Buy cheap, buy twice?

I generally agree that it pays to buy the best you can afford if you want it to last, but there are exceptions. In my case it was accidental, sort of.
I was about to move house, and the toaster and the kettle both stopped working within two days of each other. Being in chaos at that time, I rushed into nearby Asda and bought both kettle and toaster for £4.99 each, thinking that I could look for something better after settling into my new home. Well, here I am, five and a half years later and still using them as they are both in perfect working order.
I now find myself wishing they would break down so that I could buy something nicer, but I am far too mean to replace them before necessary!

I do that with Moshulu shoes too. I buy mine in their shop in St Andrews and their sale prices are a great bargain.

I love things bought in the sale too! Hence my finding 4 unworn Woolovers tops in the spare room wardrobe that I bought in their winter sale and then stashed away! . I do that with Moshulu shoes too. That's one of the benefits of not trying to be too cutting edge!

It is DGD's annual birthday treat to be taken shopping for a 'beautiful' dress and it made the £35 we spent seem worth every single penny when she said 'I bet there is not a princess in all the land with such a beautiful dress!' And, in terms of cost per wear, it probably works out at about 35p a go!

I don't really like cheap things, but I do like good quality things bought in the sale or at a big discount!

£40 for a little dress for a 4 year old would have to be something pretty special and able to be passed down to one or two siblings or cousins. I would probably buy it at the end of the season if it was in the sale, in a bigger size for next year.

As for buying cheap, I usually do. When I do push out the boat, or if my wealthy friend ocassionally gives me anything of hers I tend to wear it less. Dont know why. I am happy with Asda, Sainsbury, sometimes Matalan with M&S for 'best'. People often are complimentary about outfits I put together and always surprised if I say where they came from. If you look carefully theres plenty of nice things around without it costing a fortune, and no, I dont need to throw stuff out after one season, generally things last a long while if looked after.. Since most clothes manufacture is farmed out to other countries anyway I see little difference. Maybe thats just me. For children's clothes who only get a year's wear before growing out of them its the only way to go. Having looked at an ordinary simple dress in J.Lewis recently, at £40 for age 4, just would not consider it. However its horses for courses.

kitty lester. my friend needed a denby casserole lid replacing, which she found easily on ebay. worth a try.

Concerning trying to save pennies.......I have a gas hob and needed a new gas kettle......I though I'd get a nice, blue, shiny kettle.....saw a really nice one, in a good department store....£8 pounds. Six weeks later it's leaking around the bottom and where the spout joins the body of the kettle. It has to go back to the manufacturers but in the meantime I still need a kettle........

I therefore purchased one at nearly twice the other price....weight very different, overall quality, very different and an additional button to press that flips the lid open when it's boiled .....

You do get what you pay for....!!!!!

I was told by a very good friend that things are only expensive if you do not use them. So no matter if it is cheap or expensive the decision to buy is always based on how much I use it. It seems to work when I have to explain as to why I spent so much. My reply is simple mathematics, I just divide the amount by the times it will get used. So for example, if I spend £50 on a jacket that sits in the wardrobe and only worn once, that is expensive but if I spend £150 on a jacket that I wear every day then that is a bargain!

When I say 'her' I mean a shop local to her, not one she works in.

My SIL bought a whole Denby dinner and tea service from her charity shop ( a retro flowery design but very nice)

Flipping heck sue DH would never sanction that! Years more wear to be had yet!

kitty why not sell of your Denby and have something else - I'll buy any of blue stuff if you have it.

I like to look around the "cheap" shops and occasionally find something useful. When I went to an outdoor concert the forecast was for rain, went into the local Poundstrecher and found some plastic hooded capes for around £2 each, once used they were thrown in a bin on our way out.

I mentioned to a friend that I was looking for a shower radio (I always get out of the shower to find the local radio presenters talking about something I have missed and which I would have found very interesting!) The next time I saw her she presented me to a radio she had bought in the local bargain shop, she was really pleased as it was only £4.99. I switched it on, tuned it to my favourite radio station and got a really good reception, after 30 seconds it wandered off the station and all I could get then were whistles and static. It was rapidly consigned to the recycle bin - as I didn't have the receipt I couldn't take it back so I am down £4.99 and am still missing all those interesting items on local radio!

Yes, it has grown on me. Originally I was disappointed that there was not six of everything in a more popular pattern, but, having recently seen a collection of, what were then, the more popular patterns I have realised that the Cotswold pattern has stood the test of time a lot better.

Flickety about 5 years ago we redid our dining room in retro style, having disliked it when it was in fashion. We have a 20' high brick wall on which we are collecting Denby plates. I spotted three Cotswold plates on it so I think we must like it too!

About 40 years ago, with a family of friends coming to stay and not enough crockery for everyone, I went to Bentalls during the sales determined to buy whatever they had that had six of everything on display for me to take home. I end up with a Denby pattern called Cotswold.

Over the years I have expanded it to 8 place settings while picking up serving dishes, casseroles, jugs etc here and there at junk shops and flea markets. Although not the most popular of Denby patterns it has dated less than some and my crocks are now considered fashionably retro by DD and DDiL.

About 10 years ago we bought 2 traditional teapots in dark blue from the Denby seconds shop. They only cost £5 each so we thought we'd better have two as they were unlikely to last. They pour beautifully, go in the dishwasher and we are still using the first!

Remains of Denby wedding present service now used exclusively for Indian takeaways. Current Denby service still going strong, though the spout snapped off the teapot recently as I was wiping it.

Someone tell my husband please!

I was pleased to be able to buy three tee-shirts in Lidl for £5 to wear as cover-ups on holiday. They didn't fall apart and I didn't get sunburnt.

I must agree with FlicketyB, many cheap items are ok, it depends if you want them to last. Fashions that you wouldn't be seen dead in during the next season need to be as cheap as possible. I buy asda t shirts that I know will only last the season and that's ok because sometimes all I can afford is a fiver.
Many of us really cannot afford the best so have to make do with the cheapest, that's why I shop in charity shops and outlet stores.
My friend buys dresses costing maybe £100 from a second hand shop but they were originally £300, so she sees that as a bargain I only wish I was the same size and style so she could pass them on to me.

Suebailey, how do make an iron only last weeks?
Can't remember the last time I used mine.

But why did I pick that colour in the first place. As soon as it arrived 15 years ago I knew I had made a mistake! Chose the covering in a rush.

rosequartz I think there is nothing better than a well loved suite,it can be updated time and time again with new soft furnishings bringing you a totally new look every time.

I mixed my gravy boat up with my borderloo!