What will you never economise on?

Showers! I know it takes more hot water ( and power to heat the water) than a wash! A washing machine. I would like to use the tumble dryer occasionally- so I would prefer to keep it as a back up -it also has a 6 minute warm program to fluff up sweaters- which when used for cottons etc cuts down on ironing which I still sometimes use despite the energy crisis.
I guess I could just about manage without a car if the local bus service is still running (it was threatened with closure recently and saved at the last minute!) We live semi rurally so not having a car would be very tricky -especially for our son ( who has disabilities). I'd like to keep a car ( we have 2 at present) but I can see a day when we may not be able to run one. Getting to medical appointments would be tricky without a car- but there's always taxis for occasional use.
I feel the cold -so warmth - a warm coat, warm clothing, boots and warm bedding are things I would struggle without. At least background heating in winter.
Fresh fish and good quality meat and fresh young peas and mushrooms at least occasionally. Time to myself!

I economise where I can. I thought I wouldn't on coffee until I tried Aldis own make at half the price...tastes exactly the same as more expensive ond I used to buy. I have found this with a lot of things. You don't know until you try. My cats are a different matter though. They won't eat cheaper so Whiskers it is. Mind you, if probably works out cheaper in long run as nothing gets thrown away.

It looks like there are a lot of people on here who've never had to struggle to make ends meet.
I'm at the most comfortable period in my life and wouldn't rule out economising on anything. My husband has never needed to scrimp on anything and is constantly surprised that I actively search out good deals.
The one thing I wouldn't like to give up (but may be forced to as it's getting increasingly difficult to source) is my toothpaste in a pump rather than a tube.

My Border Collie!
Good coffee.
Our best local ice cream.

Unsalted English butter. Loathe margarine or any kind of spread. Eggs, we eat lots, our favourite are Burford Browns which have gone up a lot. Decent teabags. Meat, I’d rather eat less than buy cheaper when I don’t know it’s provenance, particularly chicken. Decent mature cheddar cheese.

My spectacles and my hair volumising lotion!

Like some others, I won't see my dog without her epilepsy meds, insurance and her much loved food and for myself it's my TV, a good book and a box of Maltesers or raspberry ruffles.

I go out of my way to get proper blue Stilton cheese here. Sometimes it doesn’t taste right, more like Danish blue which I am not so keen on. Costco have a good one but it comes in whacking great pieces.

Re dishwasher tablets. I have found the cheapest ones in Morrisons are pretty good

Food and vet care for my little dog Pudding.
The car
Fresh fruit and veg
Red wine
Chocolate digestive biscuits
Coffee
My mobile phone
Toothpaste and mouthwash
My tv

Today it's a warm home. Summer it was sleeping in a cool room.

And my other "must haves" - might need to lower expectations.

M0nica

Kate54 I think most people are quite happy to 'downsize' or reduce holidays, - and they are expensive, so are things people drop without thinking when they need to economise.

Looking at the lists of things people say they will never give up, pets apart, a category of their own, almost everything they mention costs less than £20.

We don't really go away on "proper" holidays anyway, though my daughter did treat me to a couple of days away via Eurostar just before the first lockdown.
I have to confess that I simply don't have the urge to spend thousands of pounds to go away for a couple of weeks. I'd rather go out for meals regularly throughout the year. For many people this year the cost of an annual holiday could make the difference between balancing the budget and living in debt. I know that when mortgage rates were really high we never had family holidays, just enjoyed days out with the children when we could.

I'm willing to compromise on most things except good quality food, as we are vegans we don't buy meat. But for the vegan meals I create only the best ingredients oh and eco friendly cleaning products.

Would hate to give up hairdresser or manicures and pedicures, my treats to myself. May not always enjoy going to these appts but always feel so much brighter afterwards.

Years ago, when I had to up-end the sofa to find coins for bus fare or the milkman and we grew all our veg and ground our own flour for bread I would have found my choices today rather privileged.

Feeling somewhat humbled.

nadateturbe

I've cut down on cleaning products.
Still buying Fairy Platinum dishwasher tablets.
Still going to hairdresser every 4 weeks.

Yes, Fairy Platinum is on my list of essentials too!

And I'd rather eat less meat than buy farmed meat....

I have been re-reading this thread and realised that there are so many ways to interpret it.
The question was
what are the things you really wouldn’t want to change/ economise on?

Obviously the list of what I wouldn't want to is very different to what I'd do if things became truly terrible - at which point we are back to food and (some sort of) heat.

I only like real coffee, from freshly ground beans and am pretty fussy about my pasta, dried not fresh, from a limited range of brands. I can often buy both of these whilst on offer and build up a stockpile.
I also like good parmesan cheese which I never seem to find on offer, so I buy it when I have Waitrose vouchers as I like theirs. DH has a dodgy heart so can no longer eat his favourite cheeses, we compromise by having a sprinkling of parmesan.
I'd rather pay a little more for good fresh tomatoes, and for better quality tinned chopped ones and passata. The taste is just so much better for a relatively small additional cost.
I used to only buy free range chickens, but I'm afraid that the price of these has defeated me recently.
Like other posters I have given up my regular trip to the hairdressers and have someone who comes to my home. She also leaves me with the products I need to do my roots before she comes again.
We do go out for meals fairly regularly which is our main extravagance. I think that I could easily give this up if we become really strapped for cash.

I'd not economise on gluten free bread - coeliacs have no choice even though it's so expensive.

Real butter, daily newspaper, soft toilet tissue, brandy.

Skin care.

I suspect that if the original question had been “What are you prepared to economise on?” then if we are perfectly honest, the list would have been significantly smaller!

I'd like to keep having good tea, "real" coffee and organic dairy and root vegetables.
I can't say I wouldn't or couldn't economise on these - but they would be way down the list. I'd rather do without coffee and dairy altogether tbh.

I am very happy to economise/change brands/give up many things but I'd feel miffed without:-

-my car
-Taylor's coffee
-Champagne (any, cheap will do me)
-using my oven to bake a cake every few days as afternoon
tea is a fixed point in the universe
-Books

As I say, I am adaptable. Recently I discovered Tesco's own 'Oaty' biscuits at 30p a pack which are a ringer for Hobnobs which are now £1.69 a pack. No problem with that.