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.
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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.
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.
Clothing from second hand. Now I can not buy expensive clothes.
Bonus, sometimes the clothes you can get second-hand are higher end as well!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hyundai and Kia have really brought their A game to the industry in recent years.
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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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!
I agree. I love Toyota vehicles, good quality and reliable.
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And you can get "luxury" upgrades to those cars and then it feels like you're driving a luxury car. I absolutely love my Mazda.
My Mazda is 15 years old with over 200,000 miles & still going strong. She isn't much to look at any more, but she travels just fine. I'm shooting for 250,000 miles before I trade her in. Wish me luck :)
Load More Replies... 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
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.
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. 😉
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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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
Yep. I have always had fantastic luck with the older ford's.
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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.
They are generally also much easier to fix as the parts are easier to get and are much less expensive. I knew someone who had to wait over 2 months for a part from Germany for their luxury car. I'll never forget watching Married with Children and Marcy had a Mercedes. She had it for like 2 days and she needed to get a part for it and it was sitting at the repair shop for 3 months while she waited for the part. So she would walk around with a picture of the car to show people how excited she was to have it, like showing a picture of her kid.
My friend has a Toyota Corolla from 88? 89? Something like that. Still going strong, only issue is the air conditioner which she just can't be bothered replacing. Meanwhile my brother's VW always had problems, and getting replacements in Oz is super expensive
I’ve had Fords, Kias, Suzukis and a Volkswagen. Gotta say the Suzuki gave me the least grief.
Depends very much on what model. My 23 year old BMW has held its value very well and is actually starting to climb in value again. Up until recently it has needed very little to keep it on the road. Have recently had some bodywork done to it in order to keep it looking decent and keep it going for another decade or two.
If you want a Japanese luxury car, you can check out Infiniti (Nissan), Lexus (Toyota), Acura (Honda).
yeah. my mom drives an 8 year old honda minivan and we recently had to get rid of the 14+ yo honda civic. now we have a bmw lol
Alright alright I'll chime in. I got my 2009 Toyota Prius three summers ago and we hit it off right away. She was exactly what I'd wanted for quite a while and I had worked hard for her even though she was a bit older than I'd envisioned. So bear with me guys, I'm parenting an adolescent here. She eats next to nothing. I only have to feed her every 3 weeks. She communicates extremely well via her touch screen so no problems there. We did run into an issue last Spring when Jolene threw some angsty shït at me and turned off her hybrid battery so I was forced to replace it. She's much better now. Last week, she reached a milestone of 111,111 miles and her average is 46mpg. We are very happy together.
Curious: How much did it cost to replace the batteries?
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My father's been a professional licensed mechanic for around 35 years and says that Toyota is the best to go with. (Also, don't get Ford. He has only a few people with Ford and they're always breaking down.)
Foriegn cars aren't required to be electric. That makes all the difference to me.
Toyota has a reputation that their vehicles 'run on the smell of an oily rag'. I've never had an issue we couldn't fix with our Toyota's.
We had a Jaguar for years. Holy Moly, that car had problems regularly. And therefore, it cost us a lot. Now we have a Mercedes. Not as fancy as a Jaguar yet still better and more reliable. As a side note: living in Germany you get the best service for your Mercedes. It’s not that expensive and even the costs for winter tires won’t leave you broke. Plus, l feel that nearly everyone drives a Mercedes in Germany. So you won’t stick out from the crowd.
Got my Mitsubishi a few years back and looked at equivalent models in Mercedes, BMW, Audi and VW etc. Like for like none of them could match the features and function I got with the Mitsubishi. I would've had to spend serious money to get anywhere near a similar spec. Even then they just didn't compare.
Totally agree, Kia has really surprised me. Usually get a lift in one, 10 years old and over 100k on the clock and as solid as anything, no creaks,rattle or squeaks, drives as smooth as anything and very well equiped.
Not sure if they still do but when they first came out they used a lot of Ford products
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Gotta Concur, BUT, My 2006 Chevy Trax has been in the shop less for minor S**T
2003 Corolla, regular maintenance with same AAA mechanic for 45 years.
I drove an 06' Toyota Tacoma for 10 years and sold it at 220,000 miles for half of what I paid for it. Bought a 19' Tacoma w/ 30,000 miles and will drive that until it has 200k or so. They make a great truck!
My sister had a really cute little Chevy something. Brand new, extended warranty & got great gas mileage. She traded it in for a new Cadillac and her car payment increased by almost double, sucks gas and THEN she lost her job. She can barely afford to keep it (but she will, because she's all about "status & looks").
I have a 2011 Suzuki Kizashi. I accidentally ran over some c**p construction people left out on the road at night. Not only did my tires not pop, my rims not bend, but NOTHING under the car was damaged aside from needing to bolt the metal sheet back up. She has a few electrical quirks, but I love her.
My Hyundai Accent is 10 years old and still going. Only certified technicians touch it and I drive slow in metropolitan traffic. 56,000km ODO after, it still looks new. :)
it may be a BMW but I love my Mini. Amazingly reliable, great on gas, she's super safe, holds her value, and most importantly a total blast to drive
I switched to Honda ten years ago, and I have had 10 years of trouble free motoring 2 top cars the 'Jazz' & the CRV.
I switched to Honda ten years ago, and I have had 10 years of trouble free motoring, 2 top cars the 'Jazz' & the CRV.
I bought a new Hyundai Hatch when they first came to Australia and sold it 9 years later. It never had any mechanical repairs and only one electrical fuse and the battery need to be replaced one time. I always have my cars serviced every 7 months and only use the highest-grade fuel. It has paid off every time. My Corolla lasted 17 years doing this with minor repairs and the usual replacement of tyres and battery. I find using the high octane fuel more economical than the high costs of repairs and regular services located any minor things before they became major. She had a towbar and pulled a heavy river boat and trailers into the bush track up and down dales. I drove all over Tasmania and weekends away on our curious unplanned 'mystery tours'. I also drove 200 plus km each week to Sydney and back to the mountains for about 8 years in her. Then the Hyundai took over. I sold Abigail when the differential needed to be replaced. A young man bought her, thrilled to be able to restore her.
I heard about a girl who owned a Suzuki Wagon. She was asked if repairs were not very expensive. Her answer was: I don't know, I have only had it 10 years.
I"ve owned a Honda, a Nissan, and currently drive a Toyota. I would never willingly buy any other type of car. They last nearly forever.
My hubby and I drive Huyndai. Our last one made it to 20 years. Never ever problems under the hood. I love Toyota too.
I swear by my Mitsubishi. It's cheap on gas and has a 10 year warranty. In the 9 years I've had it, I have yet to fix anything; just regular maintenance and winter tires for us Canadians.
If you live in a snowy locale, a Subaru is the best choice you'll ever make.
On my second Hyundai Getz both bought used. Only problem I ever had with both was AC after 10 years. Fantastic little cars and cheap to run.
Most European vehicle brands are way overrated. The Asian brands are surprisingly good. And none of this BS where you're paying an extra monthly fee for features that should be included. (Lookin' at you, BMW!) Love my Honda. My wife has a Honda, my sons both have Hondas, my daughter just bought a Kia after totaling her Toyota. The last American car we had died in our driveway.
96 Toyota Camry, still going strong and as good on gas as most new cars and all their bull sh it electronic controls
I had my Hyundai Sante Fe for 16 years! Had almost 200,000 miles on it. Only traded it in because I couldn't get the air conditioner fixed. The car still ran great outside of that!
agree. i had a 1992 nissan sentra, basic model, that i had until i got a new car in 2005. in all those years, other than a couple of flat tires, i replaced the alternator once and the clutch once (cuz a friend told me he could drive a stick and he couldn't. not the car's fault) and that's it. i just kept up with my oil changes and the occasional tuneup. btw, the car i bought "new" in 2005? another nissan sentra that had 5500 miles on it. it now has 196,000+ miles on it and is still going strong. the CD player doesn't work anymore (the radio still works, tho) and i've had to replace the battery twice, but other than that, she has never been in the shop. tl;dr: get a nissan sentra. they're great, reliable cars.
Not to mention a Hyundai supplier in Al was found to be employing underage workers. No thanks. Japan big 3 taught us a lesson we are finally heeding. Dad, uncle, and I all worked big 3. Depending on model, they are just as dependable and reliable.
I'm on my 3rd Kia and they're a great quality car. Price tag is impressive compared to many similarly equipped vehicles, and I've found this to be true at all price points. From a "loaded" Sorento to a basic Rio, I'm never disappointed with them.
My husband bought a BMW. The resale value is c**p. Don't even try it
Add Subaru to that list. They might be higher end but that thing is the closest thing to the tank save for the actual tank
Bought our Toyota Highlander in 2008 and not only is it still running great (have made sure to keep up with consistent maintenance annually) but without a doubt the best suv to drive in the snow.
Ah man I absolutely loved my 2009 Honda Accord 🥺🥺🥺 until tranny blew. Had 190,000+ miles. I miss that car!!!
I drove an old toyota for over 20 years and it never needed repairs, meanwhile coworkers with Jeeps, PT Cruisers and other c r a p were forever taking theirs to the mechanic
My mum's Cadillac has out lived my dad's 2 Hondas. The Cadillac is named The Beast because Mum has hit several deer with it and it came out perfectly fine. It's also been on its side in a ditch during a blizzard before none of the windows broke and the heat worked so mum was able to stay safe till help arrived
Had my Honda Accord for over 200k miles. Take Care of it and it will go forever.
I'll take a Toyota over any other brand, my 2007 Prius has 250k miles and I would still take it on a cross country trip.
I had a 2010 Nissan Sentra with 283k miles then the transmission blew 😭first real problem with it tho, great car
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My mom drove the same Toyota Corolla for 20+ years with very few issues, and it was still going strong when she sold it for an SUV.
I bought my first Hyundai 2.5 years ago. Has been FANTASTIC. Plus, i got way more upgrades than I would have been able to afford with other brands.
How about Dacia Logan, Berlina or Solenza? On the street, I'll see functioning models from before 2007
Have a look at the Porsche Cayanne. It costs twice as much as an MDX new, but half as much after 5 years. That should tell you everything you need to know.
all of my Toyotas have lasted over 250,000. Rav4 I'm driving now is even better: no timing belt, it's a chain now.
And if you live in the North (Canada here) they do not rust like domestic cars do.
I don't know. Both Hondas Accord (1979 and 1988) I owned developed rust at ~90,000 miles. I had a 1984 BMW 318i with 450,000 miles, no issues that couldn't get fixed with basic maintenance and routine clutch replacements, until it got ground up by a semi truck. I bought my current 2002 BMW 325i when it had 112,000 miles on the clock; it's now at 210,000 miles. The Germans hadn't invented rust yet when either of these cars were built.
I have a mini Cooper and just spent around $1000 on a set of new brakes, oil change, new tires and alignment. They always try and get me to go to the dealership for maintenance too and I could easily double the cost if I did.
Our used Cadillac needed constant service. Our used Kya does not. Easy pick.
My Toyota has almost 260,000 miles on it and I've never had a single problem with it.
This true. Great resale, last forever and not too expensive if you ever need parts. I’m a ride or die Audi guy, but resale is shiit and it is soooooo expensive if you ever get in a wreck and need body work.
Best car I ever had was an 85 Toyota Camry. Never had any problems except normal wear and tear
I have had a couple of Fords in my life, all used and I'm embarrassed to say that if I paid more attention to regular maintenance, I would still have at least one of them. Recently I had gotten back to back Chryslers because of credit issues, and both have been major disappointments with both needing radiator fixes, one needing a new engine and the other needed a new oil reservoir. Plus, the second had the front passenger wheel support fall apart from rust. Plus, the Chrysler lug nuts are made exclusively, so you need their tools just to change a tire. Credit is better now, going back to Ford.
The Koreans look good and have lots of tech, but they tend to cheap out where it matters, namely the actual car. They were the last to keep halogens and reflectors in the headlights, but had fancy tablets inside. Also they keep having recalls for things that really shouldn't happen. Altough Toyota managed to make a car who's wheels fall off too
My Toyota was brilliant, never had any issues in the 9 years I owned it (it was 6 years old when I got it)
Currently driving a 2008 Honda CRV. Previously drove a Geo Tracker for 14 years. The Suzuki motor was still good but the Chevrolet body rusted through. I would've bought another Tracker had Geo still been making them.
My Honda Civic and it had gone up 4k actually since I bought it. They're climbing in value atm. Good investment for a good reason! and a good reliable car that's also easy to make repairs on yourself. You don't need to pay someone for every job
We have to use 4x4's here. We've had Landie's and a Jeep. We have a little Nissan Qashqai now. It's 10 years old and it had a check up last week, no faults at all and it is easy to drive.
My Nissan Sentra is still going strong after 16 years, and a cross-country move!
My car was deemed a total loss from a wreck just a week ago. I bought a 2016 Nissan Maxima in 2016. It was a dealer-driven base model. I paid $25k for it. In 2022, I'm getting a check for $20k, which is $4k to $6k higher than its value according to my research. It barely depreciated, it was paid for, and I drove it for six and a half years ! Guess what automaker I'll be looking to by from again.
2012 Kia Soul (manual transmission). Gets 37mpg highway & 32-34 in town. Five speakers in front and two in the back! It's like driving a tiny boombox that never dies
My mom bought a Toyota Corolla Tercel and it kept going for 15 years until she traded it in.
My Nissan Versa hatchback has been the toughest car I've ever driven. I've driven the guts out of it, up hollers, long trips in city traffic, hit major potholes, ditches, two dogs. 250k miles and I haven't put more than 200$ into it aside from maintenance.
My mechanic said the parts for japanese cars are more expensive than the European parts, but you don't need them. I've had Hondas since 1998 and never had one break down. My current car has 140000 km (~87k miles) and I only replaced fluids, filters, bulbs and brake parts.
I've had Honda vehicles for years and they've never disappointed me. Hyundais/Kias/Mazda have more "fancy" features and are also reliable, they just don't have much resale value where I live so I avoid them.
They make the best EVs too with range that puts most western models to shame
Nissans, especially their small cars like the old Micra and the Juke. Solidly engineered, they just go forever.
Sorry to disagree on this one. Had two Toyotas with severe engine trouble (from factory) and Fiat's (rusty). We had a bit older BMW z3 and a 3 serie, cheapest cars in maintenance ever. Mine is now at 230.000km never had a problem, EVER. Only oil, filter, brakes and tires. That's normal. I'm convinced it can reach 350k without a hitch.
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.
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.
While I agree regards not paying stupid money for flagship phones. Especially as with many you're just paying for the brand name while the workers are exploited. As a cyber tech I've to express concern regards some of the cheaper models - especially the unknown Chinese brands. Many of these contain serious spyware and connect/report everything to servers in China.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!)
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.
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.
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
Cables. 99.99999% of people do not need the $200 gold plated HDMI cables.
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.
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?
Those knock off brand cereal bags. They are bigger cheaper and I usually can't taste the difference.
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.
Mascara. Drug store mascara is just as good if not better than any $25+ premium makeup brand mascara.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
I always find good stuff in this store too (there are always huge discounts if you look properly)
French press > coffee machine
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.
Amazon Basics has really good HDMI cables for $6.
On the other hand, Amazon overworks their employees so much that they have to pee in bottles.
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
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.
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.
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.
The Home Depot version of the Magic Erasers sponges. They are half the price and work just as well.
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).
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.
WyzeCam is a $20 1080p security camera that I discovered this year. It beats the more expensive Arlo by miles, in price, quality, customizability (local micro-sd or free 14 day cloud recording), and affordability (No fee or subscription for cloud recording). I returned the 720p Arlo camera. I prefer Headphones from Audio Technica over Bose beats. Colour Pop lippie sticks are better quality than any lipsticks you'll find from luxury makeup brands at a ridiculously low cost. They're highly pigmented, last longer, animal cruelty-free and made in L.A. not China. Kylie Jenner loved them so much she literally copied them, ingredient for ingredient and makes her lipsticks in L.A. too. I used to buy Warby Parker eyeglass frames but now I'm using Goggles4U.com. Store brands like Kirkland, Up & Up, Equate and Great Value make comparable products in almost every category that are less expensive than the more recognizable branded ones.
Pop tarts. The store brands have more icing, are softer, and generally taste better all around.
Walmart brand has nearly twice the filling, too, which definitely improves the flavor
2 buck chuck Pinot Grigio. Even cheaper and just as good....Aldi’s Winking Owl
Personally I can't agree on the cheap wine. Ok, expensive wine isn't always necessarily great and cheap wine doesn't have to be bad. And paying thousands for a big-named vintage wine is more a collectors item than a wine to drink and I certainly wouldn't do that. There are well priced wines, at good value and very enjoyable. An if - like me - you like to explore vineyards in different countries (Napa, Rioja, Tuscany etc.) then you might find good wines from small, unknown producers for little money. But there is often a difference between cheap, mass-produced wine and wine from a more refined producer. But in the end: It's all a matter of taste. Drink what you enjoy...enjoy what you drink. I never found a great 2$ wine that I enjoy though. But for 10-20$ you can find something quite enjoyable.
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.
Note: this post originally had 47 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
I absolutely love how everyone on Panda comes together as one when we have a money-saving post. YOU ARE MY PEOPLE!!!!
Yep. Got all different shapes and sizes for my gallery wall. One can of matte black spray paint and they all match.
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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.
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.
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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?
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...
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.
Store brand mouthwash. Exactly the same ingredients as Listerine but one third the cost.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
People really pooh pooh generic or store brands, but we didn't have a choice when the pandemic hit and the shelves were empty at the grocery store. So, we tried the Kroger brand of refried beans and they are SO much better that the name brand I had always bought in the past. Much creamier and about 79 cents cheaper per can
Strange to see so many people thanking Aldi for their products. Aldi where I'm at sucks. Constantly out of everything and 90% of the time the food is SO ripe, you have to eat it within that day or the next or it rots
I go to Aldi specifically for chocolate and sweet pickles. The rest is just about the same as any other supermarket around
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Sun glasses. Sun glasses and I have complicated relationship, in which I am the aggressive part, and I switch my fellas on a regular basis after completely breaking or scratching them to the core. Those RayBans may have a name and possible quality with them, but no fella can survive my Godzilla mode, not even RayBans. So I stick to the cheap models that feel right when I look through them.
I discovered you can buy wholesale sunglasses and I'm never going back. A box of 15 for $30-40. Stash them everywhere, doesn't matter if you lose them because they're so cheap and you have so many.
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Nope. I bought cheap brands instead of the top of line brands, and will never buy cheap again. Especially clothing, and food items.
Washing machine repair. Do some homework on the model you own on youtube. Lucked out the model i was using only needed a -$12 part + delivery. Saved hundreds on buying a new machine. Also tools, IKEA and thrift Shops like Daiso/Ninso/MrDIY have like really cheap tools for everything. Once bought screwdriver for 25cents.
The only thing I've really found that the name brand taste better the generic is Campbell soup. Tried many generics over the years and they always taste like the can. So I'll buy the store premade +usually plastic unfortunately) or make my own in my instant pot. My only problem with making my own, never. Manage to make a small batches I freeze some and then give the extras and there's usually 2 to 3 serving per container I give away. Also my grocery store every week that if I buy a product I get another product for free. I use this a lot. If the product I want is the free I look at how it balances out and I buy it for the free one and then donate to a local food bank..
When I worked at a dollar store in college, we had regular customers who would come in and buy about a dozen pairs of $1 reading glasses every month or so. They said most pairs got lost or broken in that timeframe, so there was no way they were spending $400 for a pair of bifocals that was gonna end up gone or busted in a few weeks.
I absolutely love how everyone on Panda comes together as one when we have a money-saving post. YOU ARE MY PEOPLE!!!!
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... 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.
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... 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?
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... 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.
Store brand mouthwash. Exactly the same ingredients as Listerine but one third the cost.
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.
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... 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.
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.
People really pooh pooh generic or store brands, but we didn't have a choice when the pandemic hit and the shelves were empty at the grocery store. So, we tried the Kroger brand of refried beans and they are SO much better that the name brand I had always bought in the past. Much creamier and about 79 cents cheaper per can
Strange to see so many people thanking Aldi for their products. Aldi where I'm at sucks. Constantly out of everything and 90% of the time the food is SO ripe, you have to eat it within that day or the next or it rots
I go to Aldi specifically for chocolate and sweet pickles. The rest is just about the same as any other supermarket around
Load More Replies... Sun glasses. Sun glasses and I have complicated relationship, in which I am the aggressive part, and I switch my fellas on a regular basis after completely breaking or scratching them to the core. Those RayBans may have a name and possible quality with them, but no fella can survive my Godzilla mode, not even RayBans. So I stick to the cheap models that feel right when I look through them.
I discovered you can buy wholesale sunglasses and I'm never going back. A box of 15 for $30-40. Stash them everywhere, doesn't matter if you lose them because they're so cheap and you have so many.
Load More Replies... Nope. I bought cheap brands instead of the top of line brands, and will never buy cheap again. Especially clothing, and food items.
Washing machine repair. Do some homework on the model you own on youtube. Lucked out the model i was using only needed a -$12 part + delivery. Saved hundreds on buying a new machine. Also tools, IKEA and thrift Shops like Daiso/Ninso/MrDIY have like really cheap tools for everything. Once bought screwdriver for 25cents.
The only thing I've really found that the name brand taste better the generic is Campbell soup. Tried many generics over the years and they always taste like the can. So I'll buy the store premade +usually plastic unfortunately) or make my own in my instant pot. My only problem with making my own, never. Manage to make a small batches I freeze some and then give the extras and there's usually 2 to 3 serving per container I give away. Also my grocery store every week that if I buy a product I get another product for free. I use this a lot. If the product I want is the free I look at how it balances out and I buy it for the free one and then donate to a local food bank..
When I worked at a dollar store in college, we had regular customers who would come in and buy about a dozen pairs of $1 reading glasses every month or so. They said most pairs got lost or broken in that timeframe, so there was no way they were spending $400 for a pair of bifocals that was gonna end up gone or busted in a few weeks.
