Is there a cheap alternative to Magnolia?

[MozzchopsThirty]

I need to do the hall stairs and landing so quite a large area.
It's currently magnolia, but I painted my room antique cream and the difference is huge, it looks really good.

But i can't afford to do a big area in it, so am I just left with either magnolia or white?

Why have a colour you don't want for the sake of a few pounds? Is magnolia so cheap anyway? There are panty of cheaper paints at places like B and Q I would not have thought buying an off white would have made so much price difference if you go for an "own brand" rather than Crown or Dulux.

Go to a Crown Decorating Centre, their paint there is much cheaper than it is in Homebase or somewhere like that. Milk White is a nice soft white.

IME yes magnolia or white are much much cheaper than any other colour, including off-whites. Good few quid cheaper too, not just a little bit.

Plain white looks great though, and is easy to touch up later if bits get dirty or damaged. Use "warm" lightbulbs and cream/yellow curtains to soften if it looks too cold, but I found this wasn't the problem I'd anticipated when I did a few rooms recently.

to save money, do any prep coats in matt white (which is cheapest). It will give a good and even colour and absorbency. Then you will not need much of your final colour. You will also learn how much paint you need per coat for your particular room, and may avoid buying too much.

Occasionally you will see 5-litre cans of mixed-to-order paint being sold cheap in the DIY sheds, usually because the buyer has decided they don't like it, or an end of range. You will be lucky if you find one you like. Plastic tubs seal better than metal tins, so the paint keeps longer.

Cheap paint e.g. "essentials" or "value" in Wilkinsons, Tesco and B&Q is usually thin and watery so you need extra coats. Wickes own brand is not too bad, but the branded paints are certainly better.

Wilko own brand is also good, better than many of the heavily advertised ones. If you have local independent DIY store, try them too.

the PJ trick of lots of white coats first is heavily used in this house where we have been covering ghastly dark colours. This really makes the expensive top coat go further.

Yes colours are far more expensive than white or magnolia.

If i go for white then it will be very white, white doors, white skirtings and white walls.
There are no windows so can't brighten up with any curtains.

Don't want to buy very cheap paint as don't have the time or energy for 3-4 coats

I've just used Homebase colour 'Contemporary' for my kitchen and love it. It's almost white, but not really, a slight hint of cream, but not the in your face magnolia cream.

They currently have an offer, buy 1 get 1 free of the 5 litre tins. £24.99 for 10 l was a bargain and it covered my large kitchen well in two coats and I still have enough left for future touch ups.

I used home base contemporary and classic cream they were both good

Great thanks will take a look