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35 People Share Times They Cheaped Out On Something And Couldn’t Go Back To Its “Luxury” Version After
Money has never been such a sensitive subject as it is now, as we live in times of a cost of living crisis. Most households have been forced to rethink their priorities when it comes to spending and rethink most of their purchases very well before actually buying them.
Meanwhile, we have long heard about investing in more expensive things because it’s more sustainable and the chances are you’re going to use them for longer. In fact, we previously wrote about expensive purchases that really paid off according to people in an article you can find here.
But this is not always the case. Often our tight budget forces us to look for cheaper alternatives and they don't always disappoint us. Quite on the contrary, cheaper versions of the same products can be very pleasantly surprising if you know what to look for, according to people from this Ask Reddit thread.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I absolutely love candles and recently discovered that Michael’s (the craft store) sells these large yankee-resembling candles that are permanently on sale for $3. It’s way more satisfying to have 6 matching candles burning throughout your house than one nice $20 one in a single room by itself.
* If you're committed to name-brand candles, check your local TJ Maxx, Ross, HomeGoods or similar store to get them for like half the price.
* IKEA also makes great cheap candles. Their tealights in particular are surprisingly fragrant.
* To the people expressing concern about all the chemicals I'm inhaling when burning cheap candles: Just wait 'til you hear about my [drug] problem.
Henrik Schmidt 3 years ago
Candles are nice, but all of them will reduce the air quality in your home, sometimes dramatically. People with asthma, COPD or other lung issues are recommended to use candles as little as possible.
Benji 3 years ago
I've accepted the fact that everything is out to kill us
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Vier WB 3 years ago
I find that the cheaper ones don't smell as strong though. I'm the other way round, invest in good quality candles.
Jiminy 3 years ago
I am honestly convinced by the IKEA candles. They smell really good and continue smelling good until the candle is burned out.
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Dekker451 3 years ago
If the "sale" is permanent then it's not a sale. It's just the price. It's retail sleight-of-hand to manipulate you into thinking you're getting a better bargain than you really are.
3 Owls In A Coat 3 years ago
True. But for large candles for $3, less than a quarter of the price of yankee candles at other stores, I’m okay with that lol
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Alsoomse Catori 3 years ago
I wouldn't worry about that last statement much. I mean all you have to do is go outside and breathe to get the same or worse effects thanx to constant smog in all cities in the world.
Phoebe Bean 3 years ago
I love TJMaxx, and yes Michael´s have lovely stuff (art and craft materials)
Lorrie Rothstein 3 years ago
My sister loves homegoods candles and ikea candles. Also bath and body works has nice candles. Check out bath and body works sales
RELATED:
#2
My washing machine.
back when I first moved out of home, my father went with me shopping, and kept pushing me to buy the basic model. its got no electronics that you can see - just two knobs you turn and click into place. let it do its magic.
that was ...god... 2001? 2002? it's still going. my dad didn't get a choice and my mum wanted all the bells and whistles. since then they've gone through three. my sister moved out of home a few years later, her husband is a snob when it comes to home appliances. they're up to machine two themselves. mine is still going strong.
LiL PeeP 3 years ago
The less electronic components and moving parts, the less there is to go wrong
The Scout 3 years ago
Had a really good talk about this with a salesman in a small electronics store: I asked for a washer/dryer combination with some nice programs for things like silk or cashmere. He just asked me "how often did you use the dryer in your last washing machine?" As a typical european I use to hang clothes to dry, only using the dryer for things like bedding od tablecloth (yes, this is a regional difference), so my answer was "next to never". Next question: "how many silk garments do you own?" - Answer: Maybe two. He then convinced me to settle on an inexpensive but solid washing machine without much frills, that has faithfully served me up to this day. I am still going back to this store when I need something, just because the salesman took the time to determine my needs instead of going for the profit.
Herman Trowser 3 years ago
Similar experience with a refridgerator. Salesperson told me new ones last 5 years. My old one was going on 20 and still worked great. Wife wanted new one anyway. It cost 5 times what the old one did and only has half the capacity. Time will tell on longevity
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Jake stenhouse 3 years ago
Same goes for dishwashers, I’ve had the same experience, opt for the models with all the electronic bells and whistles and it breaks down within two washes. Nightmare in most appliance stores to return/exchange
Demongrrrrl 3 years ago
Our dishwasher lasted almost 50 years. It finally died just as we were getting ready to sell our house, so we replaced it with another basic model.
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GirlFriday 3 years ago
I bought a floor model Kenmore washer and dryer at a scratch and dent sale in 1994. The dryer worked until 2016 and then I couldn't buy the parts for it any longer. The washer lasted until 2021 and it cost more to get it fixed than it was worth. I was so sad when I had to let my ugly brown washer and dryer and replace them.
Marcus Lynch 3 years ago
The simple ones run forever and are built like tanks! The fancy ones break down if you look at them crosseyed.
Helpful Reviewer 3 years ago
My parents house had a washer in it when they purchased it back in 1998, I am pretty sure it had been in the house since it was built in 1992. It was a very basic machine but one of the best they'd ever used. It had maybe 3-4 wash settings. It finally died about 4-5 years ago and they had to get a brand new one. It had a bunch of bells and whistles, probably 8-9 was settings, most they never use. They need another brand new one again because the one they got malfunctions. I recommended to them to go basic. They are looking into a basic one. I think majority of the washers on the market have too many features and it does nothing but jack up the price when a basic with 3-4 settings is much better.
Scout Finch 3 years ago
My wonderful husband fixed our washing machine this weekend. The capacitor went out. It's a basic no frills washer.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
I nearly had to bludgeon the salesman—who insisted I wanted the fancy digital washer and dryer—to sell me the standard "knobs and switches" appliances. He couldn't understand why I would want them until I told him, "If these break, I can fix them." The dryer's on/off switch broke; I replaced it with a light switch. The fancy model would have needed a new motherboard. These appliances do NOT need computers in them.
Della 3 years ago
Oh I agree completely!! I'm so sick of all the electronic jazz on stuff, especially vehicles. My basic washer and dryer (Kenmore) are at least 29 years old with no issues!!
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
But that is because the sales would go down and the manufacturers need to make as many as they can with the high competition now, and do now and ensure they become obsolete or need fixing earlier to keep the dollars rolling around! How many electrical foods today have more than one or two years of warranty? Then ask you if you want to lay for extra at the point of sale????
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GoGoPDX 3 years ago
Same experience here. When we moved into our house we had a fancy front loader. Had to replace it a year later. We were so broke at the time we actually bought a used basic washer from a family friend for $50. 7 years later that thing is still going strong and cleans our clothes way better, and about 45 minutes faster (why do the new machines take so long?)
#3
Clothing from second hand. Now I can not buy expensive clothes.
InvincibleRodent 3 years ago
Bonus, sometimes the clothes you can get second-hand are higher end as well!
Nea 3 years ago
Also i have found that the variety I get in new clothes store is often no to my liking and I find ‘my’ kinda stuff in second hand stores.
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Peej Maybe 3 years ago
Better for the environment too. Modern fashion industry is a horrible polluting eco-killing mess not to mention the slave wages paid to those making even high end clothes in the far east
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
They actually dump hundreds of thousands of items in tips annually not recycle or hand them out to impoverished areas. Waste in our Western society is shocking. Food is the same.
Load More Replies... Helpful Reviewer 3 years ago
I cannot bring myself to shop for clothes, shoes, and housewares except at thrift stores. Under garments I will buy brand new and not at thrift stores. But shoes, shorts, pants, and shirts I get at thrift stores. We bought my husband three pair of pants for $15 where it would have been well over $70 at wal-mart or target. With and without inflation, we are saving everywhere we can
Catherine Graffham 3 years ago
A lot of thrift stores near me have started selling cheap packs of brand new underwear (only the basic stuff, nothing fancy or patterned) and it’s decent quality, so it’s win win. Thrift your outerwear and buy new underwear from the same store. The only thing you can’t get is bras.
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lauralett50 3 years ago
That's the only place I buy clothes for myself & hubby . Only buy underwear at retail. Just remember to wash the clothes first. For shoes,spray with Lysol
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Markus It/He/E 3 years ago
Second-hand shoes my beloveds. I have a pair of converse that were £25 from a second-hand designer shop. Anywhere else it would've been £140+ (they're an old limited edition no longer in production). I've also gotten ~£125 docs for £30 second hand, because they had the tiniest, most invisible bit of damage to the toe (they're pink fushia pascals- there's a lot of similar listings on ebay). I'm very picky with my shoes- my feet are very narrow and a lot of cheaper shoes rub or are uncomfortable. I've never had an issue with docs, converse, and vans for some reason and it's always nice to get them cheaper than normal
Catherine Graffham 3 years ago
Same. My family joke about my shoe ‘obsession’ (I do own a lot of shoes), but most of them are second hand or from discount outlets. Plus, a lot of the second hand shoes need much less breaking in time versus the brand new stiff shoes (in my experience at least)
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Eliyahu Rooff 3 years ago
Las Vegas thrift stores are the reason I have several $8000 Brioni suits for which I paid $9 each.
BeepBeepBoopBoop 3 years ago
yes! I got my homecoming dress for $25 at a consignment store! Meanwhile my friends are over here with a $100-$200 dress. I also got two other dresses that I plan to wear
Joshua Moore 3 years ago
I couldn't agree with this more. I'm a bigger guy, so it can be difficult to find clothes for myself, but they're out there, shoes as well. Everything I've bought over the past 7 years or so have been from Goodwill, or a consignment shop or on clearance.
It goes without saying that the cost of living crisis has massively affected our finances, the way we spend, and our lifestyle, which has left many of us anxious and uncertain about ways to cope. Not only are we rethinking our spending habits, we have realized that things we used to afford are no longer attainable.
In such financially challenging times, it’s all about saving when you can and spending cleverly. Bid farewell to impulse shopping and retail therapy and welcome to the world of sustainable consumption, whether it’s groceries, homeware, or clothing.
Speaking of clothing, sustainability, or rather the lack of it, has long been an issue of fast fashion. More and more people, designers, and fashion experts are speaking up about the negative impacts of wasteful consumption on our planet and its people. The idea of consuming clothes thoughtfully and buying less is as appealing as ever since today, many people no longer have the budget for it that they used to.
#4
Makeup. You can get some really brilliant products for such a cheaper price rather than having the "brand" on it. Kylie's brushes are dog s**t, for example, and they're retailed at $318. All of my brush sets have cost me £20 at most, and I'm a makeup artist so I need good quality stuff. Brands don't make it good.
JenniB 3 years ago
Yes NYX and E.L.F. has some great stuff and even here in Canada (where prices are notoriously marked up) it's still all under $10...
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Did you hear that? 3 years ago
I'm pretty sure this is around $1 at my Walmart but I prefer it over the expensive brands because it comes off really clean. It doesn't leave any darkness under my eyes.
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Jo Jones 3 years ago
My friend used to at YSL as a make up artist and said most formulas felt identical to L’Oréal (who owns YSL)
Laetitia Astolfi 3 years ago
L'Oréal R&D labs work for all brands of the group. While some formulas are unique to a brand, there are also formulas sold by different brands which are indeed the same or very similar.
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Kate Jones 3 years ago
I agree with this almost entirely but I would say that there are *some* things it might be worth shelling out a little more for. Foundation/bb/cccream for instance. Drug store brands often are made with cheaper ingredients and they oxidize on the face-turning orange by the end of the day. You don't have to go crazy but a decent one like Dr. Jarts or another good brand is about 38 dollars and will last a while. They have spf in them and usually have more quality ingredients. However, the idiots who are paying that much for the Kylie Jenner products honestly deserve what they get. It's ridiculous how much people pay for her c**p and it's not even good quality. They're just buying it because they're fans of hers. Why I'll never know. I hate celebrity branding because it's not like they actually even did anything- they didn't start a company from the ground up and work to make it. They got approached to put their name on a product and they act like they work so hard.
MB 3 years ago
I agree, but I also have Clinique brushes that were like $20+- depending on the brush. Totally worth it. They clean well, don’t scratch my face or shed. I also have some brushes bought at the dollar store in Japan (Daiso) that are amazing. Brand isn’t what matters, it’s just about the quality. You can find it without spending 315$ what the literall hell is that anyway.
#5
Shampoo. I used to spend a fortune thinking maybe THIS time my hair will be silky and beautiful and life will be great. Now I buy a cheap sulphate free bottle and run through the tiniest bit of any conditioner at the ends. Saves me a fortune. And as already mentioned, all drugs I buy are generic from the supermarket. My 16p paracetamol works just the same as the named brand £1.50 lot. I buy my moisturiser from Aldi. It’s the best facial cream I’ve ever used. Bleach for 50p from the supermarket bleaches just as well as the £2 domestos bottle. Man I’m starting to sound like my granny.
𝖊𝖆 3 years ago
It’s very good, my skin is stupidly sensitive and a lot of moisturisers cause flare ups for me. But the Aldi and Lidl moisturisers which are the Nivea and Olay dupes, are fine with my skin! Can use them day to day and when my eczema is playing up. I bulk buy for the year and save a tonne. The only thing is they don’t have SPF, so I get that a big SPF pot separately and just use a bit underneath the normal moisturiser.
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Alan Green 3 years ago
Yeah I find most cheap over the counter drugs, like paracetamol, are the same as the branded stuff. If you want "fast acting" paracetamol then wash it down with coffee as it's mostly the caffeine they add that makes it fast/better acting in the first place.
jasmineliljensoe 3 years ago
As a hairstylist I can say this isn't always the case. There's so many hidden chemicals in store bought shampoo that can be cancer causing or cause scalp issues or build up on the hair. There are definitely some salon brands that are c**p. But if you find a genuinely good one, the trick is less is more. You don't need to use as much of it as a store brand. Sometimes people think it doesn't work because it makes the hair feel oily, that just means you're using too much.
James016 3 years ago
With the paracetamol, the supermarket own and the branded one will have the same product licence number and will actually be the same thing. There was a program on UK TV some years ago comparing different over the counter drugs and, their prices and their marketing. One example was a painkiller targeted at period pain which cost £3.50 for a box. It has the same product licence number as something else which cost about £1. The £1 product was marketed at something else. For shampoo, I have to use something like Nizoral as I have psoriasis on my scalp.
Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
I use a brand of shampoo called Suave Clarifying. It's like $3 US for a bottle that's near quart sized!! The stuff lasts me for months and I wash my oily a$$ed hair every other day. I could never see spending $29 US of a "designer shampoo" that doesn't get my hair clean to boot.
NatalieC 3 years ago
I would caution people to not buy the bargain brand shampoo. After a year of using the bargain brand (i was temporarily poor), my hair turned into hag hair. I buy the good stuff now.
3 Owls In A Coat 3 years ago
I’d spend more money on a good conditioner than shampoo!
Load More Replies... Stephanie A Mutti 3 years ago
Generic medications are required to carry the same active ingredients as the name brand so unless it's something like flavor, the generic is always the smarter purchase in the pharmacy.
Carrie de Luka 3 years ago
Yet there are exceptions. I was on a cheaper, generic anti-depressant (after being on a branded one for a while) and it went straight through my system undigested! Never had that happen on the branded ones. Made no difference to me as the prescription price on the NHS was the same, but obviously they'd have preferred me to be on the cheaper version.
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AR 3 years ago
Just about all store brands are as good as name brands. Except the Walmart Good Value store brand.
Cara G 3 years ago
That's because Walmart's brand is called Great Value. You've been tricked into buying a sub-par product.
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Scott Seeger 3 years ago
Im the opposite. I used to use suave 3 in 1. I atayed with my sister once and used her girly products and really like the stuff. So now my shower looks like a woman lives here.
Sarah Gershaw 3 years ago
I have to be careful because some reason like 90% of shampoos and conditioners cause me serious skin irritation. Fortunely, RenPure is cheap as heck and it's perfect! I pay like $8 for 32 ounces.
So to find out about shopping cheap, as well as making sure you buy clothes as rarely as possible to make sure your wallet and our planet don’t suffer, we spoke with Orsola de Castro, the co-founder of Fashion Revolution and the author of “Loved Clothes Last.”
According to de Castro, people don’t have enough knowledge of ways to make their clothes long-lasting because brands don’t encourage clothing repairs and clothing longevity. “Of course, the emphasis is always on buying new.”
De Castro argues that if we had cheap repair stations in all fast fashion stores, then there would be a direct correlation between buying cheap and being able to afford repairs. Meanwhile, if all luxury brands offered in-store repairs for their expensive clothing, we would understand the value of maintenance.
#6
Most Asian car brands. They may not impress as a status symbol but most Hondas/Toyotas/even Hyundais are more reliable, will take you to a mechanic a lot less, and will hold their value better than many other brands, including luxury options like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar, Cadillac...etc.
James016 3 years ago
Hyundai and Kia have really brought their A game to the industry in recent years.
DJR 3 years ago
Have you been following the fact that kia and hyundai have lost 2 billion dollars this quarter over engine recalls? They used to be simple and reliable. Something has gone seriously wrong at their engine department.
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SparklyWench 3 years ago
I've had two Toyotas in my life. A Camry and now a RAV4. I will be Toyota for life. So reliable and good on gas!
Susan Green 3 years ago
I agree. I love Toyota vehicles, good quality and reliable.
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Chich 3 years ago
My little Honda Fit is still happily trucking along. Sips fuel and can carry a surprising amount of kit for its size. Of course they don't sell them in north america anymore because everyone *needs* a big a*s SUV to haul their big a*s around :P
Helpful Reviewer 3 years ago
My husband's car is a 2001 Toyota with 126k miles. We found it in 2017 when it had 55k miles on it and snatched it. Our biggest expense on it thus far has been new brakes and we bought them brand new off of a site that sells parts super cheap. It may be old, but it's paid for and maintenance is next to nothing.
Uncanny 3 years ago
I bought my first Honda HRV. Drove it happily and safely for 20 years. No breakdowns, ever. On my second now. I’ll never buy another make of car. Considering my age, this one’ll probably outlast me. 😉
Megan Curl 3 years ago
Agree 100%. My Pilot lasted through raising my children in rural US, and all the hauling that goes with that. It finally died when it reached voting age and 240K miles. I went with the HRV cuz the kids are gone, and it’ll probably outlast me.
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Sandy D 3 years ago
Idk. My 2010 Ford focus has over 150k miles on It and has rarely needed any repairs in the 12 years since it was new. Not a status car, but American
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
Yep. I have always had fantastic luck with the older ford's.
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Leslie Donsen 3 years ago
Honda Accord. Bought a used one. I cried when my ex DIL drove it thru what she thought was a large puddle. I have never forgiven her.
#7
For years I paid 35+tip for a men's haircut at Korean Salons... because Korean women "know how to cut Korean men's hair"...
Last year I started going to a barbershop that cuts my hair for 13 bucks. Not only does my Mexican barber cut my hair for a fraction of the cost, he cuts it better than any Korean woman I've met.
Jaymi Leigh 3 years ago
I hope this guy knows he should tip his barber generously, especially if he's only charged $13 for his cut.
Arend Kant 5 months ago
Why tip? If that barber isn't earning enough he should raise his prices.
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ThatBiBookLover 3 years ago
Just thought to share, because my barber was pretty confused: so I have at first glance curly hair. However, on opposite sides of my head I have fully straight hair that are identical. It’s kinda hard to explain. So fully curly, with two sections of straight hair. I also have some wavy hair :D my barber’s mind was blown
Lev Borovoi 3 years ago
Do Koreans have hair that is very different from everyone else's? I know that's true for Africans, but I'd expect at least all East Asians to have similar hair.
Brina 3 years ago (edited)
Think about it like this, most Indians for example, have thick, course, straight/wavy hair. Korean/Chinese etc.. Have fine, but thick, straight hair... If that's makes sense. Depending on length, it can "poof", or lay flat(w/lenght). So when men (especially), cut their hair short/bald, the growing hairs stick straight up(until trained) cus its fine, but thick enough it's obvious. As far as the comment about it, I'm assuming it was one of those old stories passed in his culture. Kinda like the, "We know what's best, because we're your people", typa thing. Sadly it's one of those things passed in all cultures, about something insignificant. It keeps people from learning about each other, because it perpetuates unnecessary biases, with pre-conceived notions, without any research. Usually from elders. Although, I'm glad OP was able to discern from it, and get a good cut.🙂
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Ladedah 3 years ago
My husband is very picky about his hair and would spend a decent amount for the cut & tip every couple weeks, but was essentially forced to buy a set of clippers and experiment back during the covid lockdown. Unfortunately, we found out that I am pretty good (but immensely slow) at doing a fade. Now he saves the money, but makes me spend all the time (not just for the cut, but the after-cut bathroom cleaning, too!) every couple weeks. Sometimes I just get fed up and tell him to go see his "girlfriend" (i.e. the girl at the salon who has cut it for years) 😆
angel B 3 years ago
When the pandemic started I started cutting my own hair and I never went back to the barber
JL 3 years ago
Same here. Works out since haircut prices kept increasing while the hair to be cut kept decreasing. It was a losing proposition.
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Robert T 3 years ago
I've gone even cheaper. My gf cuts mine for free. She grew up on a farm, so she can shear sheep, so I just go "baa" and let her clip me! :D
Gretchen Esquilin 3 years ago
Every ethnicity has their pros/cons to cutting their hair. But textures are universal & even people of the same ethnic descent have various types. The hardest to cut? Blondes. Especially Valerian-type blonde. They show EVERY mistake/imperfection you make so you'd better be on your game!
Cheryl Ramsay 3 years ago
I'm a woman with quite short hair and I go to a barber/stylist for a haircut. He charges me $14.00! A lot cheaper than a hair salon.
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
Posts lockdown with hair like a scraggly wild witch I went to a new salon. This salon with only male hairdressers ( barbers?) that claimed to be able to cut and style women's hair as well. I could not get an appointment at my usual salon or anywhere else, so went ahead, but he then charged me $30 for a very quick uninspired-looking trim. Men's cuts and styles were about $18. I never returned.
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#8
Mid range Android phones. Just got a moto g5 plus for $200 on Black Friday. Never paying for a flagship ever again. This phone has everything I need plus the battery still has 50% left at the end of the day.
Falcon on Dizzy 3 years ago
I don't understand why people think that iPhones are better tho. I'm typing this on a Samsung that's been shot by an airsoft gun (accidental, trust me), thrown across the room (on purpose to prove a point), and accidentally dropped more times than I can remember. still has longer battery life and works better than all my friends with iPhones
Falcon on Dizzy 3 years ago
plus, it was like 200 dollars cheaper than an iPhone
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GoGoPDX 3 years ago (edited)
I learned this lesson by almost dying. So, 1st i just have to say, iPhone are s**t. Sorry not sorry. I got the Samsung Galaxy 1 when it 1st came out 13 years ago. I had that phone for years and it had seen a lot. When it finally quit on me, the Galaxy 7 just came out. My husband on the other hand went through 3 iPhones in that time due to them craping out(they were work phones so he didn't have a choice, his personal was a Samsung). So I upgraded one more time to a Galaxy 10 I believe (I thought I needed a new phone, the other one was fine) and a month later I was swept out by a rogue wave on the Oregon coast. I technically drowned but somehow washed ashore shortly after being swept out and was recesitated, but my brand new phone waa not so lucky and went to live with the fish. I ended up buying a $100 Samsung Galaxy A03 because that was all i could afford. That phone was just as amazing and you could not tell the difference, and had more storage. It lasted me 4 years before I had to replace it. I will never pay for the expensive version again! Now I can spend all the extra money I save on therapy for my PTSD. (I have a dark sense of humor)
Garry Cowan 3 years ago
Bought a moto phone about 6 years ago and I've never bought any other brand since ..great wee cheap phoned
Sue User 3 years ago
Got my moto e4 for $80. Then they knocked off $50 for being a new customer.
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Plato 3 years ago
Pixels are really good for the price, they go from 500-900$ ish for year old to latest model, the battery lasts 2 days on full charge, has a lot of good specs and extras
Stephanie Ladd 3 years ago
My last three all just up and died one day. After the third I was done forever and got a galaxy s21+
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DuchessDegu 3 years ago
I LOVE my Motorola, the feature that shows time and any alerts without the need to turn the screen on is really useful and worth the price just for that. Battery life is unbelievable as well.
Nianudd 3 years ago
I've got the G9 power, have previously had the G7 and G5. Good brand phones. I've got no intention of changing anytime soon
Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
I always bought mid-range, too, but I have been dreaming of having a watch that could make phone calls since I was a little girl reading D**k Tracy in the comics. Now, that’s a reality - but only if you also have the flagship model. So, I finally broke down and got the Samsung s20 ultra. I don’t really consider it a phone. I consider it a camera. I have a closet full of 35mm and DSLR cameras and lenses - Nikon & Minolta. The camera in this phone is about as good, and as versatile, as any of them, and maybe better than some. So, now I have a camera that makes phone calls, and a phone that tells me the time & tracks my fitness/health.🤣 That’s going the wrong direction for this thread, but I don’t usually replace that stuff for 10yrs, or so, so I’m happy. (And, I get to play “spy” every time I take or make a call on my watch. Childhood dream realized for the win.)
“The world of fashion is ensuring that citizens keep buying without a real sense of responsibility for what has to come next,” de Castro said.
“The way things are now, we’re very used to buying things that are incredibly cheap. Sometimes repairing might seem even more expensive than actually buying cheap. So that’s a difficult mindset to change. People do believe that buying something cheap is also a way of saving money,” de Castro explained. According to her, “the trick is to do both–buy cheap and maintain.”
#9
Kind of out there, but last year my partner and I purchased a electric meat grinder. It had all these fancy attachments and nozzles, so we assumed it would be able to do a lot.
The very first time we used it, it got stuck several times, sent the mince out with black bits through it even after washing, and was so loud that the neighbours could hear. Eventually, one time we used it sparks flew up the machine and it promptly died.
We got a nice little 'stick on the counter' manual one after that and its done everything we throw at it with perfect precision. Would never ever go back.
Peej Maybe 3 years ago
Oh wow, I remember my nan having one of these. Me and my siblings always used to fight over who got to wind the handle
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
Cute I would gladly have had someone turn the handle..LOL
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Lee Allen 3 years ago
Here’s an important tip for your grinder- always put in the refrigerator before use. Grinding creates heat and leads to very quick spoilage time.
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
Do you mean an electric grinder in the fridge.... eh?? LOL I found my old caste metal one was great, no spoilage as I used the meat soon after the mincing. Great little gizmo.
Load More Replies... Nathan Pogorzala 3 years ago
Its a cliche but things back when (most) were manufactured to last because if you made s**t, you went out of business.
Yoga Kitty 3 years ago
I can still vividly remember that my mom was one time not able to move her right arm for several days after manually grinding all the beef for making sausages - keep in mind that it is also a workout and don't overexaust yourself because you want everything done in one setting! On the other hand, these manual grinders also have the fittings for making shortbread - just saying...
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
Yep, hard work hand grinding the meat if a large quantity. Mine never mentioned anything about shortbread!!!
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Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Same reason I bought a hand-cranked pasta roller. I can fix mechanical issues, but not electronic ones.
Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago
I am a grandmother..and I lost mine a move and relocation. Very sad but I doubt I would want to use it now, although you know what the meat is rather than potluck with the butcher ground/minced meat and the preservatives they add to keep the meat from turning grey.. hmm
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Susan Teter 3 years ago
I have the table attached hand crank grinder I got when my grandma passed away in 1977. It was originally purchased in the early 1900s. Still works BEAUTIFULLY!!!
#10
TJ Maxx. Seriously. I get like 3x the amount of athletic gear there, the same big name brands.
Underarmour, Nike, Reebok. All for like $15 each depending on the clothing. Big name sports bras? $7 at times.
Rachel Connot 3 years ago
Most of them are overstock/out of season clothes from department stores.
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thatonelesbiangorwl 3 years ago
I went to TK Max the other day at brookside bris and it was s**t there was nothing but clothes and it was mainly adults or babys, no teen stuff. please dont downvote just my opinion
majandess 3 years ago
TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and HomeGoods are under the same umbrella. Each has a different focus. I find TJ Maxx is more geared toward things you wear, Marshall's is a hybrid, and HomeGoods is furniture and decor and such.
Load More Replies... Doug Fuidge 3 years ago
It's great, right up until you start looking for the stuff in my size! Being taller and broader than most men, my choice rapidly diminishes!
Phoebe Bean 3 years ago
TJMaxx it´s great, shoes, clothing mostly for me, but handbags also (but the way that photograph does not look like any TJMaxx I´ve been to)
James Heartney 3 years ago
As I understand it, the "name brands" at these stores are designed and produced for those stores. They aren't made for upscale retailers. Instead, they're intended to make a profit even when sold at a discount price. This isn't to say they are bad products. But they never spent a second at an upscale store, and the "discounts" are fake.
Monosyllabic girl 3 years ago (edited)
Tj maxx has like zero selection and no clothes above size 2. Also they are shoddy factory seconds or created just for that store. Bought a tommy Hilfiger bra from there that literally unravelled at the seams...even a walmart (shudder) bra doesn't fall apart. Zipper on a coat had teeth separate in less than a month of wear. After that debacle and waste of 50$ i invested 220$ in a winter coat from Macy's and it has lasted 7 years so far. Sometimes being thrifty is investing in something that will last a decade instead of a month. Edit:love their food and body stuff selection though
Mama Penguin 3 years ago
I scored a retail $300 coat for a third of the price at TJ Maxx. It's a great place to shop, but it requires patience to browse through items.
Anthony Donkor 3 years ago
Tj Maxx, Burlington coat factory, Sears and JC Penny clearance sections are great to find clothes at good prices.
#11
I’ve been waiting for this thread. About a month ago I was staying at a friends place and forgot a razor. I needed to shave bad as I was starting to look like hair lip Steve. So I asked my wife to get me a razor from the grocery. She came back with a pack of 8 top of my usual top of the line Gillette triple double whatever things. $50. But no stick. Just the heads. The friend I was staying with gave me one of his humble shick duos. $8 for 12 INCLUDING THE STICK. Friends - it was the most incredible shave. I didn’t cut myself once. It sliced right through my disgraceful hair lip like a dream. Will honestly never ever go back to those 15 bladed wank fest pat rafter shaving con jobs. Hear the truth and believe it people. Luxury razors are a scam.
Jason 3 years ago
If you learn to shave with a safety razor it's ultra cheap. New blade daily makes a huge difference
Wintermute 3 years ago
10 years ago I bought a safety straight razor and 100 blades. Cost $17 total. Strop and dry each time. I still have 90ish blades left. I'll literally never spend another penny on shaving again. PLUS, my complexion cleared up immediately. It's a great non-chemical way to clean your face every day (I don't use soap or cream cuz I'm cheap). Everyone should know about it, but there's no money in it, so they'll keep selling you useless salves, soaps, serums, scrubs and lotions at huge mark ups.
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April Caron 3 years ago
Athena Shave Club razors are just the absolute best… and not that spendy. I know they claim to be for women, but in general, they are fabulous! $5 for the first one and between $2.25-$3.00/refill blade (depending on how often you need them). They’re long-lasting and give the smoothest shave. Google them. Try them. You can thank me later.
Kelly Taylor 3 years ago
DRY YOUR RAZOR after each use!!! That little bit of water you leave on there is killing your blades
Tofu 3 years ago
LOL! and that his wife only got the razor heads and no wand 🤣
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Justin Patel 3 years ago
You should try the double sided 25 blade. They are only $99 each and the stick is on sale for $45 (good for 2 uses!)
DocXIII 3 years ago
I'm going to guess you meant 99¢ or $0.99, rather than nearly $100...
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Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
ALSO... Ladies, don't buy the pink ones. They charge more for them just because they are pink. I have been buying men's razors for years because they are noticeably cheaper. Now that my two daughters are using razors I taught this to them. Avoid the "Pink tax"!!!!!!
Moreover, one of the biggest problems is activists and people saying that fast fashion is so badly made you might throw it away after a few wears. “That’s not strictly true. Fast fashion is simply made, which means it’s simple to repair. If you take a beautiful vintage piece, the delicacy and the intricacy of the hemming would be difficult to repair,” de Castro explained.
#12
Bath towels. We're a beach towel family, now. Bonus is they are much larger and wrap around bodies better, with more area for drying and covering your bits. The different designs make it easy to keep track of whose is whose, too.
Tess 3 years ago
That's why bath sheets are a thing. Beach towels are usually only capable of drying on one side, although useful if you have a lot of sand in your bathroom.
Megan Curl 3 years ago
Also, if you wait until the end of the season, you can get beach towels for super cheap.
Brina 3 years ago
(Adding to above) It's also bigger. Long rectangular shape. If you ever see a show/movie, or anything with people at a beach, it's usually the long towel they're laying on. So OP is just saying, the they use those types of towels now, instead of the" basic" bath towels.
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European sparrow 3 years ago
I went back to smaller towels. Dry just as well but saves a lot of laundryloads.
JayWantsACat 3 years ago
I personally like scratchier towels. But I have a 'nice' soft set of towels for guests.
#13
Domestic sewing machines. The more money you spend, the more time and money you'll be wasting on repairs. Keep it simple, Sally. You'll often find that something ancient, beat to hell, and dirt cheap outclasses modern computerized machines that cost thousands of dollars.
Little Wonder 3 years ago
I've been using a basic 1968 machine for decades, I only bought a new one because the wiring went on the old one. The new one is basic and sturdy too (and I found someone to rewire the other one so now I have TWO machines!)
Laura Ketteridge 3 years ago
This is not my experience of sewing machines. My advice is to buy a machine that meets your needs. If you are going to use it every once in a while, then buy a cheap machine. Probably you will need straight stitch, reverse, zig zag, and a button hole stitch. However, if you are going to make clothes, accessories, home furnishings, patchwork, quilting, or embroidery, buy a machine that fits your needs. Then look after it properly. This means regular needle changes, cleaning the machine between projects, and having it serviced when needed. That way your expensive machine will last a long time.
Helen Waight 3 years ago
Grandma’s old manual singer still works perfectly. Weighs half a metric ton though.
The Scout 3 years ago
I know some professionals who still use old foor operated machines - mainly because with the right skill they can be controlled to extreme precision, which no electric machine can ever archieve.
DumYum 3 years ago
Yes and you can go backwards as well as forwards with them.
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Lena Z 3 years ago
While I agree older machines are often sturdy and amazing, i definitely would not recommend buying a new cheap machine. Some of them just sew like s**t and can't get through more layers of fabric. If you buy a new sewing machine, get a good one and not the 80 $ Version. Sewing won't be fun if the fabric keeps getting stuck.
LizzieBoredom 3 years ago
A good machine nowadays is at least $1,000. If you can't afford that by a 1950s Singer featherweight.
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Auntriarch 3 years ago (edited)
Not sure about this one. I have a bog standard Singer which works perfectly well and does everything I need. My mother has a top of the range all singing all dancing Elna, which has been doing everything she needs with literally two small parts needing replacement for 60 years. Maybe it's "they don't build them like that any more"
Tammy Kirks 3 years ago
My 1967 Sears Kenmore cabinet model is a beast! I've sewn leather on it and it was perfect. Plus, it's super heavy because it's made of steel. When I need details done, like button holes, I just pay an alterations company a few bucks and they turn out perfectly.
Ruth Hempsey 3 years ago
I have a buttonhole attachment for mine. Still hate doing them though. 😉
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Tigara Akimoto 3 years ago (edited)
I would have loved to have inherited my grandmother's 1950s Singer, but it gave up the ghost five years ago (from what I understand, anyway). I didn't even mind that it was faded avocado green! That bad boy worked for DECADES!
#14
POPSICLES I'm a poor college student and I was at the grocery store when suddenly I had the craving for some popsicles. So I stop by the frozen desserts aisle to buy some and find these generic brand popsicles in a plastic bag for $1.79. The bag had 10 popsicles in it and I figured: why not? So I bought it and tried one, best popsicle I have ever had in my life. Now I eat two everyday, only problem is now I'm back home for Christmas and having withdrawls.
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
If you get a popsicle mold you can make your own with fresh fruit juices and fruit.
Gretchen Esquilin 3 years ago
Fun fact: When I had my last 3 kids, I was allowed to bring in my Icee Pops w/ me to the hospital to munch on during labor. It's just flavored ice chips & tricks you into thinking you're not hungry! Game changer!!!!
Dagny White 3 years ago
Depending on where you live, there are things called fun pops that are about 2 bucks for about 20 and is is ice and syrup
Plume 3 years ago (edited)
With cold and flu season on, it's good to have some around, for the days when a sore throat makes it hard to swallow food (plus I'll bet that dollar stores have chicken bouillon cubes, easiest chicken soup ever).
ThatBiBookLover 3 years ago
Wait when you have a sore throat you eat COLD stuff? Really?! Because in my family you have only hot, and if you eat cold you’re f****d as it’ll get so much worse. In fact, cold stuff for us is the reason we get sore throats. However, we ARE born in a very tropical country… maybe that’s why?
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Marcellium 3 years ago
I recently got my wisdom teeth out and was eating like at Least five Popsicles a day because it was like all I could have. I still just wanna eat them all the time.
Joshua Moore 3 years ago
Yep, generic for fudge bars or orange cream cicles, always cheaper and taste the same.
Meanwhile, any old Zara, H&M, or Boohoo piece can be easily repaired. Anyone can pick up a broken hem. Anyone can resew a broken button. Moreover, “the materials they use are often a combination of polyester and cotton, which makes them sturdy and resilient, but also impossible to biodegrade.”
It turns out that a blender fabric is not recyclable, but since it’s sturdy, it has very good longevity, so make sure you maintain it as long as you can.
#15
My roommate used to buy chai lattes in coffee shops. Then she noticed they were basically just pouring liquid chai over the steamed milk and being done with it.
So she tracked down the stuff on Amazon, paid 18 dollars for 6 cartons, and will never buy chai lattes in a store ever again
S&P 3 years ago
I friggin LOVE Pacific Chai. I just wish it was available in more areas.
Load More Replies... Nea 3 years ago
Chai latte is a meme here in India. Its chai and the best one costs 0.085 USD per cup.
dejadru 3 years ago
Just started doing this recently (why did it take 20 years?!): 10 chai tea bags brought to a boil with 4 cups of water, then simmer for 10 min. Sweeten to taste and let cool. Then combine with how much milk or milk substitute you want, hot or cold. (I add a little water when I reheat it)
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Catherine Miklavic 3 years ago
$4 to buy a box of chai tea bags at grocery...... smaller to store and just brew as you need so it's always fresh
jasmineliljensoe 3 years ago
Same with bubble tea. I was paying way too much for bubble tea every week, so I got a kit to make it at home and never looked back
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
Since temporarily moving to the US for work I could never understand why I was being charged more for an iced chai that was loaded down with ice than a regular hot chai. I started to make my own chai lattes at home using the Pacific Chai brand because it has a nice spice and isn’t super sweet.
Adam L 3 years ago
Most of your iced drinks in coffee shops are watered down, over-iced hot drinks. Cold brews are mainly hot brewed drinks left in a fridge overnight anyway, so it would be cheaper to just brew your own for a hot cup in the morning, put the extra in a container in the fridge for your own iced cup pick-me-up for later.
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#16
Cables. 99.99999% of people do not need the $200 gold plated HDMI cables.
Helen Waight 3 years ago
You don’t need gold plated cables for digital transfer. Analogue maybe, but digital is either transmitted or it isn’t.
btaglln 3 years ago
Gold plated are useless AF ... Check the certification of the cable, it is all you need. You need HDMI2.1 for 8K, otherwise, don't spend the money
Cheesenacho 3 years ago
I agree with the above statement. I did have a need for 8K cables and it made a world of difference. I put 8K cables on all of my TV’s.
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Henrik Schmidt 3 years ago
I read about people who discuss the relative qualities of: 1: fiber optic cables as used in an audio system. 2: different types of NAS boxes in terms of sound quality, also in an audio system. Hint: The transfer rates are so low for streaming audio that you could run these systems on a clothesline. These must have been the same people who bought the 500$ per meter Monster audio cables and then claimed to be able to hear the difference,
Péter Rózsahegyi 3 years ago
Back in the ole times when writable CDs were a hit I read an article about the sound quality of these discs. It said one of them had 'wider stage and deeper spaces' and instruments were 'more living'. Guys, those are just digital data streams. It they were written with the same data from bit to bit, the result would be absolutely the same.
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madbakes 3 years ago
I get all cables and techy BS from Microcenter. Very good quality, super cheap, and available, quality staff.
Dre Mosley 3 years ago
I never fell for the Monster Cable(used to be a popular brand of expensive cables) scam.
GadgetGirl 3 years ago
I have had customers who swore by those gold plated ripoffs and bought the $15 store brand "just until the order arrives" only to end up cancelling the order. There is no difference in quality for consumer grade products.
#17
Benadryl, aspirin etc. Dollar tree man. Only way to go
Something 3 years ago
Assured brand is really much cheaper and legally has to be the same thing.
Bobby 3 years ago
Same active ingredient. There can be difference in inactive ingredients. This is usually only an issue when allergy is involved though
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Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Generics work just fine. A case where you really are just paying for the label.
Sandy D 3 years ago
I don't trust dollar store meds. We have allergies and buy store beaver benadryl fit really cheap, and a brand / store that you can trust to seek safe products - costco.. they last a long time, so I get like 500-600 of them fit about $6-$8 and it lasts a couple yrs. All their other meds and vitamins are an awesome deal and great quality
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
I buy all my otc from dollar general. It's all basically the same. The only reason any med works less is because of the compound, how they put it together. But all the ingredients are exactly the same.
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Tracy Wallick 3 years ago
Always check the price per unit, there are some things at the dollar store that, when you crunch the numbers, wind up being more costly (unless it's a one-time purchase, then go for it)
Sue Bradley 3 years ago
In the UK all medicines will have a code on them, if you check on a brand then a cheap product if the code is the same, the medication is identical!!
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
Same in the US with like acetaminophen. I bought one brand, used it, bought another and they both had the exact same stamps on the pills. I switched to Rexall lol
Load More Replies... Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
My chemistry teacher in HS just took home the salicylic acid we made in class. We weren’t allowed to keep it (or, God forbid, take it), but he could.
De Castro argues that if you've bought cheap clothing from any of the fast fashion brands, that doesn’t mean you’re unsustainable. “A trick to actually spending less is if you have bought cheap, then repair it by all means.” Otherwise, another way is to invest in good quality clothing, which does not always mean expensive.
“Add another layer–invest in good quality clothing that is either designed by a sustainable brand or buy secondhand. Try to look for good quality clothing that is either vintage or secondhand. Before buying, apply a checklist: turn your clothing inside out, check for seams, check for quality, and check for the overall state of the piece. And whatever it is you have in your wardrobe that is fast fashion–mend it,” de Castro said.
#18
boxed mac and cheese. no one believes me that i think it tastes better than any homemade, baked, 6-cheese, 2-noodle delicacy. i just want my neon orange powdered b******t, alright?
LiL PeeP 3 years ago
I have to disagree with op on this one. Homemade baked 6 cheese is better
Jason 3 years ago
Food science is designed to get you addicted with fast digesting, less chewing, instant dopamine rushes so not too surprised.
Wintermute 3 years ago
Truth. I have to keep reminding myself of the difference between "good" and "appealing." Junk food is rarely good, but it appeals to the monkey brain in a way that tricks us into thinking it is.
Load More Replies... Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago (edited)
I have to disagree with this one. Box macaroni and cheese can’t hold a light to a homemade baked macaroni and cheese with fresh Scottish cheddar topped with breadcrumbs. One of my favourite comfort food dishes. Making a roux from scratch and using really good cheese 🧀 and baking your Mac in the oven until it gets all toasty and bubbly is divine.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
I need a recipe for that, that sounds exquisite!
Load More Replies... Ben 3 years ago
Proper cheese, bacon, leek and a crumb top will forever be better than the plastic boxed mac and cheese.
Brocken Blue 3 years ago
At that point, you’re talking about an entirely different meal. Like the leeks sound nice, but this is comparing hot dogs to a prime filet, and OP is just in the mood for hotdogs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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oddly_informed_raven 3 years ago
YESSS. maybe it's the nostalgia, maybe it's sensory issues, but Kraft just hits different
lauralett50 3 years ago
To each his own. I made homemade cheese and macaroni for potluck after church. Came home with only the scrapings.
#19
Those knock off brand cereal bags. They are bigger cheaper and I usually can't taste the difference.
LuckyL 3 years ago
Because there probably isn't a differecent. Brands often sell their products under a different name for cheaper to get the customers on both price categories.
Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
FWIW, that’s not true for General Mills cereals. And, there really is a difference in taste between Cheerios and the generic Os. (Signed, retired Gen. Mills employee and QC sensory panel member.)
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Scooter 3 years ago
I occasionally like to get some Fruity Pebbles. I discovered the Malt O Meal brand of Dyno Bytes actually tastes better. The fruit flavor is brighter and doesn't get mushy as fast.
April 3 years ago
I was about to comment this exact same thing. The dyno bites are definitely superior to fruity pebbles.
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Carrie Laughs 3 years ago
Cereal Partners UK has established itself as the second largest manufacturer, with over 25% of a market and they make all the supermarket own brands. Prefer Tesco to Salisbury for cornflakes? They're the same company making them. They make Shreddies and Shredded Wheat as well.
Anyone-for-tea? 3 years ago
I can taste the difference in Weetabix though, so they can’t be all exactly the same?
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Stylishsidewaysbird 3 years ago
Idk…sometimes you can tell the difference but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if it tastes good
Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
Malt-O-Meal... best stuff ever! a bag the size of a bed pillow costs about as much as a large box of a national brand and often tastes just as good if not better. And ALDI's raisin crunch has more raisins in it than the national brand. I love the stuff. Being cheaper is a bonus too!
Anonymess 3 years ago
Actually, there is a difference but not in the taste. I compared several brands to knock-offs side by side at the store and the ingredients were the same but the vitamins were not! I later found out that vitamins and minerals are sprayed onto cereal during manufacturing and it's an expensive part of the process. The knock-off brands skip that step and pass the savings on to thrifty consumers. Knock-off cereals are a great way to save money if you have hungry children at home but make sure they're getting their vitamins elsewhere.
ladyroseeyes 3 years ago
Literally just compared the bag version to my usual cereal this shopping trip and bag cereal is twice the sugar (all added sugar) per serving.
Load More Replies... #20
Pregnancy tests. $2 at the dollar store in a panic, or even cheaper if you plan ahead and buy them in bulk online. Never buying a $20 drugstore test again. Cheap enough you can just... take one whenever you need peace of mind.
Max 3 years ago
The fancy ones are just the cheap colour-changing ones with an electronic reader on the top.
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Hphizzle 3 years ago
Friend bought a bulk bag of the sticks online when starting to try for kids. Positive on the first test. Past the bag around to her sisters. Haha!
Lea 3 years ago
Probably a good idea to check experience dates just in case
Load More Replies... Mary Jeffries 3 years ago
I pray I’ll never need one again… two naturally conceived sets of twins in less than 3 years. Doing all those Covid tests was bringing up some big emotions.
Brina 3 years ago
I dunno about buying in bulk, but with all my kiddos, the "dollar store" test, has been more than accurate
OnAFreakingRollercoaster 3 years ago
It's called Catholic Roulette actually 😉
Load More Replies... LiL PeeP 3 years ago
Peace of mind is a good thing. On that thought Please don't get dollar store condoms. Certain items you get what you pay for
Cerridwen 3 years ago
If you get those then you'll need the dollar store pregnancy tests lol
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Sheila Stamey 3 years ago
That's funny. I've taken three tests. We've named every single one of them! That being said, there are certain scenarios where it might be a good idea to buy a few ahead. Sometimes, you just need to be able to sleep. And if taking a quick test lets you get some sleep instead of worrying,keep a couple. However. Check those expiration dates before use.
Rachel Grig 3 years ago
I'm not sure about this one. I so rarely need pregnancy tests that it just doesn't make sense to buy bulk and store them.
Bethan Coleman 3 years ago
If you are trying for a baby you may use a couple every month, particularly if they are the ones that claim to be able to tell on the day your period is due.
Load More Replies... Stylishsidewaysbird 3 years ago
Also if you suspect you’re pregnant, just get a test from the store and avoid going to Urgent Care or the ER (yes people actually do that) and saves hundreds. I’d positive follow up with primary and go from there.
#21
Mascara. Drug store mascara is just as good if not better than any $25+ premium makeup brand mascara.
MoMcB 3 years ago
I used to buy Dior make up and ran out before I could get to the department store to buy it. I bought Rimmel from the local supermarket based on colour and have never gone back. Just as good, packaging not as fancy. Their lipsticks are brilliant too.
Tigara Akimoto 3 years ago
Due to sensitivity in my eyes, mascara is the only makeup I can't scimp on; I have to use Maybelline's hypoallergenic one or I look like a hungover raccoon from all the irritation and watering my eyes do.
Something 3 years ago
There just isn't any formulation or wand design that can improve its performance that would make it cost that much.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I bought Loreal mascara about 3 years ago, and I love the wand so I have been washing it and using it with whatever mascara. The wand makes any mascara work for me.
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Ophelia Payne 3 years ago
Lash princess! $5. I have had great luck with all except for the waterproof, which made my lashes spiky. Better than diorshow
Kate Johnson 3 years ago
I love my Lash Princess, I think it's sweat proof? I'll never get any other mascara again if they ever sell one that's a medium brown.
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Sh_alien 3 years ago
In my experience, this isn’t true. My Chanel mascara is far superior from any drugstore mascara I’ve ever used. I don’t experience any flaking or smudging. Every drugstore mascara I’ve purchased flakes so by the end of the day I’m looking like a hot mess. Chanel lasts me the entire day!
Felix Grace 3 years ago
Yes. My 27$ rollergirl is absolutely better than my 2 dollar L.A colors
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Helena R 3 years ago
This depends, I love my £12 mascara but tbh it's not as good as the MAC one I treat myself too when I know I've got events coming up. I'm not a fan of false lashes
Shroooomy 3 years ago
Their lipstick comes off really easily and I've found it great for learning
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Briana Landers 3 years ago
I really like lash princess but something about the Too Faced Better than Sexascara hits your lashes different!!! It's the one mascara I can say is worth the price tag is 28$
Holly Hobby 3 years ago
The differences in mascaras is the wand. Different wand shapes create different looks. All the mascaras are the just about the same formula.
#22
How am I the first to mention the Ozark Trail (Wal-Mart brand) knockoff Yeti tumblers? $7, and they might work better. We have one Yeti and four knockoffs...
EvilNob 3 years ago
Errr. Sorry... I'm from Europe and I learned English but I think they might missed some crucial part in my tuition because I can't understand a word in this post.
Demongrrrrl 3 years ago
Yeti tumblers are just expensive insulated travel mugs. So Ozark Trail is a less-expensive version.
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MissMePhoenix 3 years ago
I was working at Wal-Mart when these first came out and we absolutely could NOT keep these on the shelves!!
Jessica Cooney 3 years ago
OMG this is so true. We bought a few of the huge cups a while back and they were so great. I literally had ice and soda in one for over 24 hours on a car trip once without it melting.
Martin Burley 3 years ago
In the UK we don't have Wal-Mart, Ozark Trail tumblers on Amazon UK are priced similarly to Yeti Brand. Ozark 20oz Double wall Tumbler £35.82, Yeti £29.95. Knock off goods, premium prices!
#23
Plates.
I had always bought fancy plate sets that looked good in the past and they always ended up chipping and breaking on me. One day I decided to just get the plain white 10 dollar Canadian tire pack. I've never had a better plate. No chips, no b******t, the bottom doesn't scratch my table. Very satisfied.
Donkeywheel 3 years ago
The smartest thing to do: buy professional dinnerware made for restaurants. Not the fancy sets designed for specific dishes, the basic ones. Easy to wash, immune to any temperature or hard sponges, never chip or get scratched, almost unbreakable. And they are not expensive. Maybe not as cheap as a basic ikea set, but definitely less than any other casual brand.
Edward Fancher 3 years ago
Where can you buy them? All the "restaurant" stores around here seem to actually only sell to retail customers, not restaurants.
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UpupaEpops 3 years ago (edited)
I like my pretty plates. Back when I decided to change my career, I needed to move to the UK because the course wasn't available in my country, and I needed to be in a country I spoke the official language of, so I can work. Let me tell you, moving from a low-income country to one of the most expensive ones was soul-crushing. I could barely afford to eat. Entertainment was pretty much out of the question. My mental health plummeted. Then one day I saw this pretty rice bowl. It cost me two days of food. But I can't tell you how good it felt to have something pretty around. And it made my plain rice taste ten times better as well.
Dana Dara 3 years ago
I spent money and got Corel. They never break or chip and they’re super light weight.
majandess 3 years ago
I had to do this. My husband was a notorious plate breaker, and I finally bought a set. He pulled them out of the box and wanted to know why I was buying delicate dishes. First time he dropped a bowl, "I see why you bought these." Second time... "I LOVE THESE!" They didn't break.
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Daria 3 years ago
My plain white IKEA365+ china plates still have no chips after 6 years of use.
Nea 3 years ago
Those are actually the best- i have them for about 8 years and am sure they are not going anywhere.
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Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
I buy mine at the thrift store for 25-50¢ each. None of my stuff matches, but I don't really care about that. I'm not heartbroken if I break a plate/bowl/mug because I practically got it for free. Plus, I reused something that otherwise would have been thrown away.
Stephanie Paich 3 years ago
Corelle plates are the best. They don't break easily, and they're thinner than regular plates which means they aren't heavy to hold while eating or washing and they take up less space in the cupboard!
Mama Penguin 3 years ago
My mom and mother in law swear by Corelle. Those things are light but sturdy.
HalcyonVampire 3 years ago
I buy plain white Correlle plates from Walmart. Where I live, I can buy whatever I need individually and with them being plain, I don't need to worry about conflicting patterns! For those who don't know, Correlle is unbreakable which is perfect for me and my husband because we are both clumsy lol
Robert T 3 years ago
I have a set of Jeff Banks crockery that I have been using everyday for 25 years. Been washed in the dishwasher for the last 20. Still as good as new. The only reason I've had to replace some of them is because I dropped them on the floor! My mum did even better. She has a set of Spode plates that were a wedding present, and they just had their 60th wedding anniversary. She had been using them 30 years before she realised they were Spode!
#24
I got a safety razor handle and use double edged razor blades. Way cheaper than Gillette/Schick and still get several weeks out of a blade. Also doesn't clog on my double thick whiskers.
Bobby 3 years ago
If you trust yourself enough go with a shavette. Single edge blades are even cheaper. I got a handle and 100 blades for 12 bucks and I got a box of 200 for an extra 5.
Load More Replies... Jessica Cooney 3 years ago
As a woman, I was hesitant to try these myself. Honestly, I switched and never went back. It saves SOOO much money, and its better for the environment
DennyS (denzoren) 3 years ago
Those double sized blades shave soooo clean. I am also very scared of it. Lol
suzanne van Doorn 3 years ago
I've tried safety razors several times. Every time I end up with cuts. I don't even have the guts to test these on my lady parts...
Richard Anderson 2 years ago
I found over 300 lbs of razor blades in the wall behind the medicine cabinet when I was remodeling.
Brent Hollett 3 years ago
I can attest to the cost, but if I don't shave for a few days, the single blades are far more difficult to get the job done quickly and well.
#25
A lot of Target brand stuff like their basic groceries and cleaning products. But most notably Target brand Nyquil tablets actually has decongestant in it unlike regular Nyquil. It makes a lot of difference.
Phoebe Bean 3 years ago
I always find good stuff in this store too (there are always huge discounts if you look properly)
Jessica J. 3 years ago (edited)
😂 Time for a pharmaceutical lesson. The reason OTC Cough, Cold & Flu meds marketed as "Nighttime" options don't have.a nasal decongestant is because the only two available nasal decongestants on the market (phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine) are vasodilators and stimulants that will make your heart beat faster (which is why you won't find them in the stuff marketed to customers with high blood pressure), and cause wakefulness...obviously not what you need when trying to sleep. This is why Pseudoephedrine is used when making street drugs like crystal meth, and must be purchased at the pharmacy counter. Phenylephrine doesn't require this because it's efficacy is significantly lower. Now Dayquil, and other daytime marketed options, will have a nasal decongestant (Phenylephrine, if not at the pharmacy), but may not have an antihistamine, because many of those cause drowsiness, which you don't want in the daytime. Hope I've enlightened your day!
OnAFreakingRollercoaster 3 years ago
Looooove target. Another store not available in the country I live in. 😏
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
Literally they all have the exact same meds in them. I get the Walmart or dollar general brand and only the cold and flu. For whatever sick I am. The only thing your trying to do is dry up your sinuses and bring down fever. That is all those meds can do. They can't heal you.
Rider 3 years ago
Walmart's day & night gel capsule cold medicine will bring you back from the dead. That stuff is magic.
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Audra Sisler 3 years ago
Freaking Target closed down where I live and makes NO sense whatsoever cuz everyday half of parking lot was full🤔🤔🤔now have to drive 30-45 minutes to nearest one! Uugghhhh
Richard Anderson 2 years ago
Target zip lock bags are my go to and I also love their white fudge coverd animal crackers.
Amy Broderick 3 years ago
Target brand frozen pizzas are the bomb! Specifically the spinach, tomato, and goat cheese. Yum!
Ellen Woods 3 years ago
Target has “forever” milk. Expiration date is like two months! I love it.
Enigma wrapped in a paradox 3 years ago
I bought my most favoritist sun hat at Target while on vacation (we don't have Target where I live). I've never found another hat that makes me as happy
#26
French press > coffee machine
Phoebe Bean 3 years ago
I have a Bodum French Press since like the beginning of times (and a also the Traveler edition). Best coffee ever, at least for me.
Christine Jemison 3 years ago
YESSSS still makes fantastic coffee after 35yrs.
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The Scout 3 years ago
French press coffee and filtered coffee are two completely different drinks, at least in matters of taste. So I would not exactly agree on this one. I also tried pods, pads, even a high tech automatic coffee maker with grinder, but have since gone back to filtered, because it simply is suited best to my taste.
FerRN 3 years ago
I’ve always brewed my coffee in a walmart $15 coffee machine, one day I decided I wanted a newer, more updated coffee machine and bought a Keurig Supreme Plus with Wifi connection etc etc… six months later it stopped working. Wouldn’t turn on. Got sent a replacement, few months later it stopped working too. Plus I ended up wasting more money on K-Pods in a month than I used to when I had that $15 coffee machine.
Vuun 3 years ago
I went from French press to a 500€ coffee machine. It's been worth every cent. I press one button and get one cup of freshly ground coffee. And then the thing washes itself. I'm saving so much time and coffee!
Bruce Horton 3 years ago
I've had the same French Press for 25 years, no problems, except for the time my wife dropped and broke the beaker dancing around naked after her robe caught on fire. It's a long storey.
#27
Amazon Basics has really good HDMI cables for $6.
BrownTabby 3 years ago (edited)
On the other hand, Amazon overworks their employees so much that they have to pee in bottles.
Julia McElroy 3 years ago
Replace "Amazon" with "Walmart" and this was the same conversation 10 years ago. Walmart is just as bad and in the next post you all praise their products. In 10 years you will all buy Amazon and the next gen will get on their own high horses about something else.
Damon Smithwick 3 years ago
I have issues getting around, walking for long periods of time. Amazon is a lifesaver to me.
madbakes 3 years ago
Amazon Basics essentially steals designs from smaller sellers, then sells them for less. I do buy on Amazon from time to time, but never the basics line.
James Heartney 3 years ago
It depends on the product. Things like HDMI cables are a commodity, with no distinctive design or features, and as a carrier of digital signals, they either work or they don't. Batteries, cables, paper towels, garbage bags, etc. are much the same. There's no distinctive design to steal. Now, if you have an issue with Amazon's labor practices, I can't argue with you - they are terrible. But I think the "Amazon Basics are stolen designs" story is overblown in most cases.
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Lucas Jackson 3 years ago
Is often just the branding that’s different not the product with lot of basics sruff.
#28
Laundry detergent. My roommate is obsessed with trying out the most crazy, fancy, smell-goody laundry detergent and she let's me use it. From what I can tell it does the exact same thing the generic detergent my mom used does
Megan Curl 3 years ago
Here’s the thing, it really has an awful lot to do with your washing machine. I had an ultra fancy front loader, and went through a bunch of detergents trying to figure out which one would actually get my clothes clean. Turns out, it was that crappy front loader. Replaced it with a really basic, no bells and whistles, top loader, and now my clothes get clean no matter what detergent it use.
Rata Robinson 3 years ago
Yes I was told by a washing machine repair guy that clothes getting clean is way mire about the action of the washing machine than the detergent. He also said most people use way too much detergent - the scoop that comes with it is too big. A tablespoon is all you need for a large wash.
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Helpful Reviewer 3 years ago
I make laundry detergent with 4 ingredients. I pay around $25-$30 per year. For a family of 4, that's a tremendous savings
cogadh 3 years ago
I only use three: borax, washing soda and pure soap. Every 2-3 months I mix up a small batch and I only buy supplies about once a year (single, makes for much less laundry). Everything comes out spectacularly clean and soft and it is so cheap!
Load More Replies... UpupaEpops 3 years ago
Pretty much the only criteria I have for detergents is that they don't smell. Or have the faintest of scents. 😅 I just really don't like that chemical smell they have. Going into a store like Sephora is literal torture for me. Buying stuff online is still not much of a thing in my country, but if I lived in the developed world, with normal shipping prices, I would try and see if there's anything available abroad that I would like. Usually, I prefer mint and citrus. In my country, everything is powdery florals, patchouli or lavender. I get massive headaches from lavender.
Mike Soigne 3 years ago
Sephora? Please, spray me MORE. Viktor & Rolf perfumes & colognes are "Awesome!" Yes, I understand, sadly, there are humans w/ extremely sensitive scent allergies, 😢 and I feel bad for you.
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MygrandsonscallmeNia 3 years ago
I used to be obsessed with Gain, sparkling water scent. I thought, I would NEVER switch. I found, arm and Hammer with oxy clean fresh scent, is amazing, gets my clothes clean, and costs $4 less. My Mom, always used it, why didn't I just use it like she did?
Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
BJ's (Berkeley & Jensen) here has their store brand of pods that smell almost exactly like Gain but for a bit more than half of what a 120 pod box of Gain would cost. I do so love the smell of gain though! And Suavatel!
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Thomas Ewing 3 years ago
In a pinch for time or soap, wash a load WITHOUT soap. Amazing what clean water will do!
Cassi Lyris 3 years ago
I'm super sensitive to soaps. Good old Zote white bar all the way. Pink bar is fine in a pinch. And stop using fabric softeners. It's flammable.
Katie Kerg 3 years ago
I've found that generic powder detergent and oxy-clean powder works way better than anything else I've tried plus my skin(it's super sensitive) doesn't get irritated
Audrey Kahin 3 years ago
I always get my detergent from Sam's club. I'm allergic to Tide and Gain they have the knock off version that I'm not allergic to lol and I'm a pinch arm and hammer is great to
#29
Towels. Expensive towels are soft, but they don't absorb water. You keep rubbing them on your body after a shower, and you're still all wet, and the towel is barely damp. A $5 towel that's rough on the skin dry MUCH better than a $40 soft one. "Super absorption" only applies if the towel is in contact with the water. If the towel is soft, it's because there is little friction and there isn't much surface contact.
Gin. No tonic 3 years ago
Expensive towels have a lot of fabric softener in them at the start. If you wash them a few times without the softener, they will absorb the water very well, and they are usually denser, wich makes them better than cheap non-dense ones. Just make sure they're cotton, and not polyester.
Teresa Taylor 3 years ago
Do not use fabric softener on any towels or washcloths. They inhibit water absorption. I have cheap cotton towels from Walmart that I have had for years. They're thick and plush.
Sandie Shaw 3 years ago
I like slightly scratchy towels anyway. Finishes exfoliation and scratches itches you didn't know you had.
roses are red 3 years ago
Wash your towel in warm water with 2 cups of cheap white vinegar. It removes the detergent and fabric softener that builds up on the fibres. Line dry till almost dry and finish in the clothes dryer. Fluffy absorbent towel
The Problem With Censorship Is ******* 3 years ago (edited)
YES! I absolutely HATE soft, thick towels. When I take mine off the drying rack they are like wooden boards and I LOVE IT. And my apologies, but yes, the caps were necessary. I absolutely WILL shout about trivial things I am passionate about.
majandess 3 years ago
Yes. Microfiber anything is a cue for synthetic. It's terrible.
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Caiman 94920 3 years ago
Towels should not have softener applied in the wash and leave the dryer sheets out of the dryer, the softeners affect the absorption factor of the towels
Lisa McKay 3 years ago
Ikea towels are the best! Don’t use fabric softener because all it does it coat the towels in an oily residue and makes them waterproof.
Mary Kelly 3 years ago
ikea's $5 cotton towels are absorbent, have different textures on each side...and they don't take forever in the dryer...never going back!
Salty Wild Hair 3 years ago
lol I dont know about that! My mom has some towels from the 1900's and they could peel the paint off your car if you tried to use it to dry it after a wash.
#30
The Home Depot version of the Magic Erasers sponges. They are half the price and work just as well.
CF 3 years ago
I did this years ago and sadly got stuck with a bunch of thin sponges that stank like fish and fell apart much more quickly than the brand name sponges. That was before you had 100 reviews from other buyers to warn you off a particular sponge on Amazon though. Not all generic melamine sponges are the same!
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Helpful Reviewer 3 years ago
I get a twin pack at dollar tree. They work exactly the same and 2 for $1.25....not arguing with it
majandess 3 years ago
I still have at least half of the ones I bought five years ago!
Load More Replies... GadgetGirl 3 years ago
I got a 100 pack of "melamine sponges" on Amazon for around $20....I'll never have to buy them again.
Xerastraza Lecrutia 3 years ago
those foam sponges are amazing I found a unbranded bag of liken 100 of them online for 10 bucks, they are a bit smaller then name brand but they are all created the same way so.
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
You can also get a version of these at the Dollar Tree for $1.25 a pack and many of those packs have 4 sponges in them!
#31
Tuna, the name brands are now just cans of some tuna-like puree whereas the off brands have nice large chunks (shout out to Aldi).
MellonCollie 3 years ago
I think with tuna it is important, on the other hand, to be careful about the brand. So many dolphins and other sea animals get caught in tuna nets or hooks. Tuna is not something to consider lightly.
Ban-One 3 years ago
If you travel to Spain or Portugal it's crazy how good some of the tuna is for the money. And yes, many of them come in large chunks and are just so tender and of high quality.
madbakes 3 years ago
Spain and Portugal have unbelievable canned seafood in general
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Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
One of the very best tunas I've ever had was Kirkland brand Solid White Albacore from Costco.
Snorkeldorf 3 years ago
Be cautious with tuna of any brand. I had some left over name brand in a dish in the fridge. Decided to take the chill off before I ate it and it started to spark in the microwave. I did not know that mercury is a metal and that was causing the sparks. Obviously there was quite a bit of mercury in the tuna.
Adam Jeff 3 years ago
Accumulation of mercury in the food chain, while a real problem, cannot cause your tuna to spark
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Amanda Fox 3 years ago
The companies that mark tuna dolphin safe are not the most honest... So yeah.
Mary Kelly 3 years ago
thanks for the tip...that is one reason that i don't buy certain brands, but here is the other thing...buy the tuna in oil...when you buy the tuna in water, they have to "wash" a lot of the natural oil out of the fish when canning that way...it's basically catfood by the end of the process...
#32
WyzeCam is a $20 1080p security camera that I discovered this year. It beats the more expensive Arlo by miles, in price, quality, customizability (local micro-sd or free 14 day cloud recording), and affordability (No fee or subscription for cloud recording). I returned the 720p Arlo camera. I prefer Headphones from Audio Technica over Bose beats. Colour Pop lippie sticks are better quality than any lipsticks you'll find from luxury makeup brands at a ridiculously low cost. They're highly pigmented, last longer, animal cruelty-free and made in L.A. not China. Kylie Jenner loved them so much she literally copied them, ingredient for ingredient and makes her lipsticks in L.A. too. I used to buy Warby Parker eyeglass frames but now I'm using Goggles4U.com. Store brands like Kirkland, Up & Up, Equate and Great Value make comparable products in almost every category that are less expensive than the more recognizable branded ones.
Robert T 3 years ago
I have a Blink camera, mainly because at the time it was the only one I could find that would run off batteries as I have no power in my garage. It lasts about a year on a pair of AA lithium batteries. No subscription fee either. Downside is that recordings get automatically deleted after a period of time, but you can download them.
Captain Awesome 3 years ago
I have several wyze cams and just added their thermostat, so far so good
Hypoxia Smurf 3 years ago
Mandolins. I bought a handmade-in-USA A-type for several hundred bucks. Later I bought cheap Chinese-made (Harmonia brand) A- and F-type mandos for under a hundred each that play just fine and sound indistinguishable in most situations. A fine instrument isn't needed for a raucous performance.
Gary Geracci 1 year ago
To Add,Why are Bose re-conditioned things as expensive or nearly what the new sell for! I just take care of my old RCA.
Amaranthim Talon 3 years ago
My Wyze Pro Buds are top of the line at a fraction of the airpods.
#33
Pop tarts. The store brands have more icing, are softer, and generally taste better all around.
Tigara Akimoto 3 years ago
Walmart brand has nearly twice the filling, too, which definitely improves the flavor
Kayla J 3 years ago
Their fruit filled granola bars are the same compared to NutriGrain stuff. More filling and less dry.
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Mark Fergel 3 years ago
Did you know that most fruit filling in pop-tarts is mostly made from pear with coloring and artificial flavors.
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
The Walmart brand spam tastes just like the old spam recipe. The pop tarts are softer because these brands are using the old recipes of the branded. The way better recipes.
3 Owls In A Coat 3 years ago
They look better than they taste sadly :( I like the chocolate ones the best. I’ve never tried an off-brand one though, this post is making me think they might be yummier 😋
Load More Replies... GadgetGirl 3 years ago
Store brand toaster waffles are generally twice as thick as eggo and half the price.
Jazz Akins 3 years ago
Hmmmm gotta disagree on this one. I will never let another off brand pop tart touch my lips after the fiasco I had with the Kroger brand cherry.
#34
2 buck chuck Pinot Grigio. Even cheaper and just as good....Aldi’s Winking Owl
Ban-One 3 years ago
Personally I can't agree on the cheap wine. Ok, expensive wine isn't always necessarily great and cheap wine doesn't have to be bad. And paying thousands for a big-named vintage wine is more a collectors item than a wine to drink and I certainly wouldn't do that. There are well priced wines, at good value and very enjoyable. An if - like me - you like to explore vineyards in different countries (Napa, Rioja, Tuscany etc.) then you might find good wines from small, unknown producers for little money. But there is often a difference between cheap, mass-produced wine and wine from a more refined producer. But in the end: It's all a matter of taste. Drink what you enjoy...enjoy what you drink. I never found a great 2$ wine that I enjoy though. But for 10-20$ you can find something quite enjoyable.
Michael King 3 years ago
Apparently you didn't hear about the double blind study where wine experts couldn't tell the difference between expensive and cheap wine? Dubner, Stephen J. "Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better?" Freakonomics. WNYC, New York, New York, 16 Dec. 2010. Radio. McRaney, David. "'You Are Not So Smart': Why We Can't Tell Good Wine From Bad." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 28 Oct. 2011. Web.
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Dre Mosley 3 years ago (edited)
My standards aren't high with wine. I've drank Yellow Tail and I've had considerably more expensive brands and really couldn't tell much of a difference.
LiL PeeP 3 years ago
Please sample some more expensive wines expand your pallet and tastebuds you'll be pleasantly surprised.You will see that your $2 wine is just that.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
If you're in the US, Francis Ford Coppola's California vineyard makes excellent mid-priced wines. I'm especially fond of the Shiraz (Syrah).
GamerChick5567 3 years ago
Cheap wine is good for cookinh but not drinking unless you want to get a badddd hangover.
UpupaEpops 3 years ago
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. That being said, the South African wines in Lidl are a great price for value.
#35
Saline solution for contacts. 2x 16oz bottles for less than 1 12oz bottle? Yes, please! I’m talking about typical multi-purpose disinfecting solution meant for contact lenses. Not pure saline solution.
K 3 years ago
Wish this were true for me and my sensitive eyes. I kept having eye issues, build up, and slight infections for a while. My doctor advised to stop using generic and only use brand name and my eyes have been fine for years.
sarina marts 3 years ago
Same. I use Bio True. I've had so many issues each time I've tried the cheap generic. I got stys, eye gunk, and dry eyes like crazy using the generic. I have only fallen asleep a couple times with contacts in since I start wearing them 3 1/2 years ago. 2 times with my Bio True and once with the generic. When I fell asleep using the Bio True I was fine, had no issues. The ONE time I fell asleep having used the generic I got a really bad sty that was about the size of half a marble or a very large pea. I've not used generic solution since and I no longer have any issues.
Load More Replies... Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
BJ's 3 16 oz bottles for $19 US, 2 of Bausch & Lomb Bio-Tru bottle at 10 oz -$16. I use the BJs and have for years.
Joel “Pop” Henslee 3 years ago
Make sure you are getting Multi purpose, not just saline solution. 5 months ago I had a cornea transplant because I was only using saline solution.
HalcyonVampire 3 years ago
I just buy the CVS brand instead of opti-free or whatever the heck it is.
Stephanie Paich 3 years ago
My husband wears contacts and it's insane how much some of the name brands try to charge for what is essentially salt water. I've seen a single bottle go for over $20 while he buys the grocery store brand big bottles for $6 for a 2-pack.
Mike Soigne 3 years ago
Kirkland brand (Costco) contact lens cleaning solution (3 16oz bottles p/ box) is the ONLY cleaning solution I buy. HINT: the formulation for "rewetting drops" solution IS THE SAME as the "cleaning" solution.
#36
Eyeglasses. I used to wear Raybans, D&G, Joseph An hour, etc.. and now I wear $15 frames I bought online and I couldn't be happier.
Edit: just to clarify, I was referring to prescription eyeglasses, not sunglasses
Kathleen R. 3 years ago (edited)
Last pair of glasses I got it was $69 for the exam and the glasses at America's Best eyeglasses. I got TWO pairs of eyeglasses. A regular pair of seeing glasses for walking around and driving. And a pair that's just for my computer. The doctor said the focus is about 18 inches out so I see my computer screen better. I don't need glasses for reading or I could have gotten the reading glasses instead of the computer glasses. Two pair, different prescriptions, use them both everyday, I've had them at least 5 years, $69 two different prescriptions, exam and the frames. Can't beat it with a stick. ---- And yes I'm aware I'm overdue for an eye exam, but "pandemic".
Load More Replies... Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
I bought some glasses at the thrift store. Popped the lenses out and am saving them for when I can go to the eye doc. They were 2 bucks
Powerful Katrinka 3 years ago
All eyeglass frames are made by the same manufacturer. The high-priced frames are literally the same as the cheaper ones. Here's a really good article that explains that super expensive eyeglass frames are a scam. https://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-glasses-lenscrafters-luxottica-monopoly-20190305-story.html
Stan Chung 3 years ago
Hahaha, I use reading glasses from Daiso for 1.25$ Power at +1, +1.5, +2.0, Last count 6 pairs around the house and in the office. Would never buy 'branded' ever again after losing my Hugo boss frames overseas.
RamsesThe7th 3 years ago
i used to get the cheap 20$ frames from walmart but went through a handful a year. i bought titanium frames and lenses for 400$ and i still going strong 6 years later. saves money in the long run
David Paterson 3 years ago
It's so annoying that long-sighted people can pick up a set of glasses for $5 at the local pharmacy but for short-sighted people like me it costs $500 at the optician. I now go online and get mine for $50. I've tried thrift store glasses, but you can't get the right lens strength.
Hypoxia Smurf 3 years ago
As I mentioned above, I fill my optical prescriptions at CostCo, not at a pricey local shop. It's about time for a new scrip now.
Alice In_Hell 3 years ago
A friend of mine says the same about buying cheap online glasses, she brags to me all the time about it lol. I'm blind in one eye, can hardly see out the other, so I'm leery to try online glasses. Though if they didnt work for me, it's not like I'd have spent a lot of money trying them.. hmmmm.
Bobby 3 years ago
If you have multifocal lenses I'd avoid online retailers, they tend to get those wrong or cut them wrong so the alignment isn't right
Load More Replies... #37
Silverware. I can get a giant pack for 3 dollars at Ikea. No need to buy the 200 dollar s**t my mom does so often and just stores away.
James016 3 years ago
I'm still using cutlery I bought pre 2010. It was 50% off. I have not seen anything in the shops that would want to make me change them.
pebs 3 years ago
I still use my Grandma's curlery, probably around 1950...
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N Miller 3 years ago
Are people routinely changing their cutlery? I bought ours in 2010 when we moved house (following a mishap with the moving van that left us with just three teaspoons, two forks and three knives) and they're still going strong. I also still have two of the three teaspoons (lost one at work) and the original forks and knives as well. The stuff we bought was midrange, the stuff we lost was midrange.
Yoga Kitty 3 years ago
I was also wondering about that - why would I change my cutlery? I still have the same I bought when I moved into my first own appartement...
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natie marie 3 years ago
I sort of disagree here. We baught poshish cutlery about 4 years ago but use it as our day to day cutlery. Never looked back. Such a satisfying fork to eat with Haha.
Michelle C 3 years ago
Stainless steel cutlery Will last forever! My family has had some since I was born that we still use- 30+ years ago!
Hypoxia Smurf 3 years ago
That's tableware, not necessarily silverware. We reserve silver for ritual occasions. A silver knife is better than chromed steel for dealing with vampires.
Karen Philpott 3 years ago
Op-shop cutlery. You can pick up whole sets at times. Sometimes they're brand new. Cheaper than stores.
T'Mar of Vulcan 3 years ago
My mother bought a set of pots on sale at Game (cheap South African store, now owned by Walmart, frak) for like R200 ($13 at the current exchange rate). And they are the BEST pots I've ever owned. As a teen I let one boil dry and scrubbed it and you'd never know to look at the bottom of the pot.
#38
Went from north face to Carrhart, not necessarily the cheap brand but marginally cheaper, it’s warmer and more suited to what I do for work as well.
Dan Holden 3 years ago (edited)
Agreed. North Face makes active/adventure clothing whereas Carrhart makes work clothing. I'm sure you could get away with wearing Carrhart on outdoor excursions, but I wouldn't recommend wearing your North Face gear on a construction site.
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Peej Maybe 3 years ago
North face stuff has dropped off a cliff in quality over the last few years. Now it's actually worse than bog standard Mountain Warehouse kit but for 4-6 times the price
Herman Trowser 3 years ago
Yup, same with LL Bean, Abercrombie etc. These used to be serious outfitters that were acquired by beancounters who turned them into fashion houses selling fast fashion.
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Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
I have an oversized, heavy Carhartt hoodie that I bought 30 years ago. Despite having been laundered frequently, it has no rips or tears or pills.
Channon Doughty 3 years ago
Makes sense. Carhartt is made fto withstand heavy duty work. North Face is for hobbyists
#39
Glasses. I will never feel better spending $400 vs. $30. Changed my life.
MellonCollie 3 years ago
I don't think I would be comfortable with supermarket glasses for my astigmatism and a different correction for the left and the right eye.
JoJo Anisko 3 years ago
I think this is in reference to the frames (designer vs generic), which don't have anything to do with correcting your vision.
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Henrik Schmidt 3 years ago
This however is nonsense. If we're talking reading glasses then yes, the cheaper ones are just as good as the expensive ones. But for the types of glasses that are designed specifically for YOUR eyes, don't skimp on quality. The frames are not important, but the lenses themselves are!
Jaekry 3 years ago (edited)
My first prescription: only a small cylinder. Recommendation: 900usd/EUR in the store. Even called th budget lenses, lol, but excuse me!? Paid for the exam, took the prescription print home and ordered online. (With 4 frames to try like a fitting.) Price 60usd/EUR. Time: 1 day. Highly recommended! (And 100days no worry, try out guarantee)
Sireyensid 3 years ago
This one is kind of ridiculous unless it is about sun glasses without correction.
RamsesThe7th 3 years ago
i pay for the material. with decked out lenses and titanium frames i spent 400$ and that was 6 years ago
#40
Arm & Hammer deodorant - doesn't have aluminum or parabens and works amazing for me. Never have smelled bad after using it.
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
I stopped using the bigger brand kinds because they add all that herbs and flowers c68p. I can't use it, I'm allergic. Have not used since the end of the 90s when they started with jojoba and I had to go to the er.
Cold Contagious 3 years ago
I'm allergic to many as well but I can use the Secret unscented, so I stick with it.
Load More Replies... Isabel Care 3 years ago
Pit Rock or Salt of the Earth. Seems expensive until you realise that one lump lasts for 18 months to 2 years. When you get to the bottom part that's surrounded by the holder, put it in a jar of water and use the water in a small spray bottle. Keep topping up the jar until all the crystal lump is used.
The weird one 3 years ago
THANK YOU. The only stuff I have been using for who knows how long lololol
T'Mar of Vulcan 3 years ago
Cheap "purple shampoo" from Checkers. Works better than imported purple shampoos (for toning grey hair if you weren't aware).
Audrey Kahin 3 years ago
You can also get a bottle of purple hair color like artic fox or iroiro add a tiny amount to your conditioner or shampoo and boom tones it beautifully
Load More Replies... Alice In_Hell 3 years ago
I make my own deodorant so I know exactly the ingredients that are in it. It does take a bit of time to adjust but if you do an armpit detox first, it really helps....yes..an armpit detox, lol
Jessica Cooney 3 years ago
I used to go for the more expensive Dove and Degree, but they stopped working, so I switched to A & H and I haven't had any issues at all.
Peej Maybe 3 years ago
Best thing I ever did was listen to my wife's advice about deodorant. There's a brand in the UK called Perspirex which you use twice a week (I know, right?) or sometimes even once, and you never get BO with it. Half the time, modern spray or ball deodorants actually make you smell WORSE. Give that stuff a go, it's more expensive but a tiny little bottle can last 2 months or more and it really does work.
#41
Fruity and coco dino bites instead of fruity and coco pebbles. Cheaper cereal in larger quantities and (in my opinion) better taste.
#42
When I was a new mom, I tried all kinds of fancy bottles with my baby. The best ones were evenflo - cheap, glass, babies liked them, easy to clean.
Tigara Akimoto 3 years ago (edited)
My firstborn was born with a cleft lip and palate. We had a bear of a time finding a bottle that worked for him. What we eventually found was the J&J one that used the disposable liners, cuz he just couldn't suck, so we could leave the air in the liner and squeeze it to force the (breast milk, then formula) through the nipple so he could eat. Thankfully, the tiny holes in the nipples kept the milk from coming out too fast and making him choke. My second son only wanted the cheap dollar store hard bottle, but he'd only take one type of nipples (the clear silicone orthodontic, again by J&J)
Eat Dirt Crow 3 years ago
And another good thing about them is they make thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Biliegh Berrie 3 years ago
I always used cheap and took the nipples I was gonna use to the hospital with me. I think it is that first use that matters.
Mary Daniel 3 years ago
I advocate breastfeeding for those who are able. For lots and lots of reasons
Mary Jeffries 3 years ago
Breasts work great but some people can’t be there for every feeding or cannot nurse.
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Bobby 3 years ago
This one is so dependent on the baby. We had to use the doc brown bottles with our daughter otherwise she would spit up everything she ate. Pain in the butt to clean but they did the trick. My oldest would only feed from one sordid brand of nipple but I can not remember which
#43
Bread. In my area the brand name is literally the same company that bakes for the store brand.
Stephanie A Mutti 3 years ago
The Costco brand of toilet paper is made by Kimberly Clark who sells Cottonelle for a way higher cost. Exact. Same. Product.
Stacy Buttface 3 years ago (edited)
Yeah but Cottonelle actually sucks and leaves little pieces of TP on your parts..
Load More Replies... Ruth Kilpatrick 3 years ago
We prefer the Walmart Great Value brand white sandwich bread...$0.93 a loaf
Christof Irran 3 years ago
I think that's true almost anywhere in the U.S., and that's the reason why most of these companies remain in business.
#44
I paid full price for Fraps (game recording software), and didn't really like it but made it work because it cost a lot and I was going to get my money's worth. Eventually tried Shadowplay, which comes free with GTX graphics cards, and I loved it. It has way more functionality and I still use it to this day, never looked back.
Little Wonder 3 years ago
Yeah I use the built in capture that comes with AMD cards. Smoother and easier than other software.
Jrdiver 3 years ago
Even the game bar in windows is fine for most things....
Load More Replies... Xerastraza Lecrutia 3 years ago
I prefer OBS requires a bit of set up but open source free and has everything you'd ever need for recording and or streaming.
Helen Waight 3 years ago
Capture software that comes with the graphics card is often (I won’t say never because software failing is why I have a job) better because you know it was tested on that graphics card. Generic stuff is kind of hit and miss regarding what it was tested on.
#45
Don’t hate, but chocolate. I’m not talking about everyday cheap candy bars vs. high end sweets, I’m talking about the mass produced cheap-as-dirt chocolate. Easter and Christmas are my favorite because that’s when you can find the chocolate I’m talking about. The little package of like 3 chocolate Santa’s mixed with puffed rice for $1, that chocolate. Is it not that chocolately? Sure. A little dry? Yep. Kinda chalky? Definitely. But it’s just the perfect combination that tastes delicious to me. It also somewhat reminds me of my childhood when I got cheap old Crunch bars from the nearby gas station as a treat and I cherished them.
Ban-One 3 years ago (edited)
No to cheap chocolate for me. Maybe I'm biased (being from Switzerland). Ok, chocolate from Lindt for example is overpriced. Yes, they're good. But depending on what country up to 4$ for a chocolate is too much. And their Lindor Kugeln (yes, balls) are great, but way too expensive. Same goes for Godiva. But I'm willing to pay good money for great chocolate. Like the ones from "Läderach" or the truffles from "Sprüngli". Expensive...but there IS a difference there. At least for me. But like wine...whatever you enjoy and makes you happy.
Sue User 3 years ago
In America, i buy lindt when it goes on sale 2/$4. Miss Leonadis as my splurge ( store closed ). Rather lindt than hersheys. That stuff is vile.
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Auntriarch 3 years ago
Yes. If you aren't going to be spending £6 a bar, Aldi is your friend
Load More Replies... Kathi S 3 years ago
Please don't hate me for this, dear Brits and Irish people but Cadbury ist just really cheap industrial chocolate. Come to Germany or Switzerland and you will be able to tell the difference. Ritter Sport and Lindt are my favourites. (Of course, to each their own! I, for example, have a weakness for junk food which of course is exactly that: junk 😅)
Sue User 3 years ago
Lindt for dark and white. Ritter for filled ( marzipan yum ). But there is a nostalgic guilty pleasure with Cadbury Fruit and Nut.
Load More Replies... Kathleen R. 3 years ago
I also say NO to cheap chocolate. And I mean the gross waxy generic stuff that is only chocolate adjacent. It doesn't take a lot of money to buy a quality piece of chocolate and I prefer milk chocolate, I don't care for much for dark chocolate. So I don't have to pay dark chocolate prices. GOOD milk chocolate isn't that awfully expensive. And I'm worth it.
GlitterQueen541 3 years ago
Chocolate is one of those things I'm willing to pay more for if I can be sure it isn't being made by slave labor *cough-cough* NESTLE *cough-cough*
Mary Jeffries 3 years ago
No chocolate can compare with the magic nostalgia of candy brought my a mythical creature.
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
I find that cheap chocolate always seems to get this weird white film on it when left out to long. It also has this strange slightly chalky aftertaste to it. I love my chocolate so I’m alright occasionally splurging for a delicious high quality piece of chocolate.
Sue User 3 years ago
The technical term is blooming. Caused by cheaper ingrediants reacting with heat or moisture.
Load More Replies... #46
Watches - my $10 quartz watch is absurdly precise compared to my ex-roommate's rolex, doesn't require winding, and doesn't need to maintained.
btaglln 3 years ago
That is not really on point ... It is like saying "I wear a keyring on my finger, it has the same exact utility as my previous gold ring". You may not like watches, and some prices are stupid but a good watch is a nice thing, and some mechanical watches are pieces of art
Dekker451 3 years ago
It's exactly on-point if you only wear watches for their practical value and not as jewelry.
Load More Replies... David Paterson 3 years ago
No. I have an expensive Seiko digital quartz from the year 1979, still going strong. $10 watches don't last 9 months.
YELLING!!! 3 years ago
My favorite watch is one that cost me $3 from Ali Express. It keeps time perfectly and looks like most other watches from a distance (about 2 miles)
Michael Vickery 3 years ago
Yeah, watches are mens jewelry. If you're wearing an expensive watch, it's not to tell time. I don't even wear a watch, since I have a cellphone.
Kathleen R. 3 years ago
I agree, this one is not relevant. Yes I agree buying a $20,000 watch is stupid. But the fact is, no one needs to buy watch at all, anyway to tell time, since everybody has a phone with the time on it. So yeah I agree that a watch is decorative more than anything. People who wear watches want to see something pretty on their arm, so technically it's jewelry, and that's just their preference that they want to buy expensive jewelry.
Christof Irran 3 years ago
In September of 2004 my brother found a Timex quartz watch on the beach near Ocean Shores (western/Pacific coast of Washington state). It must have been in the water for quite some time because it had barbicels growing on it. It still worked. He has since (very carefully, so as not to break the barbicels) replaced the battery several times, and it still keeps perfect time.
Marcus Lynch 3 years ago
My fossil gets mistaken for a Rolex all the time. $20 ebay find with a new battery maybe every 2 years. A fancy, expensive watch just becomes something to worry about breaking.
Helen Waight 3 years ago
I’d say…maybe. I went through about 15 watches from age 18 to 30. Got a Citizen for my 30th and still wear it (I’m getting close to 50)
#47
Thai food. Thai is cheap food, period. People making $30 Thai meals DO NOT understand how to put that meal together and make it work.
Nea 3 years ago
I dont get this one. Why cant Thai food be expensive the same way as other cuisines can be cheap as well as expensive?
Jason 3 years ago
Cooking things for yourself makes most meals significantly cheaper than restaurants. Usually tastes better too. 3 meals (leftovers) for 3 people for the same price as 1 at the restaurant. BBQ is nuts too. 30 bucks for half a rack of ribs. 3 racks is 30 at Costco, 1$ in spices and like 5 in charcoal/wood.
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YELLING!!! 3 years ago
I think restaurants that make it cheaply and get customers to buy it for $30 do understand and are making it work very well.
What do you think ?
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I absolutely love how everyone on Panda comes together as one when we have a money-saving post. YOU ARE MY PEOPLE!!!!
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
Yep. Got all different shapes and sizes for my gallery wall. One can of matte black spray paint and they all match.
Load More Replies...
similarly 3 years ago
I'm a nut for free software. I've got two favorites: 1. Gimp. It's an image-editing software. It's not pretty, and it takes some getting used to, but it does everything I want it to do. 2. Audacity. This free audio editor is better than a lot of paid software I've tried. It's my go-to audio editor.
Bunzilla 3 years ago
Inkscape is also a pretty good vector art tool and is free. If you want it just for inking, you can turn off the 'fill'. It's got its issues, but, again, free. Worth checking out, at least.
Load More Replies...
Steve Kenney 3 years ago
Aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Why anyone would pay grocery store prices for these things when you can get it from a discount store way cheaper is beyond me. You're not keeping these things so why pay top dollar for them?
Mike Soigne 3 years ago (edited)
I/we hand-wash & reuse Ziplock bags. Well, the "heavy duty" large & small shortage bags get reused. The thinner "sandwich" or "snack" bags don’t get reused, but we don’t buy/use that size often. The "heavy duty" bags don't last forever, but they last longer than ONE, SINGLE use. 💯 Double-bag and suck the air out, and it's a great way to store all sorts of frozen foods in the deep freezer.
Load More Replies...
2WheelTravlr 3 years ago
Stud finders -- I have two fancy ones which have never worked very well, then I spied a little gizmo at my local hardware store, It's a rare earth magnet in a small housing that also has a level for under ten bucks - the magnet finds the screws in the sheetrock every darned time. It's super fast and has been 100% reliable.
Shawnna Clement 3 years ago
Buying store brand items at the grocery is the the way to go. Many are name brand products with a different label. They always have a money back guarantee, in case you don't like it.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
Store brand mouthwash. Exactly the same ingredients as Listerine but one third the cost.
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago (edited)
There's a very prevalent myth among music-lovers that's been disproven by science that gold audio connections are somehow better. The gold prevents them from corroding; that's all. It seems a little odd to jack up the price of a cable from $5 to $50 to buy gold rather than buying a new audio cable every 350 years, or not letting your guitar amp sit it water for weeks at a time.
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago (edited)
On the other hand, even if you can't isolate the sound, given the fact that your ear drums are acoustic, your brain can register the "inaudible" difference between acoustic and digital, because there's lots of wierd compression going into digital. In fact, I think it's pretty fascinating how much audio coding leaves up to your brain to fill in the gaps. So yes, go with lower levels of compression, even if you can't understand why you like "the same" sound better.
Load More Replies...
Shayda 3 years ago
Got this little lotion travel pack with two scents, coconut milk and rose vanilla. I got at the dollar tree because my hands were dry and it was a two pack. BEST LOTION EVER!!! I went back recently for more pens (they write like butter!) and I saw two big bottles of the same two scents!! I stretched out of the line to reach over and grab them both!! The brand is Spa Luxury if you're interested. It smells amazing and absorbs nicely leaving my hands smooth for hours.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I absolutely love how everyone on Panda comes together as one when we have a money-saving post. YOU ARE MY PEOPLE!!!!
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
Yep. Got all different shapes and sizes for my gallery wall. One can of matte black spray paint and they all match.
Load More Replies... similarly 3 years ago
I'm a nut for free software. I've got two favorites: 1. Gimp. It's an image-editing software. It's not pretty, and it takes some getting used to, but it does everything I want it to do. 2. Audacity. This free audio editor is better than a lot of paid software I've tried. It's my go-to audio editor.
Bunzilla 3 years ago
Inkscape is also a pretty good vector art tool and is free. If you want it just for inking, you can turn off the 'fill'. It's got its issues, but, again, free. Worth checking out, at least.
Load More Replies... Steve Kenney 3 years ago
Aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Why anyone would pay grocery store prices for these things when you can get it from a discount store way cheaper is beyond me. You're not keeping these things so why pay top dollar for them?
Mike Soigne 3 years ago (edited)
I/we hand-wash & reuse Ziplock bags. Well, the "heavy duty" large & small shortage bags get reused. The thinner "sandwich" or "snack" bags don’t get reused, but we don’t buy/use that size often. The "heavy duty" bags don't last forever, but they last longer than ONE, SINGLE use. 💯 Double-bag and suck the air out, and it's a great way to store all sorts of frozen foods in the deep freezer.
Load More Replies... 2WheelTravlr 3 years ago
Stud finders -- I have two fancy ones which have never worked very well, then I spied a little gizmo at my local hardware store, It's a rare earth magnet in a small housing that also has a level for under ten bucks - the magnet finds the screws in the sheetrock every darned time. It's super fast and has been 100% reliable.
Shawnna Clement 3 years ago
Buying store brand items at the grocery is the the way to go. Many are name brand products with a different label. They always have a money back guarantee, in case you don't like it.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
Store brand mouthwash. Exactly the same ingredients as Listerine but one third the cost.
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago (edited)
There's a very prevalent myth among music-lovers that's been disproven by science that gold audio connections are somehow better. The gold prevents them from corroding; that's all. It seems a little odd to jack up the price of a cable from $5 to $50 to buy gold rather than buying a new audio cable every 350 years, or not letting your guitar amp sit it water for weeks at a time.
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago (edited)
On the other hand, even if you can't isolate the sound, given the fact that your ear drums are acoustic, your brain can register the "inaudible" difference between acoustic and digital, because there's lots of wierd compression going into digital. In fact, I think it's pretty fascinating how much audio coding leaves up to your brain to fill in the gaps. So yes, go with lower levels of compression, even if you can't understand why you like "the same" sound better.
Load More Replies... Shayda 3 years ago
Got this little lotion travel pack with two scents, coconut milk and rose vanilla. I got at the dollar tree because my hands were dry and it was a two pack. BEST LOTION EVER!!! I went back recently for more pens (they write like butter!) and I saw two big bottles of the same two scents!! I stretched out of the line to reach over and grab them both!! The brand is Spa Luxury if you're interested. It smells amazing and absorbs nicely leaving my hands smooth for hours.
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