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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be annoyed at new work colleague who complains of being poor yet gets her lunch from the canteen?

54 replies

NoahVale · 18/10/2015 20:38

bring sarnies woman!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 18/10/2015 20:45

Perhaps she doesn't want to.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 18/10/2015 20:47

Is it very important to you?

ComposHatComesBack · 18/10/2015 20:47

Perhaps that is her main meal of the day. Either way it is none of your business unless she's tapping you up for a loan.

UnlikelyPilgramage · 18/10/2015 20:48

Oh goodness, there are all sorts of reasons why it may be cheaper and indeed easier to have a hot lunch.

wasonthelist · 18/10/2015 20:50

YANBU I used to work with an Australian who used to complain endlessly about every single aspect of life and work in the UK. She claimed never to have heard of the expression "Wingeing Pom" when I asked her. She's back in Aus now, bless her.

trollkonor · 18/10/2015 20:50

I've known people who have used the canteen lunch as their main meal because it was subsidised and they lived on their own. Could be that, or they could be one of those peop,e whomuse it as a default conversation opener. Smile and ignore.

MackerelOfFact · 18/10/2015 20:51

Is the canteen subsidised? A cheap hot meal might mean not having to cook for herself in the evening and therefore saving on electricity etc. Smile

Obviously it's cheaper to bring lunch than buy it, but as unnecessary extravagances go I don't think lunch in the staff canteen is really high up there. I go to our canteen if I forget my lunch as it's cheaper than going to any of the surrounding lunch outlets.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 18/10/2015 20:52

Well yes but is it subsidised?

3littlefrogs · 18/10/2015 20:52

My DS rents a tiny room near his work.
He has no cooking facilities, no fridge, not even a kettle.
No laundry facilities and only a shared bathroom.
He starts work at 6.00 so it is easier for him to rent near the job than to travel.
He has to buy lunch or an evening meal during the week or he wouldn't actually get a cooked meal.
He has nowhere to store or make sandwiches or the necessary ingredients.

I hope his colleagues don't bitch about him being extravagant when he buys a meal.

He comes home at the weekend with a suitcase full of washing, and to get a freshly cooked dinner.

rainbowunicorn · 18/10/2015 20:53

What on earth has it got to do with you OP?

I remember being very hard up at one point and was lucky enough to have a works canteen that was subsidised. I would have a hot lunch every day at work because I had not had breakfast and dinner when I got home was toast and marg or cereal as I was so skint.

Instead of being all judgmental why not stop and think before making comment

Babytookacupwoo · 18/10/2015 20:53

You have to pay for sandwich stuff too Wink

Poor means different things to different people. It's no big deal is it?

BackInTheRealWorld · 18/10/2015 20:54

I don't think you should judge her just yet. Could you maybe follow her round the supermarket and also find out the size of her telly first?

fieryfighter · 18/10/2015 20:54

YABU. I've been really poor in the past and would often take sandwiches but sometimes a nice hot lunch from the canteen was such an utter treat it was totally worth it.

IonaNE · 18/10/2015 20:59

Why does everyone assume that the person in question has a hot meal from the canteen? I have a colleague who is on a very low salary, she's just out of uni. She does sometimes complain e.g. about her student loan but she buys a big baguette from a sandwich shop most days.

This said, I agree with the majority here, OP, you are BU. It's everyone's personal choice what they spend their money on.

wasonthelist · 18/10/2015 21:00

BackInTheRealWorld Grin

Babytookacupwoo · 18/10/2015 21:01

When I was very poor I used to waste the tiny amount of money I did have on things that made me feel slightly better because it was so fucking depressing. £2 a day wasn't going to stop me being poor

lavenderhoney · 18/10/2015 21:06

Maybe she doesn't like sandwiches?

Or maybe she likes to socialise in the canteen and network a bit to move her career on if she can, get more money, move departments...

TheoriginalLEM · 18/10/2015 21:09

Why do you even care???

Original poster
NoahVale · 18/10/2015 21:17

why do I care? well, that is my AIBU, and I just think, if you complain about lack of money you need to economise, and bring your own food.
she cooks when she gets home for her children.
she makes them a packed lunch,

I just find it bizarre and it is not somethign I can mention in RL because that would be bitchy.

OP posts:
saucony · 18/10/2015 21:18

Why does she care? Maybe 'cause she has to listen to her colleague whining and then frittering money away. I mean, spend your cash on what you want but complaining bitterly but making no effort to deal with it is very annoying.

Original poster
NoahVale · 18/10/2015 21:19

thank you saucony

OP posts:
CalleighDoodle · 18/10/2015 21:23

Im a single parent. My children are fed at childcare mon-thurs. I buy a hot canteen meal, despite being hand to mouth atm. But i dont make myself a meal in the evening. Actually i dont have breakfast either so that meal at work is often my one meal a day. I cant make myself a roast dinner for lunch for less than £3.

I dont smoke, i dont drink alcohol, i rarely buy clothes for myself. My winter coat is 12 years old. My winter boots are 6 years old. My children are well dresa, well fed, have weekly swimming and dance lessons and rainbows. So fuck off with your judgement.

CalleighDoodle · 18/10/2015 21:24

(However, i dont mention my financial diffixulties at work).

Original poster
NoahVale · 18/10/2015 21:26

fuck off? who said I was talking about you Calleigh

OP posts:
PaulAnkaTheDog · 18/10/2015 21:30

Oh op find something real to whine about. If this is the height of you worries, then stop looking for something to complain about.