Episode 2 Shop Well for Less?

-£130.

-Happy days.

And the tills are ringing.

Britain is a nation of shoppers.

Aw, let's get her that.

Yay! Sales!

But we don't always shop savvy.

-Do you want me to pay for these on my card?

-Yeah.

SQUEAKY VOICE: "Please don't use me again. I'm full to my max!"

It's high time we changed our ways.

Our estimate for shoes is 3,000.

-Oh!

-3,000?

In shoes? That's quite an achievement.

I'm business journalist Steph McGovern

and I'll be using my financial know-how

to make your money go further.

Tell me about your credit cards, how many have you got?

'Also leading the charge is retail addict Alex Jones...'

-Are you ready to try some new ways of doing things?

-Definitely.

'..an impulse shopper who understands all too well

'the pitfalls that part us from our cash.'

Some people can spend an entire Saturday here.

I do it all the time! SHE LAUGHS

Our mission is to change the country's shopping style

by challenging families to try new goods...

-Do you think that the better-known brands are better products?

-Yeah.

The more you pay, the better something's going to be.

'..and think about the things they already own.'

The first thing I've pulled out, still got the label on.

'Testing everyday products...'

-Do you want to have a little feel of it? See

-what you think? Hmm.

This is going straight in my basket.

'Questioning their habits...'

That is the cheapest, paint one.

-Completely wrong!

-Oh, no!

-Completely wrong.

-That's a massive shock.

-Would you ever go for an own-brand?

-Definitely not.

'..and trying the unknown.'

GASPING

BOY SCREAMS

You are having a laugh.

Just give it a go, Mum.

We're hoping the experiments will prove that we can all

learn to save a packet and shop well for less.

I thought it was perhaps from like a little boutique type shop.

£9.99.

-Oh, wow!

-No way!

It's cheap as chips.

Well, I think we nailed that.

We are in Hertfordshire with a family looking to learn how

to be more canny with their cash.

Can I challenge you to some flipping action?

You can.

-But I'm not going to do it.

-Oh!

-THEY LAUGH

Meet Rob, Jenny and their daughter, 13-year-old Leah.

ALL: We're the Garretts!

Gosh, we've known each other for...

-Too long.

-Too long, too long.

We don't take life very serious and we believe life is for living

and having fun.

And for THIS family,

having fun means hitting the shops like it's going out of fashion.

Every weekend, one of us

decides that we're going to do something together of their choice.

If it's Rob and Leah, it's often shopping.

I see a bag, what's that?

For dad Rob, a community worker,

it's as serious as an Olympic sport.

We're on a mission, we're shopping!

You don't stop for a break, don't you know what we're doing here?

Fabulous. Got myself a new toy.

Rob's shed is a hoarder's paradise.

I hate the shed. It's taking up valuable space

that we could have a trampoline with.

In this particular shed, I have no idea what's in here.

It's full of tools that Rob has accumulated

and that he says he needs.

Welcome to shed number two.

In this shed, we have a lot...

Whoops-a-daisy.

But it's not just Rob who's rinsing the family kitty.

Executive coach Jenny likes to dress for success.

I reckon I've got at least 50 dresses. Yeah. Maybe more.

I invest in clothes for work.

I do a lot of talks, so I like to feel good when I'm on the stage.

-What do you guys think?

-Very nice.

And Leah's following in her parent's footsteps.

I'm sure our spending habits have actually rubbed off on our daughter.

I love shopping.

Shopping is my superpower.

Look at that, Mum.

-It's nice.

-Mmm.

The family loves shopping together, but with three big spenders

under one roof, their cash flow is cause for concern.

I think we should be worried.

I think it'll be good for us

as a family to look at the way we are spending.

The Garretts treat shopping as family time,

but it's turning into an expensive hobby.

If we can show them how to spend less,

that money could be used instead for

a once-in-a-lifetime family treat.

We'd love to have a family trip to Disney.

It's something Leah's always wanted

and she's going to get too old to want to go with her parents soon,

so we were thinking that if we were able to see in the family home

where perhaps we are spending and we don't necessarily need to,

that money could go to a family trip,

yeah, that we are running out of time for.

We want to help this family of hoarders and leisure shoppers

to learn from their mistakes in a cost-cutting experiment.

First things first - we want to analyse the Garretts'

spending habits by taking a close look at how

they shop, with a trip to the mall.

It's a queue.

These cathedrals of consumerism are designed to part us

from our money - and we oblige,

spending over 12 billion quid in our shops every month.

-It's amazing, there's already loads of people here, aren't there?

-Yeah.

Some people can spend an entire Saturday here, can't they?

But it's a day out, isn't it?

It's about getting everything under the same roof, destination appeal.

You come here maybe to go to the cinema

-and you end up spending a fortune in all the shops.

-Exactly.

-Clever.

I do it all the time! ALEX LAUGHS

'And that's not the only trick up the retailers' sleeves.'

You know instantly what shop it is, don't you, when you smell that?

Yeah. So clever, isn't it? They suck us in with that lovely smell.

It's branded smells, though, isn't it,

cos you know there are some shops where you walk past, you smell it

and you don't even have to see the sign

and you think, "I know what shop that is."

'Right, we'd better back away from the bath bombs, Alex.

'This day out is all about the Garretts.

'With a birthday present to buy for Rob,

'it's a family outing to find him a new watch.'

You bought a watch so recently, Dad.

No, that was an investment.

As the Garretts splash the cash,

we'll be watching their every move from behind the scenes...

..to see where these label-loving hoarders are going wrong

and just how they can be put right.

They look ready to shop.

-Up to 20% off, I like the sound of that.

-Yay, sales!

OK, let's mosey into Office, then.

Unfortunately, the Garretts are looking at the full-price trainers.

-Look at them!

-Mmm.

They are so lush, aren't they, though?

-You really like them?

-I really like them.

Do you really need them, though?

They're almost too nice to wear, aren't they?

They are almost too nice to wear.

-Too-nice-to-wear shoes?

-I've got a pair of too-nice-to-wear shoes.

I built a shelf for them.

'A shelf? Anyway, not to be outdone, Jenny's trying some on too.'

-20% off.

-Yeah.

-So, it's £76, less 20%. It's a bargain, darling.

He probably feels, "I really want Jenny to have something

"so then I've got a free pass."

-I need to think about it.

-That's the only 6½ he has.

The psychology behind this - to make himself feel

better for his purchases, he's encouraging them to buy.

'With them egging each other on, it's easy to see how this family

'can spend a small fortune on a day out.'

That's quite nice. How much is that?

135? That's a steal. I do like this, can I have this?

I've got my birthday present.

-Happy birthday to you.

-Thank you very much.

-Every day's his birthday.

-Every day's my birthday!

'But Rob being Rob, the birthday buys don't stop there.'

We are now going into a fragrance shop.

That's new. That Dior.

That's new, so they're going for things that are new.

-They haven't even smelt it.

-OK, this is one I haven't got, darling.

-I know.

-We could get this one, couldn't we?

"One I haven't got." How many do you need?

You don't go for the ones you haven't got, you just say,

"Right, I've got loads."

He made a mistake saying it's new, because once something's new,

he's going to want to buy it.

-I know, I am going to want to buy it.

-Oh, dear. OK.

Go on, Dad, treat yourself.

-I might actually get one, a small one.

-See?

That's 155 in total.

'Of course - there have to be equal SHOP-ORTUNITIES for Leah.'

-Shop till you drop. Have some fun, then, Leah.

-LEAH LAUGHS

-Told you, look at her, she's gone.

-She's found her shop.

-She's in.

It's catching up on all the brands

and all the clothes that I've missed.

SHE SIGHS

Try this on.

Grabbing everything randomly.

At that age, though, at 13, you want to look cool, don't you?

-You want to be ahead of the trend.

-You do.

And that's really tough on parents, really,

because, of course, they want their kids to fit in.

'Time for Rob to make his escape.'

I just want to pop next door, love.

And he's off!

See you later, Rob!

My game plan right now is to find as much things

as I can find on my own with no distractions.

-It's £130, please.

-OK, no problem.

And the tills are ringing.

£130?

-For a pair of jeans, yeah.

-For a pair of jeans?!

-It's a lot of money.

-It IS a lot of money.

-LEAH:

-Don't you have, like, 15 pairs of jeans already, though?

-We have jeans, but no black jeans.

-Are you sure?

-He's not sure!

-THEY LAUGH

What did you buy? What'd you buy? What'd you buy? What'd you buy?

-I got a bag!

-Very nice.

-Oh, you got the coat.

-I got the coat.

-Oh, are you pleased now that you've got...?

-So pleased.

Yeah, they're really cool.

Right, this family need to be stopped in their tracks, yeah?

-Come on, let's go and get them.

-Right, go.

We've definitely seen enough.

With the purchases now in double figures,

it's time to show the Garretts the error of their ways.

-Hello!

-Oh, my gosh!

-Wahey!

THEY LAUGH

-How are you?

-Nice to see you!

You have had a very busy day.

-Absolutely, yes.

-We've watched your every move.

-Oh, have you?

-Yes!

Run us through, then, what have you got altogether?

OK, er...some perfume and some aftershave...

The jeans, the coat...

-Leah's bag.

-I got a bag, leggings, a jumper and a pair of trainers.

-You've done well!

-Is that it?

-Yeah.

-I think so.

Is there not one thing that you've completely forgotten about, Rob?

Er, what time is it, cos my watch has stopped?

Oh, my gosh, the watch.

-The watch.

-Bingo.

-Yeah, I forgot I bought the watch.

-The most expensive purchase.

-Yes.

'Well, we've been totting up the Garretts' spending

'throughout their shopping frenzy.'

How much do you think you have spent today?

I will say 400.

You say 400? I'll say...

I'm going to go with, like... 550. That's what I'm going to go with.

-It's interesting that you don't add as you go.

-No.

The total that you've spent today is in fact £585.93.

It's just a few shops we went into, and we've spent a lot of money.

I wouldn't have thought a typical shop for us

was that much money, so that is surprising to me.

Well, you've had a lovely day,

but you have asked us to help you save a bit of money.

-Yes, absolutely.

-Please, it would be good.

-So, we've got some brilliant ideas for you.

-Yeah.

-OK.

-So, are you up for it?

-We are.

-Most definitely.

-Come on, then, let's go.

'Before we see if we can cut the Garretts' spending,

'we're paying a sneaky visit to the house.'

I reckon more than half of us don't know the true value of the

things we own, and with the mountains of stuff

in the Garretts' home...

Whoa! Jeans Central!

..and shed...

STEPH GASPS

THEY LAUGH

..I suspect they have no idea.

'To show them just how excessive their spending's been,

'we're borrowing their hoard of branded buys

'to use as stock in our own pop-up shop -

'and they don't suspect a thing.'

How would you feel about more shopping?

-Definitely, looking forward to that.

-I'm excited by that, more shopping.

Oh...

-Keep going.

-OMG.

THEY LAUGH

Oh, my God!

No way!

This is terrible, how can you have all our stuff in here?

That's terrible!

Oh, come on!

Looks good, though, doesn't it? You've certainly filled the shop.

'Now that their possessions aren't stuffed out of sight in the shed,

'the Garretts have to face facts.'

-This area is like a whole DIY section.

-Oh, my gosh.

Still just realising everything. I bet...

Are you seeing things as well that you'd forgotten you had?

Yeah, I am. I am.

'With so much hoarded in their cupboards,

'they can't remember what they've bought.'

There's duplicates of a lot of things there, isn't there?

Three drills, isn't there?

'The Garretts are unwittingly making the same purchases

'over and over again.'

Drill bits, drill bits, drill bits, drill bits.

It's a lot, isn't it?

'And what seems like a tempting deal can be a total waste.'

What is this thing?

It's a door-entry system, darling.

-But not just one, Rob, there are three door entries.

-I know.

I mean, how many front doors do you have?

No, they came quite cheap, so I was going to...

I didn't know what I was going to do with them,

so it doesn't bother me, so...

-It's not a bargain, is it, if you don't need them?

-And don't use it.

I know.

'From the Garretts' assessment of what they've paid for each item,

'we've estimated just how much they've spent

'on the goods in this shop.

'Rob's tools alone come to nearly 2½ grand.'

-You are joking.

-That's a lot of money.

-Unfortunately not.

'The truth is coming as a shock, but the tools are only the start.'

Our estimate for shoes, and this is all the family shoes,

it's all three of you, is 3,000...

Oh!

-Yeah.

-3,000?

-Yeah, 3,000.

-In shoes? That's quite an achievement.

-Yeah.

-£3,000?

You'd need to be a centipede, wouldn't you, to wear all these?

'And Jenny's taste for one-off boutique dresses

'might be hard to swallow.'

-In total...

-Oh!

Dresses are 3,130.

Oh, OK.

'When it comes to clothes, we often stick to what we know we like,

'but it doesn't always mean we get the best value.'

I do like to have some individual items that

I don't see anywhere else and, yeah, I feel special wearing them,

but I've got a lot of them,

so perhaps I need to maybe rethink how I'm dressing.

Wow, that's a lot of dresses, babe.

Yeah, it is a lot of dresses, a lot of money.

'Hang on, though, Rob. Your wardrobe is worse.

'The average household owns around four grand's worth of clothes.

'Rob's topped that on his own.'

The total is 4,400.

Whoa...

Jeans alone come to more than £640.

-Ooh.

-Hm.

-Ooh.

And there was a little pair purchased yesterday,

which, obviously, goes on top of that amount.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Even the cleaning products cost over £80 -

that'll be all those brand names.

And the Garretts have frittered away over £1,000 on fragrances.

One thousand...

SHE GASPS

I didn't expect that at all, not on scents.

That's crazy.

..and 82 pounds.

No, what's crazy is what you've spent on gadgets.

This is quite a big number, this one.

Ready?

£8,000.

-What?

-What?

-On gadgets?

-Wow. Yeah, that's the estimate.

-Goodness gracious me.

And that's nearly four times the national average.

So, that brings the total up to 24,000 that we've estimated.

Wow.

-It's a real family activity for you, isn't it?

-Mm.

You have such a lovely time together.

Pretty much, it's recreational spending for you, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Maybe try some window shopping, as an idea.

-Yes, yes.

The first thing we're going to do is sell you stuff in here.

-JENNY SCREAMS

-I'm kidding.

-Please, no.

The dresses are coming back, the dresses are coming back.

Don't you worry.

I think if we visualise that shop every time we want to spend,

-I think that would be a great help.

-You could be right, yes.

-Yeah, you are right.

-I think that might just stop us.

Absolutely.

Promises, promises.

If we really want the Garretts to spend less,

we have to challenge their assumptions that branded is best.

They definitely need help, because they were pretty shaken by it.

-The dresses, that was a fortune, wasn't it?

-Mm.

It was over three grand, just on dresses.

They do go towards the big brands, don't they?

If we just asked them to try unbranded stuff,

just to see how they get on with it.

Because, in the long run, that could save a heck of a lot of money.

Well, it'll be interesting when we do the swaps, to see

whether they notice.

-But, do you know what, I think we can get them to Disney.

-Yeah.

We've set up an experiment,

with the Garretts as the test subjects.

Swapping their usual products for de-branded substitutes

in the hope that we can show them where they could be spending less.

No!

So, we can have the Kindles, we can't have the iPad.

One tablet for reading.

-A tablet for reading.

-No Sky?

-"Television box"?!

-No!

-Oh, my goodness.

I hope they haven't made our TV black-and-white as well.

To put their assumptions to the test,

not every product has been changed.

Oh, my days.

I feel pretty confident that you're going to know

a lot of the stuff.

I can't imagine doing cleaning without our normal products,

without the Flash, without the Domestos, without the Flora,

without the antibacterial spray that we're familiar with.

-Darling, you know what, we will know.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

They can't trick us with our cleaning products.

-Not with those, no.

-I don't think we can be tricked on cleaning.

To try to end their overspending on an excess of costly clothing,

we've restricted their wardrobes to a few mystery outfits.

Oh! I could put up everything else, but this.

-What have they done?

-Dad, your jeans.

-My jeans.

-My aftershaves.

-Uh-oh.

-You're having a laugh.

Clothes are an expression of your personality, aren't they?

So, you're going to have no personality

and you're going to smell funny.

And the names they've come to rely on have gone.

I know about all my products, and my biggest concern is that,

you know, will it be an ethical brand?

Will it be tested on animals?

Will it be free-from? Like the brand I currently use.

No, don't worry, Jenny, they meet your standards

and they might just be cheaper, too.

I'm open to my eyes being opened.

I really hope that we can save some money

and that some things can be better than

we're doing them already. I really do.

The experiment is on.

We've de-branded every aspect of the family's lives,

from cleaning to clothing.

It's time to time to turn them into savvy shoppers.

Hiya, love.

-I've got some hair oil for us to try.

-OK.

Even label-loving Rob with his designer fragrances.

I think it would be quite hard for Alex and Steph to trick me

in terms of my aftershave.

This is really going to be the moment of truth.

Do we have Tom Ford or Ford Capri?

So, I think this is one of mine. That's been put in a funny bottle.

Are you sure, Rob?

Your usual one cost nearly 50 quid, you'd think you'd spot it.

Hm, I'm not sure now, you know.

It's actually a high-street own-brand costing a tenner.

Last year, Rob bought seven designer fragrances.

If he'd bought seven of these instead,

he could have kept 250 quid in his pocket.

I'll go and try the serum/primer now.

So, I usually just have two squirts of that.

That feels all right. I can't tell the difference.

So, I wouldn't know if that's the usual one that I use.

It's not.

And at £9.99, it's a third of the price of Jenny's usual brand.

A saving of over £45 a year.

If this was ethical and a lot less expensive, I'd consider it.

I'd have to be using it for the whole week, to know

whether it's good for my skin.

Could the Garretts already be cleaning up their act?

-Colour coordinating gloves as well.

-Yeah.

-It matches your outfit.

-Just perfectly.

It's not our product.

I mean, I think it's just as good, if not better.

-You think it's better?

-I think it is better.

Smear-free, on my side anyway.

HE LAUGHS

At just 77p, this glass cleaner is less than half the cost

of their usual brand.

How much time does anyone spend analysing their bleach?

It doesn't smell like it's our product. Hm.

It's doing the floor an all-right job.

If they adopt all our cleaning swaps,

they could save nearly £80 a year.

It's a good thing I'm not in love with this dress,

I definitely wouldn't be cleaning the toilet with it if I was.

And Rob's beloved vacuum cleaner has been

swapped for a carpet sweeper.

I'm sorry, I'm not going to be cleaning with this.

-I love it.

-This is just wrong.

No, Rob, what's wrong is spending 250 quid on a vacuum cleaner

when you only own one rug.

I love it so much that I'd say, if it was a lot cheaper,

I'd be willing to always be the person who used it.

Cos I love it.

It would be a LOT cheaper - at £24.99,

it's over £220 cheaper than their high-end Dyson.

But Rob's having none of it.

Unfortunately, this hoover will not command any sort of respect.

I didn't know that vacuum cleaners EVER commanded respect.

But a lifetime of labels is a hard habit to break.

One of our biggest battles is to get the Garretts

to rethink their blind loyalty to brands.

So, we've come to consumer expert Professor Avi Shankar for advice.

Companies spend huge amount of money trying to persuade us

to buy their products, rather than someone else's products.

We just need to be aware of what they're trying to do.

So, Avi, how would you define brand loyalty?

To be brand loyal you have to buy the brand repeatedly,

but also you have to really be emotionally attached to the brand.

To the extent that if you went to a shop

and it wasn't available,

you wouldn't just buy the competitor,

you'd actually go to another shop to buy the brand,

because you're brand loyal to it.

OK, isn't that often about familiarity growing up?

Like, the smell of it from when you were a kid.

Yeah, we buy the brands that we are most familiar with.

And we're most familiar with them because our parents bought them.

Well, it is true, isn't it?

Because I use the same things as Mum and Dad might have.

In terms of polish, things like washing-up liquid,

even things that were used on us as babies I still buy.

Well, what we have here are brands that are stretching

maybe 20, 30, 40, 50 years.

And they're still recognisably the same brands.

For example, here, we have a little picture of a baby,

-and the same baby is on there.

-Mm.

-Yeah.

So, brands know this.

They know that we like to use the same brands that your mum used to.

And they play on that.

And because we're emotionally buying products,

because of this brand loyalty, we could end up spending more,

rather than looking at what might be just as good.

Well, what you'll probably find is that a brand, like this, would be

significantly more than the supermarket's own label.

And, essentially, it's a very standard product.

Yeah, but we sort of think,

"Well, it's worked for all these years,

"so why would you risk something new?"

Well, what they're doing, they're basically turning

a basic product into a brand, by adding these emotional qualities.

The Garretts' loyalty to brands covers everything,

from cleaning products to the humble toilet roll,

which sets them back nearly £100 a year.

'We're dropping in to find out if cheaper options would work

-'as well...' Hi, Rob.

-Hello!

'..keeping the Garretts feeling flush.'

We get through an awful lot of toilet roll, not just you

and I, but as a nation.

-We haven't got a problem.

-OK.

-But, yeah, as a nation,

per person, on average, how many rolls do you think we get through?

50, 60?

It's actually over 70 per person, every year.

So, what brand do you normally go for, in terms of toilet paper?

-Andrex, normally.

-Do you ever go for an own-brand?

-Definitely not.

-Why?

I think that paper is a bit too small, too thin, not good quality.

So, I would never go for an own-brand.

We've got six different ones here, all varying in price,

different brands.

Up for the test are Aldi's Saxon Softest Quilted toilet paper -

our cheapest, at 35p per roll.

Asda's Shades Quilted, at 42p per roll.

A recycled paper, Ecoleaf, at 50p per roll.

Waitrose Cashmere Quilted, at 52p a roll.

The brand leader, Andrex, with its Quilts paper, costing 56p.

And Renova's luxury lotion-infused and perfumed paper at £1.67 a roll.

We're going to test it on your cheek.

-This cheek, as opposed to any others.

-OK.

First up, a blind test for softness.

Just the one sheet.

Do you want to have a little feel of it, see what you think?

-Not very soft.

-Not very soft?

'That's the eco option.'

Rob is such a brilliant person to do these tests on, though,

because he really gets into it.

This one does feel softer than this one.

Asda's own-brand is getting some love,

but the priciest paper is falling short.

It's quite small, this one, isn't it?

I think you're quite hard to please, in terms of loo roll.

-Do you think I am?

-For the next test, I mean,

the key thing you need with toilet paper is softness and absorbency.

So, we're going to do a little absorbency test next,

just to see how they fare.

So, if you lay the tissue on top

-and then we'll pick it up after five seconds.

-OK.

-Ready?

-BOTH:

-Five, four, three, two, one.

-Lift.

Take it off.

-Pretty good, isn't it?

-That's very good.

'It's another strong performance from Asda.'

Same process again, Rob.

-BOTH:

-Five, four, three, two, one.

-And lift.

It hasn't sucked the stuff up as fast, has it?

-It hasn't.

-No.

'Hm, maybe Rob's the sucker here.

'That one is his usual brand, Andrex.'

-Oh.

-Oh, oh, oh.

'It's not as bad as this one, though.'

This is definitely no good. It's got to be the cheapest.

'Hm, not quite, it's actually the most expensive.

'Combining Rob's scores for softness and absorbency gives us the total.'

While our priciest paper

rolls into last place,

the cheapest takes

a respectable third.

And the winner is

a supermarket own-brand.

No way! This could never be

-Asda's own.

-It is.

I think we'll be changing brands from our normal brand

to Asda.

And could I push that even further

and bring you cheaper, to Aldi's, which is middling?

Do you know what, I think we could even go that way as well.

-Could we?

-We could.

-That is a result.

Good plan, Rob, because, compared to your preferred brand,

you'd spend £45 less a year.

-Thanks, Rob.

-Yeah. See you.

-Ta-ra.

-Well, I think we nailed that.

-I do, as well.

-I think Rob is a changed man.

-Mmm.

-Well, beginning to change.

When it comes to toiletries and skincare,

though, Jenny is the force to be reckoned with.

I found the body wash much of a muchness, OK?

It doesn't soap up as normal body wash should do, but it's fine.

I thought that body wash just felt cheap and useless.

You can't get that one past Jenny.

It was only 55p. So, how will our cleanser go down?

Like Jenny's usual, it's natural, vegan- and cruelty-free,

but it's £15, not £30.

It's solid. It's actually solid.

-You are joking.

-Yeah.

-It's growing on me.

-It's growing on you?

-Maybe like mould!

And you'd grow £90 richer each year with this one.

It must be natural. Look at it. It must be natural, mustn't it?

Jenny Garrett isn't alone in spending big bucks

on face creams and potions. So, why spend more for ethical goods

when cheaper alternatives are available?

Now, these days, lots of us favour ethical

and natural beauty products, but they can be quite pricey,

and I would like to know why.

Also, the term "ethical" seems to be bandied about, and we all think

it's the way forward, but what does "ethical" actually mean?

Neal's Yard Remedies is a skincare brand which

advertises its ethical values.

Alex is visiting its Dorset factory

to meet product formulator Fran Johnson.

I don't think people, including myself,

know what "ethical" actually means.

I think it is an aspirational thing, isn't it, because so many people

want to buy into the idea of the sort of organic, ethical lifestyle.

You are also buying into supporting growers

and helping the sustainability and the supply chain

of how all these ingredients are made and developed.

It's an approach that includes organic,

fairly traded ingredients, cruelty-free testing

and recyclable packaging, but it often comes at a price.

To find out why,

Alex is in the lab to see exactly what goes into a moisturiser.

What's the base ingredients, then?

So, it is a mixture of oil-based ingredients

and water-based ingredients.

We are going to stick them all together with some emulsifiers,

-and then we'll fragrance it with our essential oils.

-OK.

This is like a cooking show,

but even better, because it's all about beauty. It's lovely.

First, heat the water, then add the emulsifier.

What is an emulsifier?

Basically, they're chemical products that are going to

work to stick the oil and the water together.

And in goes the oil,

plus a fewer additives such as skin conditioners and preservatives.

That looks a lot more like the moisturiser we all know and love.

-It is starting to look like a beauty product.

-Yeah.

When you buy a moisturiser that's really cheap,

is this what that would be?

Apart from a couple of the active ingredients that we've put in,

it will be generally the same,

so it will be a mixture of oil and water and emulsifiers.

It's a basic recipe.

It does feel nice but... it smells a bit like...chips.

Well, if you wanted cheap as chips, Alex,

this mixture would do you just fine.

It functions exactly as a moisturiser should function.

It will do exactly what you need it to do,

-but what we really want to do now is to make it smell nice.

-Absolutely.

And this is where those exotic, more expensive ingredients come in.

The fragrance materials tend to be the most expensive ingredients

that we use in our products.

With ethical ingredients which come from far-flung places,

that added cost is often spent on fair pay

for the growers on local community projects.

And also, bear in mind that the majority of those ingredients

are organic and certified,

-which is also part of the cost of making organic products.

-OK.

We highlight all the ingredients on our listing that are organic.

Cosmetics, especially when it comes to organic, there is

no legislation around that at all,

so you could put one drop of organic material

into your product and still call it organic.

That is pulling the wool over people's eyes, though, isn't it?

You have to look for a certification mark, and then at least you know

that the cosmetics have been made following a standard.

-Right. So, that is the finished product?

-The finished product.

-OK.

It smells absolutely lovely.

-It has made so much difference, those essential oils.

-Yeah.

Well, thinking about what I have heard today, I think,

if you can afford it and if you want to,

then ethical is a really good way to go, in terms of beauty products,

but make sure that you read the label,

know what you're paying the money for.

Back in Hertfordshire, the experiment continues.

-Who is going to be first?

-You go first.

-Age before beauty.

-Thanks, darling(!)

One of their biggest spends is clothes.

They love boutique and designer brands, so, to wake them up

to the alternatives, they've been given some money-saving substitutes

from the high street, and even the charity shops.

-A smart red dress.

-That's your colour, red.

-Yeah.

-You like red.

Yeah, I think it is a nice quality.

It is. Jenny's average boutique-buy costs nearly £80,

but we've found this designer dress for 35 quid in a charity shop.

I would actually see this dress and I would think,

-"Oh, that's Jenny."

-Would you?

-I would.

Charity shops are a great place to find one-off pieces,

and around 6% of their stock is new.

Rob's shoes, however, are straight from the high street.

-They look like leather. They smell like leather.

-Hmm.

They're not, and they're just £16,

but the real test is what other people think of this frugal fashion,

including Rob's harshest critic, his sister.

Love the boots.

I would see you wearing something like that.

And if Rob had bought these boots instead of his branded footwear,

he'd have paid £54 less.

It looks like a nice-made pair of jeans.

I really don't think these are supermarket jeans.

I think these jeans are most definitely a decent brand.

Oh, Rob, supermarket jeans is exactly what they are

and, at £20, they're nearly £30 less than your average pair.

With the number of jeans Rob buys, he'd spend nearly £400 less

by swapping to supermarket own-brands next year.

Right, as usual, Jenny takes centrepiece.

-Jenny, that dress suits you.

-Thank you.

-The shape... Suits your figure, I should say.

-Thank you.

And if she had bought this instead of her boutique dress,

Jenny's wallet would be looking good too.

She'd have saved over £40.

I think with clothes now, I don't think it's about how much they cost.

I think if they look well on you, they sit well,

that's what it is, so...

-Yeah. You look well.

-Thank you.

Let's hope their extended family's thrifty attitude has

rubbed off on Rob and Jenny,

because we have swapped their normal satellite TV package

for a much cheaper service, which offers on-demand content only.

I very rarely watch anything live.

I wouldn't miss anything, and if it saved us £20 a month,

I'd be delighted.

At £6.99 a month,

it's over £320 less per year than their current package,

but it would mean they could only

watch their current sport channels online unless they shelled out more.

Rob is not convinced.

At this present moment in time,

I do not understand, why isn't our TV better than Sky?

Oh, do you know what it is? No, no, no.

-He wants someone to sell it to him.

-Yeah.

-I think this is part of it as well.

-He needs an advert.

An advert, or a salesperson to knock on our door and say,

"You must buy, you must buy."

But TVs aren't the only screens in this gadget-loving household.

We have got two iPads, one large, one mini,

and we have got two Kindles.

We don't use the Kindles very much now, do we?

I like holding an actual book.

If they'd bought this budget tablet to share,

rather than four top-branded models,

they'd have spent over £1,000 less.

I am using my phone more and more... for all bits and pieces.

So maybe I don't need the iPad any more,

because the phone has replaced it.

Yeah. They just seem to be items that we have.

-We're not really using them a lot.

-Hmm.

Actually, I'm kind of talking myself out of needing any of them.

If the Garretts are having doubts about their technology spend,

they might be in the minority.

Us Brits blow a stunning £9 billion on gadgets each year,

and a rapidly growing corner of the market is Bluetooth speakers.

With prices varying by hundreds of pounds,

we've recruited the discerning ears of a local dance group

to help us sort the audio angels from the speaker sinners.

Portable speakers are great because, you know, you can

carry them around, put them down where you want, you know?

Big speakers are also heavy and take a lot more space.

We've picked five speakers that all claim to be portable

and Bluetooth compatible.

The cheapest is...

Then...

Middle of the range...

Made using recycled plastic bottles...

And the top of the range...

With the branding hidden, it's time to test them out

with a digital dance-off.

At almost £100 more than our cheapest speaker,

the Bose hit the spot.

The power output, it was very clear,

and the bass was very distinct as well.

-This is going straight in my basket.

-Straight in my basket.

But the cheapest option impressed almost as much.

I really like the sound of this one, how it looks.

It was quite powerful. It had a decent amount of bass.

It looks like you can drink out of it.

One of those cups where you drink...

The pricey Chant turned a few heads.

It looks expensive. The design looks really cool. It looks quite hipster.

It looks very expensive, because it comes with its own warmer thing.

-I like it.

-That is gorgeous.

At the end of our speakers' showdown,

while our cheapest choice, the JAM, put in a great performance

to take third,

it was the most expensive speaker that topped the charts.

-It's Bose!

-Is it Bose?

-Oh, it is Bose.

-This is expensive.

-This tops everything, to be honest.

It had the bass, it had the sound. The volume was there.

But did it represent banging value for our dancers?

If you had to buy one of these tomorrow, what one would you get?

-ALL:

-Jam!

So, once our dancers knew the prices, it was the cheapest speaker,

the JAM Classic, that won them over.

Back at the Garretts',

we have a plan to try and shake Leah's devotion to designer names.

I'm very much a daddy's girl when it comes to brands.

Chanel is my number-one make-up brand. Definitely.

We've left Leah a selection of accessories,

but with no branding, will she take the bait?

I can see trainers in this one already.

Obviously, I am excited, because I love my trainers.

Trainers are like God's gift to the world.

OK. These look quite cool.

They look quite glam. I like them.

At £18, they're a runaway success.

And at that price, of course, they're not a luxury label.

Oh, a bag. A bag, a bag.

But the material in it doesn't feel like real leather.

I like my black bags.

I know I have seen this bag somewhere,

but I just don't know where.

This isn't a Chanel bag, is it?

Only if Chanel bags costs £16... So, no.

Oh, this one is heavy.

I think it might be a jacket.

Mum! Dad!

-Coming.

-Oh, my gosh. Very, very stylish.

Why, thank you.

I love the jacket most. Would you lend this to me?

-No.

-Why not?

-It's mine.

-Oh!

I am sorry, Mum, but it is mine now. It's mine. It's my power outfit.

Oh, it's your power outfit? OK.

This Chanel-inspired jacket was another charity-shop steal,

at only £7.99,

whereas the real designer deal could have set Leah back thousands.

We might be shaking Leah's certainty that branded is best,

but Rob's love of pricey gadgets is more ingrained.

Alex wants to see if she can smooth out his approach to appliances

with a spot of ironing.

Right, then, Rob, I have a little test for you this morning.

-Looks very interesting.

-Lots of irons, lots of shirts.

We've picked five steam irons for Rob to try out,

starting with...

Next cheapest is brand leader...

Then...

With the branding hidden, Rob has no way of knowing which is which.

-Here you are.

-Brilliant.

I can't wait to see your ironing skills, Rob.

-OK.

-How fussy are you?

I'm a very fussy ironer, I do like my shirts to be smooth.

Do you know what us girls do?

No. I don't know. Tell me what you girls do.

What we do is, do a really bad job of the first shirt we iron

-for our partner...

-OK.

-..and then they never ask again.

-Maybe that's what Jen has done.

-I guarantee you.

Rob is loving the look of the priciest option.

It looks very good, doesn't it? Come on.

I love you, Rob.

-Your little face lights up because you think, "This is it!"

-It is.

"This is the iron of all irons."

Do you know, it feels like the mother of all irons.

But the mid-range option is working a treat.

I think I am more impressed with this one than number two.

The supermarket-own iron gets no love at all.

It just looks so unattractive, it just looks a bit plasticky.

Rob has made his choice.

OK. I am going to go like this.

-OK.

-And then like that.

-So, that is your order.

-That's my order.

-So, favourite?

-Yeah.

-Least favourite?

-Absolutely.

But of course, he's not the one who has to look at him all day,

so judge Jenny is rating the smoothness of the shirts.

Number one...

Number two...

I'll leave number five where it is.

With Rob and Jenny's scores added together,

it is full steam ahead with the results.

And in joint top spot, the second most expensive Morphy Richards

and the cheaper mid-range Tefal.

Knowing all that you do now, which iron would you choose?

-I would go for the £34.99 one.

-It makes sense, doesn't it?

Because it does make total sense. It does a very good job.

Looks aren't everything, Rob.

-No.

-Only when it comes to Jen.

-Thank you. Glad you added that!

But will the Garretts decrease their spending elsewhere?

When it comes to Rob's tools,

it's not just the quality that counts, but the quantity.

I've got to do some work. Look at the shed.

Mate, I can't even get in the shed.

Rob is finally tackling some DIY tasks with

the help of Dom from next door.

Let's have a look, mate.

What's this?

A multitool.

Mate, tell me this is a saw, everything, all in one.

That is a good old tool.

And what is that? A power screwdriver?

That looks quite handy.

You see, I have got three or four different drills

for different purposes. I have got a drill for drilling wood,

I've got a drill for drilling concrete,

I've got a drill for drilling metal,

and I've also got a portable screwdriver... Yeah.

-But you are better off with one decent drill...

-Decent drill.

..than for average drills, do you know what I mean?

A multipurpose tool can be a great way for the amateur DIY buff

to whip up some savings.

If Rob had bought this £68 all-rounder

instead of the four he has got,

he would have saved £117.

There we go.

The drill is good as a screwdriver, which is good.

-Let's see how it gets on drilling holes.

-That's it.

-OK.

-That's it.

Let's drill the hole.

-OK?

-It's job done.

Good drill.

And the multitool at £75 would have shaved 43 quid

off Rob's collection of sanders and saws.

That's all right.

I am very surprised.

I actually didn't expect this tool to be as good as it is.

But is a combined lawnmower and strimmer a step too far?

Right.

Let's try and figure out this little gadget.

Here we go.

This lawnmower is absolutely rubbish.

It makes lawn mowing like I am using a pair of scissors.

As a strimmer, it does the job.

Rob would have saved £155

if he'd bought this bit of kit instead of his mower and strimmer.

But he is not having it.

I think my garden deserves a bit better, in all honesty.

It is not really cutting the mustard.

Or the grass. We might have lost this one.

Rob is unwilling to let go of his stash of macho machinery,

and consumer expert Avi has some insight into why.

Well, we have got a series of power tools.

Now, I've got no idea what they are because I am not a DIY buff.

We would expect a DIY buff to be quite considered

when they would go to the shops to buy them.

So, they'd probably done a lot of research on it

and they have gone, "Right, I want to do this job at home.

"I am going to buy this specific power tool."

So we call that, a person who would make those types of choices,

very rational.

But I think some people, there are many in my family,

who go into DIY stores because they fancy a certain tool,

without any knowledge of what they're going to do with it.

Well, in that case,

we would describe people that did that to be more emotionally driven.

Think of this cake as the total purchases that you make.

Some of those purchases will be rational, some emotional,

and some of those purchases will be what we call habitual -

you just buy the same product over and over again.

-So, here is a knife...

-OK.

As far as the general population is concerned,

what percentage of their choices do you think are rational?

-I think it is less than 50%. There.

-I think it is less than that.

35%, would you say?

-Shall we go to a quarter?

-Less.

-Less?!

-Less than a quarter?

-I told you.

-What is wrong with everybody?

Research evidence suggests that it is about 20%.

20%?

So, of the 80% that we have got left,

roughly 40% is emotional and 40% is habitual.

So, if you want to save money, then you need to be...

increase the size of this rational purchasing

and reduce your habitual and your emotional.

-Absolutely.

-So, how can we become better at rational purchasing?

Well, there is actually a five-step process.

-Say you had to replace your mobile phone, for whatever reason.

-Mm-hm.

-Like, for example, this one.

-What have you done there?

-I've dropped it.

-Oh, dear.

The first stage of the process is recognition -

I need a new phone because I have smashed my old one.

The next stage of the process is

we start searching for information, OK?

Am I going to buy the same phone again,

or go on the internet, do a bit of searching for information?

Stage three - evaluate between all the alternatives.

The fourth stage is actually going out and buying it,

and then the final stage is to decide, after you have bought it,

is it actually doing what I want it to do?

-And are you happy with it?

-Bit of reflection.

-Yeah.

Once you have gone through those five steps,

hopefully you'll end up with a product that best suits your needs,

and maybe it will save you some money along the way as well.

-See, you need to shop with your head, not your heart.

-Hmm.

Well, our Alex is picking up the right tips

to curb her wayward spending, but are the Garretts?

By challenging their habits,

we hope to teach them to become thrifty shoppers.

But will they still stick to our plan

when they find out what products they've really been using?

-I'm really hopeful about today.

-Yeah, I think we're very open.

-Yeah.

-And I think we will...

-I think am very open.

Well, it is make-or-break time for the Garretts. Last day.

I know. It is a big ask, though, to try and change...

Even with the cleaning products, it was the unknown.

I hope that we weren't too stuck in our ways

that there is no leeway for saving.

They're really stuck in their ways, which is understandable,

because we all get a bit like that. It is up to them now, isn't it?

Let's go and see them. Come on.

The Garretts are confident,

but how much will they really be willing to change the way they shop?

-Hi.

-Hi, Jen.

-How are you feeling?

-Nervous.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

-Excited.

-Excited.

-Have you enjoyed it?

-Yes. Mostly.

With over a grand's worth of fragrances squirreled away,

Rob's aftershave was the first to go.

So, with the aftershave, what did you think about that, Rob?

I think it's one of mine.

Well, you might be right.

But you're not. You're wrong!

-Ooh...

-Next?!

-Signature Collection.

Right, well, do you want to know how much money you could possibly

save for this one?

37 quid. It was a tenner.

-No way.

-So, it's a really similar smell,

and unless you've got a trained little snout,

-you'd never know the difference.

-Definitely.

We'll make that change.

'If he buys the same number of fragrances next year,

'Rob will spend £250 less by going high street.'

'Jenny's beauty regime was costing her over £1,000 a year,'

but with her exacting standards,

could there possibly be cheaper alternatives?

-My mother says you only get one face.

-Yes.

-So, if you're a going to invest in anything, it might be that.

-Yeah.

-But you could still save money, though.

-OK.

Bring out the cleanser.

This is a brand we particularly sought out for you

-because it's ethical, and we know how important that is to you.

-Yes.

I think it might be cheaper but it felt good, though.

-Well, you are not wrong. It is, and it is a saving of £15.

-Right.

-So a 15-quid saving.

-Yeah.

-Great.

-Yeah.

'If Jenny takes that on, it is £90 less a year.'

What did you think of your kitchen products?

-Yeah, they were OK.

-Antibacterial spray?

I think these things are much of a muchness.

It was really hard to say, "That is ours and that is not ours."

That makes you think, why do you buy it in the first place?

'With cupboards jam-packed with branded sprays,

'will the Garretts go for an own-brand version?'

-Oh, wow!

-No way.

We thought it was just as good,

and if it promises the same thing,

in terms of how many germs it kills...

-Well, yeah.

-You can see it, can't you?

-99.9%.

Yeah, so it is just as good.

This product, compared to yours, is £2.10 cheaper.

-Wow.

-That is a lot.

In fact, the Garretts said yes to over half of our cleaning products,

saving them nearly £60 a year.

Right, now, what about tablet computers?

Do you know what? We're up for it. We're open.

My glamorous assistant will now reveal it from the bag.

She's not here, so I'll do it(!)

-OK.

-OK.

Alba.

So, currently, you have two e-readers, two Kindles,

and two iPads in the house, yeah?

So these cost £59.99 each.

-Whoo!

-No way!

Yes, way!

So if all four of your devices suddenly went kaput,

would you buy one of these?

We'd buy two, but it would still be a big saving.

And you're not wrong. It is a saving of over £1,000.

It is time to talk power tools.

Rar-rr-rr-rr!

So, this is the multitool that we gave you.

If you bought that instead of a jigsaw and a sander,

your saving would be £119.78.

'At £75, it is another much cheaper choice,

'plus, it has finally got Rob to fix the radiator. Priceless.'

But when it comes to Jenny's love of expensive boutique buys, well,

we have opened her eyes to more cost-effective high-street clothes.

-Both these are actually from New Look.

-OK, right.

Now, the problem is, my daughter might not want me

to shop in the same shop as her!

This outfit is lovely, and you could have saved...

-£23.27.

-Yeah, that is good.

-Not bad.

'A big saving on the average cost of Jenny's usual dresses.

'But what if shoe-snob Rob

'had bought our bargain boots instead of his own £70 footwear?'

So, these boots...are from Primark.

-Gosh.

-OK.

And they cost £16.

-No way!

-I'm amazed.

-You're amazed? I'm amazed.

-It's £54 cheaper.

-So, that's a definite...

-£16?

-£16?!

-Don't be thinking that's an excuse to get loads.

-It just means that I could buy black AND brown.

-Oh, no.

And still save money.

How did you feel about the jeans?

There was one pair of jeans that I really liked.

They fit well, they felt comfortable.

I liked that swagger you did there.

Yeah, they felt really good and I actually wanted to keep them

for myself. I am very intrigued to find out where they come from.

Well, the jeans you liked are from Sainsbury's.

-No way!

-£20 per pair.

-That's saving £28.67.

-I am having that all day long.

Yeah.

'Label-loving Rob is a changed man and, in fact, the choosy Garretts

'gave the thumbs-up to well over half of our substitutes.

'Next time they shop,

'they'll really feel the benefits to their bank balance.'

When we tell you that the brand is Hugo Boss...

Get away!

How much do you think it cost?

70 quid? 75 quid?

-It cost £18.

-Mm-hm.

From a charity shop.

-Ah!

-See?

-Are you serious? I'm going to say yes to that.

-Yes!

-It is time to talk totals now.

We hoped to change the way the Garretts think about shopping

and the amount they actually need. So, could they spend less in future,

or will they be disappointed in their Disneyland dreams?

-Do you want to hear what the final total is, then?

-Please.

-Hmm.

-Prepare yourselves.

-OK.

-Go on.

The moment has arrived to find out just how much less they'd have spent

with our cost-cutting alternatives.

It is around £3,560.

-Wow.

-Excellent. Excellent.

-That's fantastic.

-Yeah.

-That is going to get us to Disney.

-Are you surprised?

-I'm amazed.

-Amazed.

-I really didn't think it was possible.

-Through the small changes...

-Hmm.

-..you can make some big savings.

Whatever you do, don't go shopping!

-No more shopping, no more shopping.

-No.

-Happy for that. Absolutely.

-Thank you, that is really great.

Ah!

Knowing that we can potentially save a vast amount of money,

I think it makes anything possible.

It's just about having the willpower to make it happen.

-I'm really chuffed with that.

-I know.

The fact is, the money is already there,

so it definitely is achievable,

because it is here, we have already got it,

and we've spent it, so that means we can save it for the future.

If you'd have said that a week ago, I would have been like,

-"No, we're not going to change them."

-No way.

-Good job.

-Yeah.

-Come on, then.