Australians are sharing the cheap buys they prefer over more expensive brands.
As increased inflation rates continue to put pressure on more Aussie households, shoppers are opting not to splash their cash on expensive products and are finding the budget alternatives work just as well or better.
Dozens shared their best cheap buys from $12 Target underwear to Aldi‘s $7 dishwasher tablets and even caffeine pills over coffee.
In a Reddit post, one woman asked users what ‘random cheap products’ they would recommend that do a ‘great job’ and shared her top buys starting with a $4.50 hair turban from Kmart.
‘They’re a bamboo mix and bamboo is an extremely absorbent fibre. They do a good job on shoulder-length, very thick hair,’ she said.
Australian shoppers have spilled on their favourite cheap buys they say are better than the expensive versions. Many loved Aldi’s dishwasher tablets that are just $7 for a 40-pack
One woman loved Kmart’s $4 bamboo hair turban (left) and another said the $20 reusable cloth nappies (right) are a must for every parents as they can mop up any mess
‘Better than a $50 micro-fibre one I splurged on that had great reviews. I use three in a row and my hair is only damp after.’
The shopper loved the quality of the plain t-shirts at Uniqlo which retail between $14.90 and $19.90.
‘They’re cheap for how crazy long they last,’ she said.
She also has started ordering caffeine pills from iHerb to give her an energy boost instead of buying or making coffee.
‘They are super cheap, the cheapest way of getting caffeine into your system on the days you don’t have time for a coffee or don’t wanna spend the money,’ she said.
More were quick to share their suggestions including one mum who said they have been using Kmart’s reusable cloth nappies for $20 a 12-pack.
‘Not to actually use as nappies, but you can get a 20 pack from Kmart super cheap and they are so handy,’ she said.
‘Use them to clean up baby messes, spit up, as towels, under baby for nappy change to protect the floor or that super expensive nappy change mat you got as a gift. I think every parent of human babies should have a pack.’
Some said gourmet supermarket chain Harris Farm Markets can be cheaper for fruits and vegetables in the little-known imperfect fresh product section
Other answers included Target’s $12 bamboo women’s underwear (left) as well as Uniqlo’s plain t-shirts (right). ‘They’re cheap for how crazy long they last,’ one woman said
Some said gourmet supermarket chain Harris Farm Markets can be cheaper for fruits and vegetables if you know where to look.
‘They have an imperfect fruit and vegetable section. It’s all seasonal and the quality of their ‘scruffy’ fruits and vegetables are better quality than the premium ones at Coles/Woolworths,’ a shopper shared.
‘I’ve been buying five avocados for about $3 and three mangoes cost me $2.80.’
Other answers included Aldi’s $7.49 40-pack dishwasher tablets, Target’s $12 bamboo women’s underwear, Coles $2 laundry liquid, Scrub Daddy sponges and Kmart plain t-shirts.
‘Coles brand frozen chicken tenders are SO MUCH better than Steggles, Inghams, etc and (last time I looked) about half the price at most,’ one woman said.
‘The Aldi mould spray is better than Exit Mould and is only $2.60,’ a second added.
‘Reject Shop has really good pricing when it comes to school snacks and cleaning products. Dishwasher tablets are super expensive at the supermarket but crazy cheap at Reject Shop,’ a third said.
‘Aldi dishwasher tablets, Reject shop kitty litter, Coles $4.50 mascara and Lavazza Modo Mio coffee pod machine,’ a fourth listed.
‘$50 on Amazon and their pods at Coles are $0.50 each. Café quality coffee and crema. It’s paid itself off several times over.’
One woman said she bought a chip cutter for as little as $2 and the gadget has saved her hundreds over the years.
‘Work out what 4kg of frozen chips costs you then work out what 4kg of potatoes cost you. (My chip cutter) is still going strong and saving me money,’ she said.
A beauty lover said The Ordinary(left) stacked up against more expensive brands while someone claimed their Lavazza coffee machine (right) has ‘paid itself off several times over’
Another woman loved the low-cost skincare brand The Ordinary.
‘Very affordable simple and effective products that are a fraction of the price of some other skincare brands. Loving their retinol and peptides formulations,’ she explained.
One user said they have stopped buying pricey cleaning products and instead starting using bicarb soda and vinegar.
‘A paste of bicarb soda and water will clean just about anything. Buy the home brand one in the baking aisle. Bicarb soda in the cleaning aisle has the price hiked up,’ they said.
‘Same with white vinegar in the cooking aisle vs cleaning vinegar in the cleaning aisle (although the strength of cooking vinegar can be different).’