Economising with your shopping

[franks brother]

I've always been a bit of a 'label snob' when it comes to brands of stuff I get from the supermarket. If it wasn't Heinz, McVities, Andrex etc, I didn't buy it. I always thought that the supermarket own brand stuff would be too low in quality.

Since about June, I've been trying a few of the own brand stuff, mainly due to the rising prices of the named stuff. I've been amazed at how wrong my snobbery was. From the stuff I've tried, I would recommend 90% of it to you if you want to save a bit of dosh.

Some bargains that are of good quality:

Morrisons value tissues: 37p
Tesco red sauce: 45p (Same sized Heinz bottle is £1.87)
Sainsbury's value digestives: 30p (McVities priced at 98p)
Sainsbury's fizzy cherry pop: 44p (Cherry Tango £1.46)
Morrisons microwave chips: 44p (McCain ones at £1.44)
Tesco jammie rings: 35p (Jammie Didgers 88p)
Tesco ginger nuts: 30p (McVities at 98p)
Tesco sugar-free orange squash: 16p

All the above (and much more) are perfectly adequate. Obviously I wouldn't use the cheapest washing powder or or other cleaning stuff, but if you do want to cut down on the supermarket bills, give the 'cheapo' stuff a go.

The only value thing that has been disappointing was the Morrisons value brown sauce at 20p.

I'm not exactly skint or owt, but the food bills are getting ridiculous nowadays. Now that I've tried the cheaper stuff, I'm going to stick at it and try a few ofther stuff. Even if I was earning £40000, I reckon I'd still be cutting back.

Go for it.

 

[Conkers]

Supermarket brand cereal is usually EXACTLY the same as the branded stuff. I honestly can't tell the difference between Sainsburys & Kellogg's Bran Flakes. Being an ex University student I have never had the luxury of being able to afford 100% branded foods anyway

 

[Easy 10]

Sainsbury's fizzy cherry pop: 44p (Cherry Tango £1.46)
Tesco jammie rings: 35p (Jammie Didgers 88p)
Tesco ginger nuts: 30p (McVities at 98p)
Tesco sugar-free orange squash: 16p

 

[El Presidente]

I agree with you on most of the above, but personally would never skimp on the TISSUES. As someone who regularly watches Channel 5 late at night, the ABSORBENT and MOISURISING qualities of Kleenex are second to none, and a marriage saver if the wife returns home early and one is watching 'Sexcetera' or 'Porn, a family business' etc.

 

[Ernest]

Loaf of bread will be 10 quid next week in Tescos

Don't PANIC

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

buying supermarket brands will save you money and in most cases there is not much difference to the branded version. The cheap biscuits , for example jaffa cakes , all roll off the same factory line as the ingredients/specification will be the same for several supermarkets and all they do is put them into the appropriate supermarket wrapper.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I bought a bargain packet of Sussex celery (34p) today from Tescos in Hove. They've got so much of the bleedin' stuff I'm sorely tempted to stock up tomorrow for some early-season Withdean 'chucking' antics. Trouble is, the stuff is so CRISPY that I fear a hurtling stalk will embed itself in somebody's bonce! Should I just eat it instead??

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

I bought a bargain packet of Sussex celery (34p) today from Tescos in Hove. They've got so much of the bleedin' stuff I'm sorely tempted to stock up tomorrow for some early-season Withdean 'chucking' antics. Trouble is, the stuff is so CRISPY that I fear a hurtling stalk will embed itself in somebody's bonce! Should I just eat it instead??

Don't eat it!! The whole point of chucking the celery back in the day was because the stuff is so rancid!!

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Things to not go cheap on...

Don't ever buy,the cheapest coffee

the cheapest toilet rolls

the cheapest bread

the cheapest tea.

Other than that, cheap is good, well, cheerfull anyway.

 

[Djmiles]

Agree with the above, never ever buy cheap toilet roll unless you have to. Ok it's half the price, but chances are you will need to use twice as much because it's thin as hell!

 

[Bluejuice]

The economy brand tins of tuna aren't usually as good, but the regular supermarket branded stuff is usually just as good as John West.

There's bugger all difference between Dolmio and own brand pasta sauce, and it's the same with freeze dried pasta.

Haven't found anywhere that does own brand Marmite mind, and that stuff is not cheap.

 

[SNOOBS]

Agree with the above, never ever buy cheap toilet roll unless you have to. Ok it's half the price, but chances are you will need to use twice as much because it's thin as hell!

End up with an arse like Frutos too!!

Stick to the Andrex

 

[MOG]

Haven't found anywhere that does own brand Marmite mind, and that stuff is not cheap.

Asda do an own brand Yeast Extract (don't know what it tastes like though).

Asda Yeast Extract

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

I agree with you on most of the above, but personally would never skimp on the TISSUES. As someone who regularly watches Channel 5 late at night, the ABSORBENT and MOISURISING qualities of Kleenex are second to none, and a marriage saver if the wife returns home early and one is watching 'Sexcetera' or 'Porn, a family business' etc.

Wise words sir, wise words...

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

When I was working in ASDA (needs must when you are dropped heavily down the salary chain), you could scan the items on the Texel gun and see loads of info - part of it was who made the actual product, which ASDA reckoned was confidential. ASDA dirt-cheap lager is made by Carlsberg. In fact, much of the ASDA cheap stuff is made by name brands, just repackaged cheaply. People would always come in and say they would never buy ASDA brandy - did they think ASDA had it's own bottling plant? They just buy it in bulk, cheap, and repackage it cheaply. The only shite that was inedible was their own brand rice pudding which was like baby sick - the rest is fine.

 

[Stoo82]

look at salt and sugar levels in supermarket brands and then you r know why there cheeper.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

To be honest, buying things like cook-in sauces are a bit of a false economy as it's cheaper to buy fresh stuff and make them yourself.

They also contain enough sugar to make someone as dull as Gordon brown bounce off the walls

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Chucked up a thread about this a few months back.
Sainsburys/Asda 20p baked beans are pukka.
MYOB was saying that almost all biscuits are made by United Biscuits in Ireland and labelled differently. Asda smart price biscuits are no different to the full priced stuff.
I know what people above mean about shit roll, but Asda's 35p for 4 rolls deal kicks arse (ahem) and they aren't that thin either.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

To be honest, buying things like cook-in sauces are a bit of a false economy as it's cheaper to buy fresh stuff and make them yourself.

They also contain enough sugar to make someone as dull as Gordon brown bounce off the walls

My other half does this and always hates it if I pick up ready made sauces for anything, but tbh I'm too lazy to ever make my own.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I agree with you on most of the above, but personally would never skimp on the TISSUES. As someone who regularly watches Channel 5 late at night, the ABSORBENT and MOISURISING qualities of Kleenex are second to none, and a marriage saver if the wife returns home early and one is watching 'Sexcetera' or 'Porn, a family business' etc.

I find myself switiching between those two channels nightly, the later tends to be more effective.