What household goods do you refuse to economise on and why?

[dilemma456]

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I forgot to say why:

Organic milk - because it is supposedly far better than non-organic: the main thing that the pro-organic lobby say you really shouldn't compromise on.

Free range eggs - because I have absolutely no desire to eat anything that has come out of the bottom of a skinny, haggard chicken that has lived its short life in a space the size of a match box, thank you very much!

Loo roll - because I'm worth it!

Cheese - because cheap cheese tastes like cheap soap

Coffee - am less fussy about this but would never, ever buy Nescafe

nail varnish remover....i use sally hansen,cutex or similiar,as opposed to cheaper home brands. cost 3x as much,but sooo worth it!

Drink little coffee whilst not at work, but it has to be Kenco Decaff.

I have gone from Tetleys decaff tea to Tesco's own which is very good.

Cheese. Won't buy cheap cheese though I used to. But my taste in cheese has changed and I like good cheese.

I prefer barn eggs or free range, but can't afford them anymore.

talking of cling film, October/November 07 (can't remember exactly which month) I bought a 250m roll of Morrison clingfilm was about £5-6 or there abouts. I used LOADS of the stuff........and it's going now!!!!

", I can instantly taste if meat is from somewhere like ASDA even if its in a bolognese or something. "

ahh yes that one - my exH used to say that all the time, but would frequently tell me that a badly cooked (by my addmission to myself) was "cheap mince", and a well cooked one was "decent mince"

I used to buy the same bloody cheap mince every time, the big packs and split it before freezing

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I would go without eggs rather than buy battery ones.

I usually try and get free range too - although the DS's love Scrambled Eggs, and it's bloody expensive making scrambled eggs for all of us with Free Range eggs

Tea bags
Washing up liquid
Mustard

Was just thinking about the meat comments (and agree with mince and bacon) but a great economiser is chicken thighs instead of breast. Really lots more tasty in curries etc, and you can cook them on the bone in curries/oven so no poncing about with them.

Eggs
Sausages ( cheap sausages are grim]
Cereal
Crisps - hve to be Wlakers
Tonic Water - only Shweppes will do
Real coffee - instant is gross
Washing up liquid
Toilet roll
Potatoes - only buy King Edward or Maris Piper

Fresh food in general. And of course, clingfilm.

to follow on from janiete I would also go with meat than buy poorly reared shite

also splash out on fairtrade stuff

Tinned tuna
Toilet paper
Sandwich meat
Orange juice
Free range eggs
Bread

irish bread
mayo
loo roll
coffee
ham

Mayo for me too.

Meat and eggs-I only get them from a farm shop.
Coffee-I have given up drinking instant.

I try to get fair trade items.

Coffee - has to be fairtrade, but I now buy beans and grind myself so saving 40 - 50% per bag of espresso
Dairy and eggs have to be organic (and eggs free-range bare minimum).
Meat at least free-range, pref organic, but we don't have it every day
Veg I now get from local farm shop so not all organic as previously
Cleaning and laundry stuff ecover or similar - don't want to bring the chemicals in (and don't use often enough anyway )

Just read the above list over, and wondering if I should change my name to Jocasta

I always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge, dating from my very poor single parent days, when I did this to remind myself better times were always around the corner.

Condoms

Anything else that I always swore I would never buy cheap and shop brand I have and honestly they're fine and sometimes even better than the real thing!!

Eg

Toothpaste
STs
Tampons
Fabric conditioner
Diet Coke

COFFEE!

I will not drink shite.

Meat.

Our pork comes from Ballencrieff Farms, and the day it can't is the day we will not have it anymore.

Eggs are from the farm up the road.

Milk is from the farm over Innellan way what delivers.

Beef is from the farmer's market on Wednesday and the farmer is on the road up to the town to the north towards Inverary.

Chicken is from the butcher in town when we can get it.

Otherwise it is lentils and pulses and fish from Loch Fyne.

All my cleaning products I make myself or they come from Lidl.

I won't use cheap toothpaste ~ unless it's just cheap Colgate from the £1 shop and I also have to have good tooth brushes!

Expat, you sound like you are in an idylic food shopping Heaven there...farmers markets, farm fresh foods mmmmmmm!!!

Oh yes! shoes for the children. Wont compromise on their shoes at all.