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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.
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#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.
#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!
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.
#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.
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.
#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.
#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
“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.
#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.
#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"!!!!!!
Seedy Vine 3 years ago (edited)
Gillette and Schick seem like they still do animal testing. Try these cruelty-free razors instead: Aphrodite, Banbu, Billie, Brandless, Every Man, Jack Black, King of Shaves, Preserve Products.
CP 3 years ago (edited)
I learned online a great way to keep razors sharp for a long time. After you are done shaving dry the razor by blowing on it and wiping it with a towel. After that run it the opposite way along your arm to slightly sharpen it. The key is making sure it is dry. While it is stainless steel it can still get microscopic corrosion.
Seth 3 years ago (edited)
All cartridge razors are a scam once you learn about classic safety razors (they're about 120 years old now). The handles to hold the blades are a ~$30 initial investment, but blades are roughly 10¢ each (pack of 100 is $10). I bought a set 4-5 years ago, a sample pack of razors to figure out what worked best with my handle and skin (in my case that was Shark Super Chrome) and I'm not even halfway through the 100 blades yet. Cheaper cartridge options like the one described in the post, and those mail order subscription razors are fairly reasonable, but safety razors are by far the superior value.
Joanne Hudson 3 years ago
Read this and today lived it. Don't buy many razors but saw the $$ ones displayed first. Moved on down the aisle and chose a TWELVE-PACK of sensitive skin Bic for $4+ change.
The Realist 3 years ago
What's a hair lip Steve? I'm sure there was more to the story, but ADD kicked in after that.
Steve White 3 years ago
Get a double edge razor, featherlight blades, wet shave with a brush and shaving soap and you will never go back to those multi bladed rip offs.
Danish Susanne 3 years ago
If you see a lot of commercials or ads about something you will tende to think it is good, until you remember to look up the price of having an ad printed. Then you realise, that they have to charge a lot of money to pay for the ads and commercials.
Ellen Woods 3 years ago
Hair Lip Steve? That’s rather offensive to the people who really suffer from having a hair lip.
Jose Cabanas 3 years ago
I can vouch for this one. I started using my GF's cheap one blade , Bic, razors and, oh boy!!! Best shave I've ever had And so much easier to clean. Never again, good bye multy, what ever , stupid blades, lol =XD
Aaron Rollo 3 years ago
I remember when the double blade came out. I thought, when's it gonna end?
3 years ago
why would they even sell them without the stick and more importantly why would you buy it??
Becky Samuel 3 years ago
Buying a pack of replacement blades for the "stick" seems perfectly normal to me. You don't have to buy a completely new razor every time you need new blades.
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Kate Johnson 3 years ago
I rarely shave my legs anymore, as most of it is completely invisible except for a few around my ankles, and since I'm disabled and the pandemic made it acceptable to be hairy again, I saw no reason to waste the money and my husband completely agreed, so nope, no more money spent on razors, yay! 😁😊
Stephanie Paich 3 years ago
Any razor that has more than 3 blades doesn't work well in my experience. I miss the Schick razor that had 2 blades and a super thick handle. They don't make it anymore but I never once cut myself with it.
Debby Keir 3 years ago
Even more of a scam is the fact that 'ladies' razors are more expensive, despite the fact that one is blue or black - veeery manly methinks - but ours are pink or pastel. Just give us both red ones so we can all hide the blood.
AK to LV 3 years ago
I used the 2 blade razors, on my legs, for 15+ years. I would nick myself or get razor burnt. I just figured that this was the cost of shaving. My mom got me the 5 blade, Venus Gillette package of 3 for then $12. Close shave, no random nicks, and never any razor burn. I need to check out the male brand equivalent so I can stop paying pink tax but I have this fear, no entirely rational, that I will end up purchasing bum razors, my $5 will wasted and I would still have bum razors in my house. SMH
Rachael Coleman-Dean 3 years ago
Safety razor. I got an old Gillette for $2 at a thrift store in amazing shape. Bought a box of the razor blades on Amazon $7 I think, box contains hundreds. That's been about 10 years ago, husband's still on that same box.
Jane Cortez 3 years ago
I preserve razor blades by vigorously shaking off any water and promptly storing them in a sealed plastic jar immersed in pure rubbing alcohol. Generally a single blade stays sharp between 4-6 months. As a woman, using men’s razor blades and by not allowing the blade to dry out, ( the metal becomes ‘pitted’ from remains water). This has saved me hundreds of dollars in the past decade.
Daniel Leary 3 years ago
For those of us who shave less rugged areas though I absolutely recommend splurging on a Philips Oneblade. I hated shaving almost as much as I hated body hair before I bought it no matter how much cream I used or other stuff, now I dry shave without worrying about irritating stubble, nicks, or razorburn.
Audra Sisler 3 years ago
YES ABSOLUTELY!!!!!! I have already taught this to my 14&12 year old girls. To not fall for the higher the price the better the product scam!!
Trisec Tebeakesse 3 years ago
I switched to a safety razor aeons ago and never looked back. Got a pack of sample blades (several hundred) for a pittance literally years ago now. Haven't paid for a razor since. Learned how to use a strait razor, too. Even better.
Hypoxia Smurf 3 years ago
My grandfather, a Quaker farmer, shaved himself daily with a straight razor at a garden water tap and outside mirror. Never cut his throat. Them was the days!
CanidaeVulpes 3 years ago
I found store brand razor heads work just as well, and actually seem to last longer. I'm a woman and leave the razor in the shower.
Jody Whitmarsh 3 years ago
On the safety razor thing, because straight razors are really only used by barbers in America (in fact, by law only barbers can own one in some states), but buy generic and buy men's. They're the cheapest and a better shave. You'll get charged way more for pink razors
John Powers 3 years ago
Years ago I switched to an old school double edge. 100 pack of blades cost like $9usd. Blades also last me awhile.
Solidhog 3 years ago
I switched to Harry's Razors. The quality is amazing and the price a lot cheaper.
Suq mideck 3 years ago
F**k Gillette... proctor and gamble will never get a dime from me after those trash feminist commercials.
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.
#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!)
#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.
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
#16
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.
#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?
#19
Those knock off brand cereal bags. They are bigger cheaper and I usually can't taste the difference.
#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.
#21
Mascara. Drug store mascara is just as good if not better than any $25+ premium makeup brand mascara.
#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...
#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.
#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.
#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)
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#30
The Home Depot version of the Magic Erasers sponges. They are half the price and work just as well.
#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.
#32
WyzeCam is a $20 1080p security camera that I discovered this year. It beats the more expensive Arlo by miles, in price, quality, customizability (local micro-sd or free 14 day cloud recording), and affordability (No fee or subscription for cloud recording). I returned the 720p Arlo camera. I prefer Headphones from Audio Technica over Bose beats. Colour Pop lippie sticks are better quality than any lipsticks you'll find from luxury makeup brands at a ridiculously low cost. They're highly pigmented, last longer, animal cruelty-free and made in L.A. not China. Kylie Jenner loved them so much she literally copied them, ingredient for ingredient and makes her lipsticks in L.A. too. I used to buy Warby Parker eyeglass frames but now I'm using Goggles4U.com. Store brands like Kirkland, Up & Up, Equate and Great Value make comparable products in almost every category that are less expensive than the more recognizable branded ones.
#33
Pop tarts. The store brands have more icing, are softer, and generally taste better all around.
Tigara Akimoto 3 years ago
Walmart brand has nearly twice the filling, too, which definitely improves the flavor
#34
2 buck chuck Pinot Grigio. Even cheaper and just as good....Aldi’s Winking Owl
Ban-One 3 years ago
Personally I can't agree on the cheap wine. Ok, expensive wine isn't always necessarily great and cheap wine doesn't have to be bad. And paying thousands for a big-named vintage wine is more a collectors item than a wine to drink and I certainly wouldn't do that. There are well priced wines, at good value and very enjoyable. An if - like me - you like to explore vineyards in different countries (Napa, Rioja, Tuscany etc.) then you might find good wines from small, unknown producers for little money. But there is often a difference between cheap, mass-produced wine and wine from a more refined producer. But in the end: It's all a matter of taste. Drink what you enjoy...enjoy what you drink. I never found a great 2$ wine that I enjoy though. But for 10-20$ you can find something quite enjoyable.
#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.
#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
#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.
#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.
#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.
#40
Arm & Hammer deodorant - doesn't have aluminum or parabens and works amazing for me. Never have smelled bad after using it.
#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.
#43
Bread. In my area the brand name is literally the same company that bakes for the store brand.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
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
Hannah 3 years ago
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
Pittsburgh rare 3 years ago
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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Rei 3 years ago (edited)
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.
millac 2 years ago
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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Kathleen Olsson-Nelson 3 years ago
Nope. I bought cheap brands instead of the top of line brands, and will never buy cheap again. Especially clothing, and food items.
Stan Chung 3 years ago
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.
A falz 3 years ago (edited)
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..
Stephanie Paich 3 years ago
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.
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.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
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
Hannah 3 years ago
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
Pittsburgh rare 3 years ago
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... Rei 3 years ago (edited)
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.
millac 2 years ago
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... Kathleen Olsson-Nelson 3 years ago
Nope. I bought cheap brands instead of the top of line brands, and will never buy cheap again. Especially clothing, and food items.
Stan Chung 3 years ago
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.
A falz 3 years ago (edited)
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..
Stephanie Paich 3 years ago
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.
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