Shopping in the UK — where to buy cheapest (2026)
Food: Lidl and Aldi — cheapest. Clothes: Primark — T‑shirt £3. Used tech: CEX — iPhone from £250 with warranty. Get Tesco Clubcard — 20–40% off.
Supermarkets — from cheap to expensive
| Shop | Price level | Discount card | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lidl | Cheapest | Lidl Plus (app) | Few brands, good quality |
| Aldi | Cheapest | None | Similar to Lidl. Average products |
| Asda | Cheap | None | Big choice, brands |
| Tesco | Medium | Clubcard (must have!) | Clubcard prices 20–40% lower |
| Sainsbury's | Medium | Nectar Card | Good quality |
| Morrisons | Medium | More Card | Good meat and fish |
| Waitrose | Expensive | myWaitrose | Premium. Free coffee with card |
| M&S Food | Expensive | Sparks | Ready meals, delicacies |
Main lifehack: Clubcard at Tesco — free, gives 20–40% off most products. Without Clubcard Tesco is expensive. With Clubcard it is one of the cheap ones. Download the Tesco app on your first day.
Clothes — where to buy cheap
| Shop | What | Prices |
|---|---|---|
| Primark | Everything: clothes, shoes, underwear, home | T‑shirt £3, jeans £10, jacket £20 |
| TK Maxx | Brand clothes with discount | 30–70% cheaper than normal prices |
| Charity Shops | Second‑hand (Oxfam, British Heart Foundation) | T‑shirt £2–5, jacket £5–15 |
| Vinted | Used clothes online (app) | From £1 |
| George at Asda | Basic clothes | Cheap, in every Asda |
Electronics and tech
| Shop | What | Note |
|---|---|---|
| CEX (webuy.com) | Used phones, laptops, consoles | iPhone 13 from £250. 2‑year warranty |
| Amazon UK | Everything | Prime = free delivery (30‑day free trial) |
| Argos | Tech, furniture, home | You can pick up in store same day |
| Currys | Electronics | Large home appliances |
| Facebook Marketplace | Used everything | Often free (free stuff) |
Furniture and home — free or cheap
- Facebook Marketplace — search «free stuff» in your city. People give away furniture, electronics, dishes for free
- Gumtree — used ads
- Freecycle (freecycle.org) — everything free, people give away things they do not need
- IKEA — budget furniture. You can order delivery
- Charity Shops — furniture from £5
- Poundland, B&M — household items, dishes, cleaning. Everything from £1
Money‑saving lifehacks
App — shops and cafes sell leftover food for £2–4 instead of £10–15. Install it and check in the evening.
At Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons in the evening (after 18:00) products close to expiry get 50–90% off. Look for yellow stickers.
Shopmium, GreenJinn, CheckoutSmart — cashback for supermarket shopping. Free.
30 days free — free delivery + Prime Video. Cancel before the trial ends if you do not need it.
Frequently asked questions
Where to buy products from CIS countries?
Russian shops exist in most big cities (especially London). Search Google for «Russian shop [your city]» or «Eastern European shop». Also Tesco and Asda have Polish/Eastern European sections with buckwheat, kefir, cottage cheese.
Do I need a Clubcard at Tesco?
Yes, you must have one. Without Clubcard many products cost 20–40% more. It is free — download the Tesco app. The digital card works immediately.
Where to buy a used phone with warranty?
CEX (webuy.com) — a chain of used electronics shops. 2‑year warranty. iPhone 13 from £250. You can buy online or in store.