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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think spending £64 a month on cereal for one person is insane?!

204 replies

Mittensonkittens · 23/10/2013 07:53

Dh has become addicted to Special K. Addicted. He is living on the stuff. He's eating normal meals too but in addition to this is eating bowls and bowls of the stuff.

He's getting through a box (£3.99) every two fucking days! His cereal habit is costing me £64 a month! There's a sentence never thought I'd type.

I've explained to him that his cereal is now costing us one fifth of our monthly shopping budget. Aibu to think he needs to cut back?! Is there some sort of special cereal addiciton group he can go to?

£64! £768 a year!

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 23/10/2013 09:17

You are drastically cutting back on food for your kids to feed his greedy gob this brand of fucking cereal? Seriously? Why the fuck are you buying it? just don't. I'd love to eat our budget away on chocolate, but in adulthood, we NEVER let food obsessions compromise feeding the family, unless you are an absolute cunt weasel.

Mollydoggerson · 23/10/2013 09:18

What else does he spend money on? Booze? Nights out? Some hobby.

Tell him he needs to choose which luxury is his priority?

Also tell him he will get huge if he keeps this up?

oh oh alternative suggestion, could he give up the flakey stuff for the month of November as a sort of count down to xmas, he might break his habit.

Original poster
Mittensonkittens · 23/10/2013 09:18

There's his christmas gift sorted: a Kellogg's mankini and 50 boxes of Special K.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 23/10/2013 09:20

I was the sole earner for years, it did not entitle me to behave like a selfish arse because I 'worked hard all week' Hmm

JugglingFromHereToThere · 23/10/2013 09:22

Grin @ stop being his cereal dealer

I can't put my advice any better than that!

Mollydoggerson · 23/10/2013 09:24

You guys need an intervention.

Preciousbane · 23/10/2013 09:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HardFacedCareeristBitchNigel · 23/10/2013 09:29

Your DH is an adult - he can eat what he wants
Not when the OP is having to cut back on other areas of the food budget. I suspect you wouldn't feel so forgiving if the OP had posted that her DH was eating his way through £64 of junk food per month ?

The fact that it is a supposedly "healthy" cereal is a red herring. The point is that the OP's DH is snacking on food that they cannot afford and that he doesn't need.

He should be buying it himself. OP, I would stop buying the coffee pods.

thestauntonlick · 23/10/2013 09:34

He needs to cut down on the carbs and increase his protein and fat, then he'll feel satisfied and unable to eat so much cereal I would imagine. Tbh I could probably eat as much as that, so have had to start low-carbing and I do feel better and much less hungry. Those kinds of refined carbs can be addictive, as your dh has discovered.

DontmindifIdo · 23/10/2013 09:35

No, sit him down again, say you are worried - he's eating an extra 1000 calories a day in cereal, as well as costing you money, it's really an unhealthy food to eat so much of, and you think he needs to make a doctors appointment to see why he's craving it so much. If he says he doesn't need to go to the doctors, suggest he tries avoiding it other than for breakfast for a week and see how he feels, if he feels he needs it rather than just fancies a bowl then it's a sign there's something wrong with his health. Monitor the usage and make a big point of booking a doctors appointment because you are worried about him.

Most men I know will do anything to avoid going to the doctors, you'll soon solve the problem, unless he really is craving it and then at least you'll know.

thestauntonlick · 23/10/2013 09:40

If he's not putting any weight on, it could be a sign of diabetes, I think, not an expert though.

sparkle12mar08 · 23/10/2013 09:41

Stop making excuses for him, and just stop bloody buying it! If he really wants it that badly he can get off his soon to be very fat arse and get it himself. Show him the reciepts, tell him exactly how much it costs, and also lob in Dontmind's thoughts that this is not normal, it is genuinely abnormal behaviour and that he really ought to see a doctor. Honestly, it is utterly shameful that you are cutting back your family's food budget - your children's food budget - for your husbands selfish and ridiculous obsession. Shaneful.

HotCrossPun · 23/10/2013 09:43
Chunderella · 23/10/2013 09:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ScreamingNaanAndGoryOn · 23/10/2013 09:44

Second substitution with a cheaper alternative. My DH refused ALCAFE as it tasted awful, which is why he's been enjoying it out of the gold blend jar for the last 3 months.

That much cereal is excessive.

ExcuseTypos · 23/10/2013 09:44

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2472672/Is-high-fat-diet-GOOD-heart-Doctors-say-carbs-damaging-arteries-butter-cream.html

Show him this and tell him to have a fry up for breakfast. That should satisfy him much better then a bowl of sugar.

ethelb · 23/10/2013 09:47

Half a pack with milk is 2064 calories and 132g of sugar a day!

FiscalCliffRocksThisTown · 23/10/2013 09:49

introduce him to the concept of bread?

DH comes hoem from work and eats half a loaf (toast), we can afford that ;)

OrangeMochaFrappucino · 23/10/2013 09:52

I went like this about cornflakes in the last weeks of pregnancy. My husband (gently) drew my attention to the salt and sugar content. I stopped eating them - it really isn't healthy and I was on about seven bowls a day! If we had Special K in the house I would hoover it up, I love it. But I know I can't be trusted around cereal so we don't buy it! It is soooo addictive.

TheKnightsWhoSayNi · 23/10/2013 09:52

As bloke with a moderate cereal habit myself (anything with a "noney nut" label gets me. I can't stop eating it if it's there.), I think YABU. Yes, it's £64 a month. But is it really that bad?

And my DW spends about £50-£60 a month on Coca Cola (depends if it's on offer though). And you're average smoker will spend about £125-£150 on cigarettes. My mother spends roughly about £100 on wine a month. We all have our addictions.

Let the guy enjoy a bowl of cereal. Or a few more.

And god dam, I really fancy a bowl of cereal now.

englishmumcominghome · 23/10/2013 09:53

its' also really high in salt btw.

I'd get him to the Dr and tested for deficiencies

Grin at the Mankini for christmas. Do post pics

Pogosticks · 23/10/2013 09:53

Swap the normal milk for milk that has gone off. This might trigger a dislike of Special K!

Or wait until he's asleep and dress him in a slinky red dress and scatter sand all over the floor. As we all know if you eat enough Special K you will end up swishing around a beach in a red frock.

BeCool · 23/10/2013 09:54

if you can't afford it, then buy as much as you can afford with your shopping and when its finished its finished.

Quite simply, he needs to get a grip.

bionic77 · 23/10/2013 09:57

At present you are feeding his cereal habit. From now on put 60 quid in an envelope marked cereal money and give it to him. Tell him he is responsible for buying his own cereal and making sure he always has what he needs. I bet when he has to hand over 60 quid each month just for cereal he'll start to adjust.

EldritchCleavage · 23/10/2013 09:59

Addictions are to be fought, not indulged. Don't buy any. If he wants it, let him buy it. Bet you the thought of wandering back into work after lunch with 5 boxes of Special K like a cereal weirdo will put him off a bit.