Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why the hell teens use absolutely MASSIVE portions of everything?!

62 replies

Lex345 · 06/12/2024 18:51

Mainly light hearted but they are driving me mad!!

HUGE bottle of shampoo-gone in 4 days
Toothpaste, must be be hoarding a great white shark under the bath the amount we are going through
Seasoning-Salt Bae the crap out of it all over the kitchen. Do not even want to think about what happens to ketchup.

It cannot just be mine that are doing this! And to add insult to injury they put the EMPTY bloody containers BACK!!!

OP posts:
WhatYouPutOutComesBack · 06/12/2024 20:00

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

OldTinHat · 06/12/2024 20:00

I'm 53.

I remember my DM losing the plot when I was about 14 because our family of four was going through a pound of cheese a week.

That may have mostly been me...!

Calliopespa · 06/12/2024 19:58

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 19:57

I remember my Dad going on about us doing this. It’s amazing how quickly we stopped when he started charging us for it!

30p for a lightbulb left on etc.

I used to think he’s so tight but now I’m an adult I understand!

I’ve e heard that turning light bulbs on and off makes them die faster than leaving them on?

cookingthebooks · 06/12/2024 19:58

Lex345 · 06/12/2024 18:56

If there is a way to not allow them to do it, I am all ears, because I just feel like I am nagging constantly :(

Don’t replace it. At least not quickly and swap to dirt cheap alternatives.
I grew up poor and this was exactly why I learnt to conserve and appreciate nice things, because they simply were not plentiful.

It baffles me now I’m middle class (married well- please don’t come for me) all these middle class parents I’m surrounded by constantly complaining like ‘Horatio just doesn’t appreciate anything and Margot wastes and breaks everything’ and I’m just biting my tongue thinking ‘well of course they do the moment they run out/break it/want it they get it what is their motivation seriously?’

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 19:57

I remember my Dad going on about us doing this. It’s amazing how quickly we stopped when he started charging us for it!

30p for a lightbulb left on etc.

I used to think he’s so tight but now I’m an adult I understand!

Calliopespa · 06/12/2024 19:56

allthatfalafel · 06/12/2024 19:33

Or you could do the opposite and go full hotel.

They get a travel size packet of soap, a travel toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo in 100ml bottles, and 7 sachets of ketchup and salt per week.

If they use it up before the end of the week tough shit.

Edited

That wouldn’t last me a week…

I mean the ketchup would, but not the soap or toothpaste

ThisAquaCrow · 06/12/2024 19:55

I invested in pump dispensers for shower gel, shampoo, conditioner.

Definitely reduced the amount they use. Just a shame I can’t do the same with crisps, juice and snacks 😎

Thishouseisafckingprison · 06/12/2024 19:52

I have an answer to the shampoo/shower gel/conditioner one!
Buy bottles from amazon etc eg 3 black pump dispensers, labels come with them, and decant into those. Have to pump quite firmly to get product out (so 10 pumps ish is about the right amount to use)
I've found stuff lasts way longer doing this
Originally bought the bottles for bathroom aesthetics and this was a side effect :)

DarkAndTwisties · 06/12/2024 19:52

Lul00 · 06/12/2024 19:44

Watch them unwrap bottles of shampoo and toothpaste on Christmas Day xx

🤣🤣

I would do what PPs have suggested, tell them how often you'll buy shampoo, stick to it, and keep yours somewhere else.

Lul00 · 06/12/2024 19:44

Watch them unwrap bottles of shampoo and toothpaste on Christmas Day xx

Flatulence · 06/12/2024 19:38

You could switch to things that are harder to use vast quantities of: bar soap instead of shower gel; solid shampoo and conditioner; toothpaste tablets etc. Anyone who wants 'posher' things can buy them themselves.

Or bulk buy: Costco, Amazon etc.

But yeah, teens do have a tendency to think more is more and if they use half a litre of shower gel then they'll be cleaner than if they use a handful of (the same logic as using six tablespoons of mayo but leaving most of it on the plate, I suppose).
How they'll change when they have to pay the bills 😂

Calliopespa · 06/12/2024 19:35

Lex345 · 06/12/2024 19:00

Well, yes -except that doesn't help me so much when I come to wash my hair and its all gone! They do buy their own bits and keep in their rooms but toothpaste/shampoo/food I obviously buy for everyone (but had hoped to be able to also use some!)

Show quote history

Put portion markers in black indelible ink down the sides of the bottle. It might be genuine cluelessnesses about how much to squeeze out.

allthatfalafel · 06/12/2024 19:33

Or you could do the opposite and go full hotel.

They get a travel size packet of soap, a travel toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo in 100ml bottles, and 7 sachets of ketchup and salt per week.

If they use it up before the end of the week tough shit.

MumChp · 06/12/2024 19:33

Then it's gone it's gone. Ours were learning by doing. Didn't take long.

Womblewife · 06/12/2024 19:30

Buy the really cheap stuff, if they want different they buy it!

Odiebay · 06/12/2024 19:30

Decanter it into smaller bottles and give them one each. Tell them how long it needs to last them . Don't refill until that time or they buy their own.

Balloonhearts · 06/12/2024 19:29

Keep yours separate. Your own shampoo, own bar of soap, own tube of toothpaste. Then buy for the rest of them only what you are willing to spend and let them battle it out. Lock yours away in a washbag in your room.

Original poster
Lex345 · 06/12/2024 19:28

ColonelRhubarbBikini · 06/12/2024 19:21

Switch them to the shitty value stuff and keep the good stuff in your room for now. Tell them they can earn the good stuff back when they’ve learned to use the recommended amount. Frustrating but might be the way to get through to them without having to nag.

This is a good idea, thank you-even if only the shampoo!

Also yes the Lynx effect, although I do make them buy this themselves. I will buy Sure/right guard though. That seems to last much longer!

OP posts:
paisley256 · 06/12/2024 19:25

ColonelRhubarbBikini · 06/12/2024 19:21

Switch them to the shitty value stuff and keep the good stuff in your room for now. Tell them they can earn the good stuff back when they’ve learned to use the recommended amount. Frustrating but might be the way to get through to them without having to nag.

Yeah I guess this is the way to go until they realise.

Skyrainlight · 06/12/2024 19:22

MolkosTeenageAngst · 06/12/2024 19:14

Surely you just tell them how frequently you’re willing to buy them shampoo etc and if they use it up before that they’ll just have to buy their own or do without. Keep your own supply separately where they can’t get to it!

Show quote history

I would do this.

ColonelRhubarbBikini · 06/12/2024 19:21

Switch them to the shitty value stuff and keep the good stuff in your room for now. Tell them they can earn the good stuff back when they’ve learned to use the recommended amount. Frustrating but might be the way to get through to them without having to nag.

motherofbees · 06/12/2024 19:21

Big Pump dispenser shampoo and my sneaky trick is to mix in water after a week and mix it up so it goes further as they always pump more than they need. Again pump toothpaste but the water trick does not work

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 06/12/2024 19:20

When the dses were teens, the worst thing was the industrial quantities of Lynx that they used every morning. So much that you could slice it, from three rooms and one floor away from the culprit.

Weaponised fragrance, I called it.

Original poster
Lex345 · 06/12/2024 19:18

I have tried the explaining it to them but I may as well have not bothered. I could lock away luxury items-but I can hardly do that with soap, toothpaste, loo roll etc. The sheer volume being used is incredible

OP posts:
CaptainCarrotsBigSword · 06/12/2024 19:16

MolkosTeenageAngst · 06/12/2024 19:14

Surely you just tell them how frequently you’re willing to buy them shampoo etc and if they use it up before that they’ll just have to buy their own or do without. Keep your own supply separately where they can’t get to it!

Show quote history

Or go absolutely apeshit at them for being selfish pricks, and then do this. They won't be able to say they weren't warned.