AIBU to “steal” this?

money isn't tight @AmiABadPersonn has £10 a week to spend on scent balls and whatever.

This is just the extravagance they have admitted to, and they only admitted it because they don't judge it as an extravagance. Which implies to me that there are many more extravagances and unnecessary spending going on that have not been admitted to, if this is any indication of how poor their judgement is.

I expect there is load and loads of money being wasted, but even if there isn't, there is £35 a month being wasted on unnecessary laundry products

you could spend more on food if you didn't spend £10 a week on unnecessary scent balls etc

You are the reason for high supermarket prices- you are causing high prices for everybody else.

This is ridiculous - no one needs all those cleaning products. You are not "struggling" and buying laundry scent balls - a ridiculous extravagance most people manage perfectly well without - not to mention the indoor pollution they cause.

You can't say you buy from him because it is cheap, then spend 4x what you need to - just buy laundry pods from aldi and forget the stain remover, scent balls, softeners, and other stuff no on needs

Of course shops raise their prices to cover the cost of theft. Your post is illogical.

All these perfect people. Yes if I had enough money to do my shopping I wouldn't touch him with a barge poll. But if I was on my arse of course I would.

No, it doesn’t. Baby milk has to be the highest priority. Other things might have to be gone without but that doesn’t mean stealing, or knowingly buying stolen goods, is OK.

people are assuming he is lifting it from a shop, he could easily be lifting it from someone vulnerable.
if some thug showed up to most seniors homes they probably would hand over their soaps and canned goods.
the problem is also that you are befriending this fellow of dubious background, would you be okay if your children began hanging out with his children.
if he knocked on your door one day and asked to step in for a few minutes (while dodging the police or someone who's more of a thug) would you be okay with that?
sorry that money is that tight, but you are part of the problem.

Risk of contamination of products
Risk of said drug user being part of a much bigger problem/potentially surveillance by Police/arrest of thief and his customers who have committed criminal offence of handling stolen goods/automatic report to Social Services/a whole world of trouble

Following on from @Zippedeedooda re costs

Have you looked at Aldi also for Baby Formula
Aldi Mamia formula is 88p / 100g
Asda prices range from £1.31 to £1.61 / 100g.
No idea about Lidl but I’m sure the prices are much lower too than major supermarkets

Aldi and Lidl ingredients are much the same as others including own brands, Cow & Gate and Aptamil. ( The UK Government have strict guidelines on baby formula)

Much like their nappies, which in my opinion are the best on the market, I wouldn’t discount the ‘discount’ stores.

Don’t buy from thieves.
Businesses are loosing millions.
The Government is losing millions in lost tax affecting us all!
Employees are facing real violence at the hands of these criminals that you are supporting OP

I would not support that man but I might offer him a vouchure to buy a local pie or give him some print offs of local jobs like packing supermarket shelves etc.

He'd love that, he could sell the voucher at the next house for 50% of its face value.

And I'm sure the supermarkets would love to employ one of their known shoplifters.

How do you know that he is a druggie or that he steals?

He could be poor or sick.

I would never buy baby formula from anywhere but a reputable shop.

Consider buying laundry detergent from large agricultural shops. They sell good brands in bulk commercial containers at a reduced price. Consider reducing how often you wash too.

I would not support that man but I might offer him a vouchure to buy a local pie or give him some print offs of local jobs like packing supermarket shelves etc.

Well there was that time you replied to the op stating "Don't delude yourself, People like you cost the rest of us honest people hhigher prices."

This kinda reads like you think supermarkets charge low prices and then increase them because of thefts or expected thefts.

I don't think they do as I explained to @Milkand2sugarsplease I think they charge the highest amount they can get away with so as to increase the profits and therefore the wealth of their shareholders.

It was at this point that you suggested I could perhaps "join the rest of us in the real world!"

From these comments it seems that you think supermarkets are charging the lowest prices they can and those prices would surely be lower if it wasn't for those pesky shop lifters ruining it for everyone. It seems very charitable to me, that supermarkets would put aside their desire to make profits in order to make my life and yours a little easier by reducing our shopping bills.

Maybe I just misinterpreted your meaning.

Since I've been adding your quotes to this post I thought I'd include this one , its officially my favourite!
"and I am far from stupid!!"

Like what? Do you think it's OK for a thieving shop lifter ( who btw will be involved in evrry other crime imaginable to feed his habit) to her kids door for some fucking laundry detergent? What about when he's stopped and he attacks a young girl doing her Saturday job? Is that OK with you? Would it be OK if he popped round and burlged your house?

No, it’s not.

There’s no chance I’m associating with drug users/thieves - let alone regularly having them visit my home where my children are. It’s such a bad judgment call that I’d expect social services to look dimly on that as it puts them at risk.

Sorry but this drug user seems okay because OP is giving him money. What if this man no longer sells what OP wants, and he takes issue with the lack of money from OP? He might turn a blind eye for a couple of weeks, but ultimately he wants his drug fix and he knows OP has the cash. It’s the unpredictable and unsafe nature of the situation that seriously calls into question OP’s ability to keep her family safe.

I’ll post that again the image was terrible

No it isn't the Op doesn't deserve children when she's associating with a drug user.

https://www.google.com/search?q=staff+attackedby+shop+lifter&oq=staff+attackedby+shop+lifter&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQIRgKGKABMgkIAhAhGAoYoAEyCAgDECEYChgV0gEINTIzOWowajeoAhSwAgE&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jun/11/asda-staff-attacked-at-work-gmb-poll

https://www.britsafe.org/safety-management/2024/violence-against-shop-workers-grows-in-an-epidemic-of-retail-crime

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/24380965.atria-watford-repeat-shoplifter-jailed-attacking-staff/

https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2024/february/officers-appeal-for-information-after-a-female-shoplifter-assaulted-a-staff-member-in-bury/

https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/24116720.bury-cctv-appeal-employee-assaulted-shoplifter/

Try Google, it goes on and on. These are people working to provide for their kids too. Why should they get attacked whilst the Op sits on her arse and brings druggies to her kids door?

The £10 a week is on laundry pods, softener , stain remover and laundry scent balls from persil or lenor. The balls alone are £8 in Asda

Tesco's stain remover is £2 and a bottle lasts me six weeks.

A large box of washing powder is £4 in Morrisons. That lasts me eight weeks.

Nobody needs laundry scent balls FFS. Or fabric conditioner.

No wonder the planet is doomed.

I spend about 84p a week on laundry products.

I breastfed my babies so never bought formula.

Here you go OP Aldi prices I’ve even added nappies for the baby.

Shop around, don’t support thieves.

as an aside I found Lidl nappies the best on the market and far better than the big brands of Pampers and Huggies but Lidl don’t post prices online

It's not a big deal and some of the analogies used on here to condemn you are beyond stupid.

That's a bit harsh.

Please. Staff get assaulted all the time during these store thefts. You're a total criminal.

This and staff get assaulted every day trying to stop people like the Ops mate. Wonder what she would do if one of her loved ones was one of the people getting assaulted in retail because the local drug user had got a bit too carried away with their habit and decided to turn up with a weapon one day. That's if the ops kids ever get a job with the example she sets.

also shoplifting is not a victimless crime. When I worked in retail, staff would get in trouble for this. You’re looked at dimly if your store has high theft or is people steal when you are working.

Genuinely asking Op what would you do if one day your druggie thief mate turned on one of your kids? Say he started asking for more money for items you didn't want as you've helped him fund his habit and you didn't want to pay this so tried to say no but he wasn't having it. What would you do then? Can't report it to the police can you? You should not have children. I truly hope your friend reports you to Social Services and Police.

yabu

this is a really weird example to set for your children and I think you lack bigger picture thinking

firstly he’s a drug user, why are you having him around your kids and regularly interacting with him? If you stopped giving him money, how will he react? Will he keep knocking? Will he leave you alone? Will he take no for an answer? Bringing people like this to your home is irresponsible and reckless. He might get angry if you don’t give him what he wants.

secondly have you ever heard of “if something is too good to be true then it probably is”? You’re setting the wrong example for your children, it’s not realistic or sustainable for you to get £20-30 worth of goods for £10. Instead you should be looking at reducing your costs ie cheaper brands, or increasing your income. Not get the same brands by theft.