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Original poster

Mu parents have bought 48 tins of tuna

312 replies

CrinklyCraggy · 07/02/2022 19:56

It was on offer at a discount store, worked out about 50p a tin.

These are not poor people. One of their biggest concerns is inheritance tax (I say fgs spend it!)

They don't even like tuna much, but have been back for another 48 tins.

This absolutely will not be wasted. They will plough their way through 96 tins of tuna that they don't enjoy, just to be thrifty, which they don't need to be.

They've always been ones for stocking up when the price is good - in then70s they would buy a whole cow from the butcher for the freezer, but surely this is ridiculous?

What's more, I mentioned that we actually get through quite a bit of tinned tuna because it's about the only thing DS2 likes in a sandwich and they didn't even offer me a pallet

Do you have examples of extreme and unnecessary thrift? I like a bargain, I'd stock up if it was something I enjoyed, but when you don't?

OP posts:

Thread gallery

Echinops · 07/02/2022 22:47

For those wanting to store tins, my friend took out his kitchen kick boards and replaced them with little roll out drawers, I thought it was really clever.

CourtRand · 07/02/2022 22:47

Please warn them about mercury poisoning if they're planning to have lots of tins each week

Marineboy67 · 07/02/2022 22:48

Well I did read somewhere that it's probably not healthy to eat to much tuna in any one week. Apparently they can injest and hold quite high contents of Mercury.

AcrossthePond55 · 07/02/2022 22:49

My late mum (financially secure) would absolutely scour the Wednesday newspaper looking for sales and coupons. Then bright and early on Thursday she'd take all morning to do the marketing visiting 3-5 different stores in the bargain. One store had loo roll on sale, whilst another had 'the best price' for eggs. Then on to a third or fourth or fifth for another bargain or to use a coupon. She'd stock up on sale items and buy twice what was needed if there was a '2 for 1' deal. She probably used up half her 'savings' in petrol. But it made her happy so who was I to complain.

However, once she had to give up driving I finally had to put my foot down after one Saturday when it took me 6 hours driving her around to do her marketing. This was just for HER, mind you, as Dad was already gone. And a lot of it was unneeded 'stocking up' on things she already had at home but the prices were 'too good to pass up'. I told her that henceforward I'd take her to TWO stores and that was it.

One of the earliest signs of her dementia was buying massive quantities of items she wouldn't use or didn't have room to store because they were on sale. At that point I was following her up and down the aisles quietly putting items back on the shelves when she turned away. She once put 6 12-packs of Coke in her trolly because they were '2 for 1'. She didn't drink Coke, but she couldn't resist the deal. Another time she put 12 12-roll packs of loo roll. I put 8 of them back, she had no room to store 12 packs. She never even noticed when I did this.

I put it down to being raised during the depression and rationing during WWII.

Hippee · 07/02/2022 22:51

I think we must be related. My parents never needed to buy loo roll when I was growing up. There must have been an offer on Andrex, because we had hundreds of packs in our loft - panic-buying had nothing on them! Every pack had a small square cut out of the wrapper, as there had presumably been a voucher on them. Lucky they never had mice. At least they didn't need loft insulation for years. I am still using up soap that they must have bought in the 1980s (it has 23p printed on the wrapper). That said, I have nine loaves of bread in my freezer that I bought for £1.80 last week.

SuitcaseOfWhine · 07/02/2022 22:51

I can't say I blame your parents OP, next week a tin of tuna will probably cost 500 quid given the rate in which things are going up in price with inflation. They are smart.

eekbumbler · 07/02/2022 22:52

Nevermind, they'll soon die of mercury poisoning and the house (plus 15 remaining cans on tuna) shall be yours.

Pasta, homemade tomato sauce - capers, anchovies, olives... Win win

choosername1234 · 07/02/2022 22:52

My mum has 17 roll on deodorants stored in her bathroom

ABitOfAShitShow · 07/02/2022 22:54

@Hoolihan and @AChocolateOrangeaday This tuna soup is killing me! Conceptually but also, I cannot rest until I know what else is in it! 😂

onlychildhamster · 07/02/2022 22:58

Oh lord, my DH had to carry the 48 cans of tuna from Lidl in Tottenham court road back to our flat in zone 3 north london. And then on a bus to my MIL.

She was overseas but sent DH an email to ask him to buy the tuna as a matter of urgency as she was afraid it would run out. I think she goes through 1 tin per day. She is off to Lidl again to buy another 48 tins or possibly even more.

lanthanum · 07/02/2022 23:00

My mum was ill once. Every time my dad went shopping, orange juice was on special offer. I can't remember how many cartons she found on top of the kitchen cabinets when she got better, but it was a lot.

Gilead · 07/02/2022 23:03

I may stick up on Carte Noir instant when there’s a particularly good deal going.

Patapouf · 07/02/2022 23:06

Isn't there a lot of mercury in tuna?

Bargain though!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 07/02/2022 23:07

Great thread! Also just here for the tuna soup. Google confirms it's a thing.

Gilead · 07/02/2022 23:07

Stock up!

ABitOfAShitShow · 07/02/2022 23:07

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Great thread! Also just here for the tuna soup. Google confirms it's a thing.

🥴

RachelGreeneGreep · 07/02/2022 23:09

I'm tired so it is probably very straightforward but
My in-laws live in a very small house, which is home to them, my DB and SIL

Your brother lives with your in-laws? @SarahAndQuack

And lastly, please... I know there's DD and DH and all the rest on MN, but DCat and daunt...

Pthagonal · 07/02/2022 23:11

This tuna & sweetcorn chowder sounds quite nice.

www.thespruceeats.com/tuna-corn-chowder-3061091

FeloniusGru · 07/02/2022 23:11

Whilst on a health kick a couple of years back, DH decided a tin of tuna would be a good lunch. Every day. For a couple of weeks. Until he started to feel unwell… turned out he was slowly poisoning himself due to the mercury content!
Wasn’t too funny at the time but I do laugh now every time he buys tuna!

AlexCabot · 07/02/2022 23:16

I work at Lidl and have sold shitloads of the cases of tuna. Some people have bought two or three. There's either a thriving black market in it or they know something apocalyptic that we don't.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 07/02/2022 23:16

Haven't read the whole thread... but has anyone mentioned cats? If that tuna is in water OP then maybe your parents are secretly feeding it as a treat to some local strays... 50p a tin is less than some of the "gourmet" cat food my moggies would only tolerate

Classica · 07/02/2022 23:17

I'm banning tuna soup and mention of tuna soup.

Fangdango · 07/02/2022 23:19

[quote ABitOfAShitShow]**@Hoolihan* and @AChocolateOrangeaday* This tuna soup is killing me! Conceptually but also, I cannot rest until I know what else is in it! 😂[/quote]
Flaked tuna is good in miso soup, with spring onion and maybe shredded spinach. Could include noodles. But I wouldn't have called it tuna soup.

LaMigraine · 07/02/2022 23:20

This is my dad and his partner. They trawl the shelves for reduced yellow-sticker items and fill their enormous chest freezer with bargains. There's a whole long list of things they will only buy if they're on offer. Last time they came to stay my dad was (semi-)jokingly threatening to steal my sink plug as he needs a new one for his own sink but replacements apparently cost £30 and he doesn't want to pay that much. This is a man who has a huge house with a snooker room, several pianos, and an enormous wine cellar, and spends half his life on holiday in exotic far-flung places...

dipdye · 07/02/2022 23:20

Tuna soup 😳🤢

And tuna stew?!? Whhhaattt

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