American stuff Brits love and hate

Ahhh, no.  My husband researches for days/weeks.  He looks at customer reviews, including the number of reviews that make up the aggregate score; price; he reads articles about what features are best to have and what are just gimmicky marketing; he reads professional tech reviews; he looks at build quality... the last thing he cares about is brand name.

That's exactly what I do.  My husband is mostly on board now.

His latest desires are expensive luggage.  (I cannot wrap my head around this).  And headphones.  He actually thinks he's going to enjoy watching movies on our flight on Saturday!  We have a three year old nod a three month old. Not gonna happen!

That's exactly what I do.  My husband is mostly on board now.

His latest desires are expensive luggage.  (I cannot wrap my head around this).  And headphones.  He actually thinks he's going to enjoy watching movies on our flight on Saturday!  We have a three year old nod a three month old. Not gonna happen!

It could happen if you get the right movies... Finding Dory, The Land Before Time (it's a timeless classic!), etc.  I can't say your husband will be entertained, but it could help with the 3 year old.

My friend packed a bunch of stickers (a bunch of stickers!) and some paper for her then-three-year-old's first flight.  That was fun. 

It could happen if you get the right movies... Finding Dory, The Land Before Time (it's a timeless classic!), etc.  I can't say your husband will be entertained, but it could help with the 3 year old.

My friend packed a bunch of stickers (a bunch of stickers!) and some paper for her then-three-year-old's first flight.  That was fun. 

700 stickers have been purchased.  Also the classic "Pom poms and an empty water bottle".  And she's really into Winnie the Pooh and Peppa pig.  Downloaded and ready to go!

700 stickers have been purchased.  Also the classic "Pom poms and an empty water bottle".  And she's really into Winnie the Pooh and Peppa pig.  Downloaded and ready to go!

If this is her first flight, and you think she might have ear pressure problems, you might pack some chewy snacks, too.... if you think she's old enough for it.  It would make me nervous as a parent, but you know your daughter.  You can decide how close you'll need to watch her with it.

I think Heinz is the best one too, but I also don't mind if it's another brand. I'm not a big ketchup eater.

My husband is into food name brands more so than the bigger ticket items. My sister and BIL though, are REALLY into name brands for most everything... appliances, furniture, jewelry, etc. They have the best of everything, and also research and look at reviews before purchasing something. They're well off so they can afford to buy the best things. We can't lol  But even if we could I don't think we would. Just because something is a name brand or more expensive doesn't automatically mean it's a better product.

If this is her first flight, and you think she might have ear pressure problems, you might pack some chewy snacks, too.... if you think she's old enough for it.  It would make me nervous as a parent, but you know your daughter.  You can decide how close you'll need to watch her with it.

She had 40,000 air miles before her first birthday!

Not her first flight by a long shot but the first where we think she will be entertained by an iPad.  We hope we are right!  She used to be so uninterested in TV.  Which is good.... except when traveling.   

She had 40,000 air miles before her first birthday!

You are definitely raising her right. 

Not her first flight by a long shot but the first where we think she will be entertained by an iPad.  We hope we are right!  She used to be so uninterested in TV.  Which is good.... except when traveling.   

You're a pro at traveling with little people... even if the iPad doesn't grab her attention, you must have some other secrets to making it work.  I'm impressed.

Sounds like a trip we took to Thailand when our kids were just a bit older .  We discovered the first chicken pocks right after landing and had to take my son to a Bangkok hospital. 

It was okay for the night flight but the flight that started in the morning was hard work. 

Might be a longshot, but I swear we were on a plane that had a little crib hammock thing that attached to the bulkhead.  Hope you are sitting next to one of those.

Sounds like a trip we took to Thailand when our kids were just a bit older .  We discovered the first chicken pocks right after landing and had to take my son to a Bangkok hospital. 

It was okay for the night flight but the flight that started in the morning was hard work. 

Might be a longshot, but I swear we were on a plane that had a little crib hammock thing that attached to the bulkhead.  Hope you are sitting next to one of those.

Yup, flying BA and get a choice of a bassinet or a chair thing that hangs from the wall.  Hopefully my son will sit in it (daughter never would).

And hopefully no pox!  Daughter was vaccinated.  Son too young for the vaccine.  Hopefully no illnesses full stop!

Man, you are one step ahead of me! 

My kids are just as difficult to fly with but for different reasons.  Arguing over phones, chargers and Netflix logins until you go crazy .  Right now I can't even watch Netflix because my daughter controls the account, god knows why, and she won't tell me the password!  And I can't strangle her because she's in France.

Man, you are one step ahead of me! 

My kids are just as difficult to fly with but for different reasons.  Arguing over phones, chargers and Netflix logins until you go crazy .  Right now I can't even watch Netflix because my daughter controls the account, god knows why, and she won't tell me the password!  And I can't strangle her because she's in France.

Start a trial account until she gets back. 

Okay, stereotyping/painting all with the same brush:

Do you find Brits to be more into brand names than Americans?  And feel that if something costs more it must be a better product?

I've met quite a few like that, regarding clothing. Like, if a pair of jeans is more expensive, they must be better. Same with brand names and labels. In the US, the proliferation of shops like Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, and constant sales mean you can get brand names for cheap, so paying more here just means you aren't a "smart shopper". Not sure if the same attitude is true away from cities.

As for food, my very particular MIL is very particular about the brands of food she buys, even if we're talking tins of soup. She's a frugal lady, yet she shops at M&S at least once a week. (Have to admit, the food is damn good out of there though.)

When I worked at the auction TV channel, people could not buy expensive designer handbags fast enough. We tried to vary things a bit by selling different stuff, but people were only happy when spending hundreds of quid on crappy bags worth £25 made by child labour in Vietnam .   It was disgusting.

Okay, stereotyping/painting all with the same brush:

Do you find Brits to be more into brand names than Americans?  And feel that if something costs more it must be a better product?

My hubby really likes name brand stuff, but I feel like it's partially how he was raised. When he was younger, brand name products were the "good products" that they could only afford some times.

I've convinced him that's not always the case, but yeah. He won't have store brand ketchup or brown sauce. Heinz soup can't be replaced with anything else.

Ahhh, no.  My husband researches for days/weeks.  He looks at customer reviews, including the number of reviews that make up the aggregate score; price; he reads articles about what features are best to have and what are just gimmicky marketing; he reads professional tech reviews; he looks at build quality... the last thing he cares about is brand name.

Any chance your husband has researched tumble dryers?  We are hoping to replace ours by winter time as it's hard enough to keep up with laundry with the long summer days. 5 people and 2 dogs means a LOT of laundry to wash and dry.