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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to argue with hubs about Freeganism?

76 replies

roobydoobydoo · 13/03/2011 14:17

He's been made redundant. Not been in current job long. Money's tight, but he's proud.

Whereas I'm not too proud to consider raiding supermarket skips etc to feed the family. Needs must and all that.

Has anyone tried it? If so was it a short-term measure or a way of life?

All polite view appreciated.

OP posts:
TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 13/03/2011 16:14

Why don't you get a job?

worraliberty · 13/03/2011 16:22

You can make vodka from potato peelings

jasminetom · 13/03/2011 16:33

I used to raid the Safeway bins years ago and fed myself for most of the week on out of date sandwiches, bruised apples and Mr Kipling cakes (always Mr Kipling cakes..why???) It's up to you. Yes, it is illegal and could be a bit humiliating if you get caught but if feels amazing, especially when you find the occasional bottle of wine. I once found a bottle of Moet with a ripped label.

jasminetom · 13/03/2011 16:34

Can I just add that I am not a bag lady, was a respectable student nurse at the time

TheMonster · 13/03/2011 16:38

Is remortgaging an option?

RumourOfAHurricane · 13/03/2011 16:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

wellwisher · 13/03/2011 16:55

I once ate a cheese and ham sandwich that I found in a paper bag on a luggage trolley at Frankfurt airport. I was returning home from a loooooong backpacking trip so I was semi-feral. Nothing bad happened. Grin

toeragsnotriches · 13/03/2011 18:28

I went 'freeganning' (?) once a looong time ago with an old friend who did it a lot and it was pretty unpleasant. The skip was gross, I'm the most law abiding person ever and I was worried about getting caught... The food was OK but it was a bit like one of those TV cooking shows where you get several random objects and you have to somehow cobble something together from them. Adults might eat the results but I doubt if my DCs would.

sausagerollmodel · 13/03/2011 19:09

Going through rubbish bins would be my last resort. Does your town have a charity foodbank? This is a charity that gives away food parcels to needy people. Google "foodbank" and your home town. This might help you through a short-term crisis.
Long term, buy basic ingredients and cook from scratch. If you don't know how to cook, now is the time to learn! Now hubs is at home he will have more time for cooking. Have you got a garden where you can grow your own veg?

Onetoomanycornettos · 13/03/2011 19:13

Will you be taking the children along on your jaunts?

I am very sceptical you and your children are actually starving. If you are, get a short-term loan from the job centre, or borrow £50 off a friend and pay them back when you get your benefits.

RitaBix · 13/03/2011 19:16

I think before to long a lot more people will be doing this.
The skips the food is thrown into are usually fox and rat proof so there is no chance of contamination

What is wrong with eating perfectly good food that has been thrown away?
On friday in the reduced section with a use by date for friday I got 2 bags of sprouts,1 califlower and a swede (for £1.50). we had them for lunch today and they were ok
If they hadnt been sold on Friday they would of ended up in the skip so liberating some foodstufs is fine

Susiewho · 13/03/2011 19:20

Hi have two friends who are freegans and eat like kings compared with us (and we don't eat badly!)

It's not just food and drink - they get cosmetics, cleaning products, clothing all sorts of things. Sometimes it's just end of the line stuff that the shops can't shift.

The contents of their house must be worth a fortune, and it cost them nowt!

Good luck to you, OP! :)

squeakytoy · 13/03/2011 19:32

I just dont think I fancy living like a womble..

Snapespeare · 13/03/2011 19:36

I've done it.

freeze the meat as soon as you get home. wear latex gloves to combat blue-dye-squirtiness. check out where you are going in daylight hours and look out for security cameras.

this is landfill. it can't be passed onto homeless shelters. choose your time and rats/foxes aren't in the equation. if you can source a 'old-people-grabby-claw' all the better.

just do it. report back. :)

Fourleaf · 13/03/2011 20:19

I've done it when I was a student. Brought back loads of bread, cakes etc for my stoned housemates who devoured them without asking where I'd got them from Grin
Things tend to be going out of date v quickly so it's usually a question of getting your dinner for that night. Veg/fruit can often last longer though.

But seriously, I have known loads of people who do this regularly - have even read a whole book about it.

Give it a try and see what happens - some places have clamped down a lot but you might find a good source. Didn't know the thing about rats pee (uuurgh) but if you go soon after closing time you can avoid this I would have thought. Good luck :)

zinggorilla · 13/03/2011 20:35

I think that the supermarkets should put all of this food in a skip specifically for members of the public to take ;with a disclaimer that out of date food is a risk. The amount of good food that is wasted is appauling and why make it illegal.

Lovecat · 13/03/2011 20:44

If it hasn't already been said... YABVU to refer to your OH as "Hubs"

BeenBeta · 13/03/2011 20:44

Erm...well I picked up a box of eggs someone had dropped in the street the other day. Took them home and they were fine in an omlette.

I used to pick up my daily paper from bins and other useful stuff. DW stopped me though, said it was embarrasing. I dont think I could go bin diving for my food though.

Seabright · 13/03/2011 20:52

I would do it, if I thought I wouldn't be spotted. I wouldn't tell anyone though, I think.

It's the wrong time of year, but in the autumn, I get lots of free hedgerow food and I'm pretty good at seashore food too.

exexpat · 13/03/2011 20:53

There's a woman round here who wrote a book about living on £1 a day for a year - I think she did a little dumpster diving, but more growing her own, freecycle, picking wild stuff, getting reduced items at the supermarket, and also getting as much free food as possible at events - book launches, exhibition openings, lectures, etc - though I have to say she must have got herself on the invitation list for a better class of book launch than I've ever been invited to, as you'd normally be lucky to get half a glass of warm white wine and nothing to eat.

GrendelsMum · 13/03/2011 20:59

A couple of friends used to do it (or probably still do) - at least one was from a very wealthy family but had his own strong political opinions. As people have said, you need to go about it in a particular way, but you can get the most extraordinary things. On the other hand, you don't necessarily want what you've got - I remember my friend getting four big cartons of out of date kitkats, enough to stock a small shop.

MoneySavingExpert 'Old Style' forum is the place to go for advice on living very cheaply, though.

sausagerollmodel · 14/03/2011 13:26

Another tip: try www.approvedfood.co.uk
Got to be better than rummaging through skips!

thumbwitch · 14/03/2011 13:34

you could always try this to supplement your garden-grown veg - not my idea of fun but if you're desperate?

HecateTheCrone · 14/03/2011 13:38

nope. never done it and the only way I would is if my children would starve otherwise. If that was the case, I would do whatever it took. - assuming I didn't live in a country where people with no job and no savings got no state benefits.

Unlike here, where there is that safety net.

I have read a few articles on it. I am sure I will be reading more.

It is a very interesting topic. Isn't it?

HecateTheCrone · 14/03/2011 13:39

argghh assuming I lived in a country where people with no job and no savings got no state benefits.
not didn't live.

ah, you know what I meant Grin