Can I use a cheap USB flash drive to run Windows and use as a local hard drive?

Roger is looking at a 1TB USB memory stick and wonders if he could use it as a day-to-day drive

I have just had to replace my 1TB hard drive, which cost 25 all done and dusted, but I notice you can now get a 1TB USB Flash drive for 8.99. Could you use one of those as a normal day-to-day drive? I will use one as a backup, but if I mirror my drive on it, could I switch over to it if my drive goes down again? Roger

I was surprised - shocked! - to discover that you could buy a 1TB flash drive for less than a tenner, because I've been paying more than that for 16GB and 32GB versions. As mentioned in the comments below, this is almost certainly a scam, because the old computer industry adage still applies: "cheap, fast, good - choose any two".