following on from the "scrimp not" thread, what branded products do you use all the time?

[ssd]

have been nodding my head with most of that thread, but realised I buy value kitchen towels and use them up really quickly, so what do you recommend?

also have mucky boys, what washing powder/tablet/liquid is good (currently use asda, a bit crap)

I buy finish dishwasher tablets (have never tried fairy..)

heinz beans and soups

fairy liquid

hate supermarket clothes, usually buy next when I can afford it

have plastic moccassins for work which I sew when they burst!!

kids have good trainers and school shoes

buy tetley tea bags

try not to buy too many 3 for 2's

also please can some one recommend a good tiolet/floor cleaner to use to get rid of smell of pee that the boys normally leave behind (sorry tmi but boys often miss)

Heinz beans and soup.
Yankee scented candles or at a push the Aromatica ones from B&M in a similar jar for 99p. All other scented candles give DP a headache.
Monster energy drink. The cheap ones aren't as nice.

oh yeah, forgot to add volvic and lucozade

no wonder we're skint, but the cheap stuff is usually crap isnt it

I'm not terribly precious about brands, but I do have to have Rachel's organic yoghurt, Plenty kitchen roll, Branston baked beans (seem to be a bit less sweet than Heinz) and the proper Swedish crisp roll things- the supermarkets' own alternatives just don't cut it! OTOH I am in the tiny minority of Mumsnetters who don't mind own-brand washing-up liquid (I like Morrison's lime and something- CBA to walk to the kitchen and look) or laundry detergent (use Aldi's and it's fine).

None- I don't have any brand loyalty at all.

V similar to Fetchez. There are only a handful of things I'm brand loyal about, Branston beans, Kenco coffee, Yeo Valley and Total yoghurt. I've recently been converted to Cilit Bang after years of cheap spray cleaners.

There are some thing I won't go down to 'value' for like pasta as it just tastes like glue.

I'm perfectly happy with supermarket brand washing up liquid, bubble bath and shower gel and go to Lidl for stuff like dishwasher tablets and laundry detergent.

I have a couple of brands that I am really loyal to, and then compensate with own brand or basic brands for many other things.

Biggest indulgence is De Cecco pasta. I just found supermarket own to be soggy and it sticks together and when we tried this brand we realised how much better it is - less gloopy, keeps its shape and texture however long you cook it (essential when taking time out to referee a 3 year old and 1 year old while cooking dinner). An indulgence, but not ridiculous given pasta is a relatively cheap foodstuff. Just buy it in bulk whenever it's on offer which is fairly often.

Heinz ketchup, baked beans and tomato soup. Will buy any other flavour soup based on what is on offer, but it has to be Heinz cream of tomato after experimentation with others!

Clipper tea - I'm very particular about tea and this is the least bitter tasting one.

Kelloggs cornflakes. Pretty much every other cereal has a good own brand equivalent which we get, but it has to be Kelloggs cornflakes to feel proper!

DH would add Branston Pickle to that list. I hate the stuff!

Free range chicken. I buy chicken thighs or whole chickens a lot and very rarely buy chicken breasts as that is a cheaper way of having free range meat. I have also started to buy free range turkey as it is a lot cheaper than chicken.

I buy a lot of supermarket and secondhand clothes for the DCs or use handmedowns, but I prefer to use a decent independent shoe shop while they are so little and their feet growing so quickly. It does mean DS only has one pair of shoes, one pair of wellies and some croc things at any one time though, rather than a different pair for each outfit!

I think pretty much everything else I will go with the deals or buy own brand. I buy own brand washing powder and cleaners as they do the job fine for us, and all those things like cling film, foil etc.

I'm also not fussed about my fruit and veg looking uniform so will buy the economy bags of onions that are different sizes etc. I also tend to bag up loose veg myself rather than buying prepacked as they are often quite a lot cheaper per kg.

Clipper teabags. Whilst I don't drink tea, my partner thinks the cheap Tesco teabags taste horrible.

Fairy Liquid and Fairy Non-Bio Washing Up Capsule-things.

And it's not a branded product but Finest Tesco Bread. I really do like my bread soft, moist, not dry and tasteless.

I've found it hard to replace Lurpak, I dislike gunk on my toast, thank you very much. But open to suggestions.

Also Yorkshire tea, always hits the spot, though I've just heard Sainbos cheapy basics teabags at 27 whole pence is a winner, so am going to gamble on that next time.

PG Tips
Kelloggs Cornflakes (well, DH insists on that one)
Stella Artois (and that one)
Galaxy (DH again)

errr......

That's it, really.

I usually buy supermarket own brand for everything else, or whatever is the best deal. I ain't choosy, as long as it tastes good.

Tetley t.bags, Heinz tomato soup, Black and Greens chocolate and Fairy washing powder and Fairy comfort (thats only because any other wash powder/comfort makes dc itch like crazy!)

fairy liquid, find that any other brand really does get used up quickly

other than that, nothing, saying that i don't like to go budget on lloo roll, do own brand, but not budget brand

HP sauce
Heinz Salad Cream
Lurpak
Heinz Tomato Soup
Bovril cubes
Bisto Gravy

Would pretty much substitute everything else :)

Kellogs cereals

Having discovered Sainsbury's basics and Aldi's I no longer buy brand names if I can help it!

Heinz beans
Lurpak
Head and Shoulders shampoo
fairtrade bananas, sugar, tea, coffee and chocolate
organic yogurt (less crap)

i love Flash Spray with Bleach , sad i know but its so much better than other branded ones, and i only buy it if it is on offer at 1 quid !!

I also like to use Johnsons shampoo and the detangler conditon for kids again only if on offer.

Has to be decent coffee i drink so much of the stuff, would buy cheaper anything else .

ssd if it's a big problem, then pet cage cleaners are better than bathroom cleaners (don't ask me how I know this)

diet coke

I don't think we're brand loyal to anything else

Twinings tea bags
Heinz beans
Ecover cleaning products

Oh and E45 Junior bath bubbles for DS2s eczema

Another loyal Kellogs consumer here. Supermarket brands just don't taste the same. Actually all breakfast cereals now I think about it Weetabix etc too.

Fairy dishwasher tabs - even if theyre not on offer, i cant stand anything else
Heinz beans/spahetti/hoops/ravioli
Andrex toilet roll
Simple face wipes
HP sauce
Heinz tomato ketchup
Fairy liquid
Fairy fabric softener
Fairy washing powder
Napolitana chopped tomatoes
All branded cereals, except for porridge
Dove shower gel

I am single handedly keeping heinz and fairy afloat in the recession.

Not really loyal to anything else

Ribena- lasts longer, tastes nicer
Heinz baked beans (reduced salt/sugar)- other beans are too hard
Homepride self raising flour- makes better cakes
Tilda basmati rice- I try to only buy this if it's on offer
Birdseye petit pois- I hate peas, these are bearable
Heinz tomato ketchup and soup- DH
Coca Cola- DH again, will put up with Pepsi

I do have own brand things I stick to as well though which I think often cost as much as some of the brands, Taste the Difference Assam teabags and unsliced loaves, organic or free range options etc. I am loathe to give these up and will not buy cheap meat, we just have less.

Real CocaCola, not diet, I used to buy lemon Fanta, but some twunt decide to put sweetener in it, yerk!
Twinings tea bags and the instant coffee that must not be mentioned. Sorry I drink black coffee without sugar and I have not found an alternative I like.