffee. Oh and Andrex. I am really struggling at the moment but these are my only little luxuries

Bearpawk · 14/05/2023 21:18

Natural fabric clothes - no polyester
Linen bedding - lasts years and washes brilliantly
Essie nail polishes
Birkenstocks
Good coffee beans

sewerrat · 14/05/2023 21:19

durex brand lube can't bear the cheap stuff