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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.
#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.
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 2 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? 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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.
Sent From The Slytherin House 2 years ago
I agree, but some of it can be bad for your skins. So don't just go for the cheap one, go for the cheapest one you can get while it's still quality.
Ellen Midgley 2 years ago
Not necessarily true for the makeup itself- I've never had issues with my skin but recently used a pharmacy own brand foundation - took 3 months for my skin to stop hurting and peeling
Channon Doughty 2 years ago
Ouch! If your skin is sensitive, I highly recommend Avéne. Nothing else in my entire life has kept my skin calm, moisturized and free from red spot and peeling.
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Cara G 2 years ago
Vix, this is the cutest thing I've ever seen you say on BP. Should we do a real quick Loco-motion for old times sake?
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Kaye Nicole (Nikki) 2 years ago
I’ve gotten the most compliments on this one eyeshadow I got AT DOLLAR TREE. Dollar Tree!
Jennifer Norton 2 years ago
a brand has to do with marketing... not quality! Remove the idea of brands from your head and just look at the product itself. will save you tons of money!!!!!
Linda Rogers 1 year ago
I used to work for a company that made colours and ingredients for make up. Same for the cheap and expensive.
Linda Rogers 1 year ago
I used to work for a company that made ingredients and colours for make up. Same ingredients in the cheap brands and the expensive. Only difference, the colours.
h to da izzle 1 year ago
i am so glad i am a male cis guy and all makeup i ever use is an occaisonal black nail polish when i fancy it. i find the urge to use it on a daily basis, because i think i need to impress someone quite disturbing
Amigurumi Friend 2 years ago
I've found this true so many times. I splurge on an expensive makeup item just to find that the cheaper version I've been using is better 😂. Just buy middle range makeup, that's where the most reliable quality is!
Anya Beboop 2 years ago (edited)
Reminds me of how they are hiking prices on makeup. Pharmacy concealer was over $16 when I went a couple weeks ago. Stuff I just needed to replace which used to be like $12 the last time I bought it.
D. Pitbull 2 years ago
Yes. The magic of the internet is real. You find the "hottest new thing" - that is selling for a stupidly high price.... then you type it in... and type in the word "dupe" after it... and it's just amazing what comes up... that $50 blush? weeeell.. near guarantee there's a nigh clone (dupe) you an get from e.l.f. or nyx or 'whatever brand' for $5...
Gini Sarver 2 years ago
LA Colors is/has been my go to…. i was super excited when dollar tree began selling it
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago (edited)
All my brushes came from a cheap 20 dollar set. I love all of them and they're good quality. I once bought an expensive set from sephora a bunch of years ago, can't remember the brand but it was nearly 200, and I only really liked one brush. Whoever gave it positive reviews must have been getting paid. Having said that, foundation and such I've had more luck with inexpensive brands yet anything that has to do with eyes (shadow, liner, base, mascara) needs to be higher end, my eyes are so damn sensitive that they can tell what is cheap or not.
madamjoiedumort 2 years ago
I bought higher end a few times and will never do it again. I'm proud of being cheap because beauty shouldn't be expensive
Lynette Vella 2 years ago
I disagree - wasted so much money on cheapo brands except for Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Brownish-Black.
Briana Landers 2 years ago
As someone who LOVES vibrant colors and lives with dramatic eye makeup 24/7 I've seen so many terrible expensive brands pallets in the $28-100 value but nothing has EVER beat the color payoff of a $5 neon pallet I got off of color pop.
Hobistapioka 2 years ago
I love revolution brand is amazing. Its cruelty free and not expensive.
Mystery Egg 2 years ago
Cheap make up is dodgy though. A lot of it comes from China where animal testing is the law. This is something I would never ever skimp on.
Michelle C 2 years ago
Pacifica, Mineral Fusion, and Jane Iredale are my go-tos for inexpensive and high-quality makeup!
#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.
“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.
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.
#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.
#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.
#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
#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.
#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).
#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.
#34
2 buck chuck Pinot Grigio. Even cheaper and just as good....Aldi’s Winking Owl
#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.
What do you think ?
GirlFriday 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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.
Kenny Kulbiski 2 years ago
Store brand mouthwash. Exactly the same ingredients as Listerine but one third the cost.
the Return of Bruno 2 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 2 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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Shawnna Clement 2 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.
Shayda 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 1 year 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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.
Kenny Kulbiski 2 years ago
Store brand mouthwash. Exactly the same ingredients as Listerine but one third the cost.
the Return of Bruno 2 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 2 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... Shawnna Clement 2 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.
Shayda 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 1 year 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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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