Do you choose value or branded names??

[PinkFizz]

Morning guys.If you were to try and cut down your weekly shopping bill,what items would you say you could get away with the value/basic version and what items would you feel you have to buy the named brand/quality make?

For example,I think you need to buy quality washing up liquid,but you can get away with basic flour,jam and tissues.

What do you think?

[PinkFizz]

You're right though - when you buy pre-packed fruit and vegetable you always tend to over buy and so some always goes to waste.Oooh,I feel all eco-friendly and back to nature-like now!!

[natalie_1982]

You'll be getting all wolly and soya milk on us next ;-P

[sense4all]

I buy meat from a proper butcher in the next town, the one in mine is a hiked price rip off deli type affair. Our local greengrocer ran off when Tesco tried to build their ill fated store, so for two years no veggies, fruit or Tesco.

I buy cleaning supplies from the pound shop (if it was what I would get in the supermarket anyway.) Tinned tomatoes,basic flour, Lidls own clothes washing liquid if I can't get to Costco : where I buy branded ; dishwasher stuff, soap powder cubes, loo rolls, kitchen rolls, Pukka pies, and batteries. I try to keep my eyes closed to the other aisles. Nearly died a death when local ironmonger wanted seventy quid for a wheelie bin, so they came from Costco too at 25 quid each. Drinks for kids school lunches come from there too.
I would only buy Kellogs Cornflakes and Fairy washing up liquid, although copies have gotten better in recent years, just not the same - imho - but if I was on my uppers I would still try to stretch to these two things only.

[PinkFizz]

fms - its ok,Ive forgiven you - just!! lol

Dont know about that natalie but I think we all can be a bit lazy when it comes to shopping and would do us all good to shop around a bit more,and probably save a pretty penny in the process!

[bednobs]

i trawl the internet shopping pages to see whats on special buy one get one free offer then go to the shop (s) that have what i want. If you do this, you are efectively gettig things 1/2 price. When shower gel is bogof i get 10 or 12 of them, same as toothpaste. If meat is bogof i but it and freeze it then defrost in the fridge overnight. I probably wouldn't buy "value" branded stuff (then again, ive never had to cut down, so I don't know)

[noxlumos]

We buy fresh meat and fresh veg (organic as much as possible) and so that costs a fair amount. That being said we don't ever buy ready meal type things and do tend to buy value brands of things like tinned tomatos etc.
Coffee has to be really good quality and we buy Sainsbury's own branded things like washing up liquid because it's as good as Fairey. We tend to buy fruit juice but have to buy branded soft drinks because nearly all of the cheaper ones are laden with aspartame which is banned completely in our house, but we buy cheap as and where we can, whenever we can and most of our day to day stuff is a basic version.

[heathfield]

Some years ago Tesco Value Baked Beans came top in a Radio Scotland 'blind taste test'. Depends on your preferences, I suppose.
But we recently tried a packet of their Value Ginger Nut biscuits. Wow! More gingery than some of the top branded ones. 100% recommended, folks!

[PinkFizz]

It would be interesting to do a shop and buy all the branded goods and then buy exactly the same items but all vaule/basic,just to see just how much money you would save.

[mosesg]

I have often bought value chicken breasts as I don't see how they can be different from any other chicken and they have always been ok, nut always check the deals

[Bubblegum]

I believe in the theory: ''You get what you pay for''

[shaneystar2]

The only branded things I buy are Heinz beans , Andrex loo rolls ,Yorkshire tea bags and Lavazz coffee....well you have to have some standards !
I buy most of my meat at the local butcher .fruit and veg on the market.We live on the coast so also have a superb local fish market.I am quite happy to buy supermarket own brand cleaning stuff,washing up liquid etc.
I never buy branded washing powder..Lidls is far superior and much cheaper.Their dishwasher tablets are half the price of Finish and just as good.I shop a lot at Lidls ..but pick and choose ..their fruit and veg is quite good too.I buy a lot of tinned stuff there ,toms,sweetcorn,pineapple ,jars of gherkins,roasted peppers that sort of thing.They have excellent yoghurt only 29p and much nicer than that M�ller stuff. I go to Savers for toiletries much cheaper then Boots and Superdrug.
I buy supermarket basic flour and other dry goods ,pulses,couscous,dried fruit etc.
We buy all the bottled water at Lidls I know ..I should drink tap water but I can't it's so hard here and makes me gag!!..We don't drink fizzy stuff or squash or any thing like that but I buy cartons of orange and cranberry juice at Lidls.

[budgetbabe]

all my groceries r basics or smartprice or own label............the only thing i wont skimp on is cat food (brekkies go cat purina or whiskas biscuits and sainsburys ownlabel wet food in pouches) generally i buy basics/smartprice toilet cleaner loo roll scrubby sponges rubber gloves foil binliners food bags spread natural yoghurt instant rice cartons of tomatoes apples pears full flavor cheese wine (red and white) snack crackers teabags washing up liquid pasta frozen pizzas multiuse liquid kidney beans fresh meat sliced ham kitchen roll tissues spray polish conditioner fabric softener bio liquid eggs dishcloths lemonade tonic water mineral water handwash and iv had no probs with them!!!! i wil always try the budget version of anythin and if i dnt like it then i wil switch to the ownlabel version has anyone tried the basics vodka or gin????? if so is it worth buyin???