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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder how people can afford a takeaway for a family?

784 replies

MaknCheeese · 15/04/2023 19:51

We haven't had a takeaway for a while and I was thinking about ordering one for the family as a treat tonight. I decided not to once I worked out the price, I just couldn't justify paying 1/3 of my weekly groceries budget, £30 on a curry for 4.
When did you last have a takeaway?
How much did it cost and how many did it feed?

OP posts:
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16
UndertheCedartree · 15/04/2023 22:14

RosesAndHellebores · 15/04/2023 21:57

The last time was about three years ago. Curry for 4 - £50.

I just don't see the point of spending that much and still having to wash up. I can do sirloin steak, crispy potatoes, mushrooms and salad for less and it takes only minutes and the same amount of washing up.

Haddock and chips is £12.95 per head here. The same as at one of our local pubs without the fag of collecting it, warming the plates and washing up. Or I can pan fry four fillets of salmon, steam some new potatoes and serve with asparagus and hollandaise for less than half the price.

You can get a small cod and chips for £6.50 here and we eat it straight from the paper!

whatwasIgoingtosay · 15/04/2023 22:14

We live too rurally to get takeaways, but we make up for it with M&S ready meals whenever we get the chance. Great quality on the whole and cheaper than takeaways, although you do have to cook/warm them up.

DanceMonster · 15/04/2023 22:15

WellPlaced · 15/04/2023 22:13

Please explain why getting a takeaway means you have so little sense ?

Show quote history

It doesn’t, obviously. I was being facetious in response to @RosesAndHellebores ’s comment.
We have takeaways because a) we can’t eat out as much as we like due to our autistic child, b) we don’t always want to cook and c) we enjoy them.

Pseudonamed · 15/04/2023 22:16

In recent weeks we have not been out on our normal 'date night' for two so have gotten takeaways and it varies depending on whether we are north or south of ireland. 2 weeks ago we got one madras with rice and a garlic naan up north between us and it was 12stg. Same thing down south is around 18euro.

As a family last weekend we ordered in pizza for 5 and it was 55euro. The following day for lunch we had (and i posted this on another thread) 2 kids nuggets/chips/milkshake, 3 adult burgers, 2 chips one mushrooms and one onions with 3 cokes. Total 50euro.

Oneglassisnotenough · 15/04/2023 22:16

Chinese for us three and Nandos takeaway for one child who doesn’t like Chinese. Cost was £50 for all of us.

WellPlaced · 15/04/2023 22:16

DanceMonster · 15/04/2023 22:15

It doesn’t, obviously. I was being facetious in response to @RosesAndHellebores ’s comment.
We have takeaways because a) we can’t eat out as much as we like due to our autistic child, b) we don’t always want to cook and c) we enjoy them.

Show quote history

😊
apologies, I got lost in the thread

Oneglassisnotenough · 15/04/2023 22:17

That was tonight . Last weekend Chinese for two was £25

Nalupa · 15/04/2023 22:17

they're running round in shitty £12 trainers from ShoeZone that fall apart after 8 weeks.

Not ShoeZone, but DDs school shoes were £18 from Sainsbury's and they are still going strong 5 months later. Why would I pay more when it isn't needed

GnomeDePlume · 15/04/2023 22:18

I can pan fry four fillets of salmon, steam some new potatoes and serve with asparagus and hollandaise for less than half the price.

But the whole point of a takeaway is that it isnt something you would do for yourself!

AncientToaster · 15/04/2023 22:19

NYE £70 for 4, curry
3 weeks ago £25 for 4, fish and chips

Nalupa · 15/04/2023 22:20

Assuming 2 adults and 2 kids... Two mids meals is £7. Leaving £8 for 2 adult meals?

Does kids meal mean Happy Meal? My daughter is 7 and hasn't had one of those since she was 5. She has a normal 6 nugget and medium fries meal.

wherethewaterisdarker · 15/04/2023 22:20

Love (good quality) takeaways! Used to love eating out but small children make that less enjoyable for now. We spend prob £50-60 a week on takeaways/food out. Would happily eat out every day. How do we afford it? We’re quite rich. Know we’re lucky.

Itakecreaminmycoffee · 15/04/2023 22:21

I can pan fry four fillets of salmon, steam some new potatoes and serve with asparagus and hollandaise for less than half the price.

Such a MN response 🤣

Yes, everybody knows the cost of salmon - but sometimes you want to laze on the sofa and have a lovely, greasy takeout! Sometimes salmon just won't cut it!

Pseudonamed · 15/04/2023 22:23

Oh actually the last time we had date night a month or so ago we went local. A bottle of wine cost 40euro (i know i know) but the food bill came to 34 which was a curry with rice, naan and chips for him, fresh fish with mash, calamari, prawns, asparagus i a white wine sauce for me so the meals were cheap.

Ballcactus · 15/04/2023 22:23

Indian or Chinese for 4 would be about 35£ here so we don’t anymore. Sometimes we get a large fish & chips & 2 fish cakes. Kids have a fish cake each, hubs & I share the fish, split the chips between us all and that’s about £15

howrudeforme · 15/04/2023 22:24

My god - as a nation we eat lots of takeaways!

in my family (of 3) we get a takeaway pizza twice a year (cat’s BD and Mother’s Day). A Chinese for son’s birthday and DM BD and that’s about it.

i feel mean now.

Pseudonamed · 15/04/2023 22:25

howrudeforme · 15/04/2023 22:24

My god - as a nation we eat lots of takeaways!

in my family (of 3) we get a takeaway pizza twice a year (cat’s BD and Mother’s Day). A Chinese for son’s birthday and DM BD and that’s about it.

i feel mean now.

I wouldnt feel mean for celebrating a cats bday with pizza.... foolish yes but not mean.

Hoorayjones · 15/04/2023 22:26

We had a Chinese takeaway tonight, £37 for 4 of us, which is at the cheaper end of takeaways around here (Central London). We get a takeaway once a month and I do find it expensive - we can afford it but it's very much a treat and I wouldn't get one weekly. Weekly grocery bill is £180 (for 5 of us, baby is on solids but didn't eat takeaway).

DanceMonster · 15/04/2023 22:29

howrudeforme · 15/04/2023 22:24

My god - as a nation we eat lots of takeaways!

in my family (of 3) we get a takeaway pizza twice a year (cat’s BD and Mother’s Day). A Chinese for son’s birthday and DM BD and that’s about it.

i feel mean now.

Does your cat like pizza?

justasking111 · 15/04/2023 22:30

Some of these takeaways are what we would pay to eat out. Fish and chips here large fish was £9.50 tonight. Chinese around £8 a head. It's nice occasionally for someone else to do the cooking

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 15/04/2023 22:34

GnomeDePlume · 15/04/2023 22:18

I can pan fry four fillets of salmon, steam some new potatoes and serve with asparagus and hollandaise for less than half the price.

But the whole point of a takeaway is that it isnt something you would do for yourself!

Well yes, i can have salmon on the other 6 days of the week

having said that we got into the habit over covid trying to support the local businesses and we really ought to go back to once or twice a month

ChickenMacaroni · 15/04/2023 22:34

We usually do Chinese for 11 (4 adults and 7 kids) for around £45. Feels very reasonable to us. Indian is slightly more expensive due to starters and naans.

Chippy tea is usually about £20 for the 6 of us if everyone has a protein - usually just a sausage or fishcake.

Pizza would tend to be £20ish for a couple of large Pizza Hut pizzas if we collect. 3 or 4 slices is enough each.

Sometimes DH and I have chips, cheese and naan from the kebab shop. It's £7 delivered.

I don't really understand why we wouldn't be able to afford it - we tend to do it as entertainment on an otherwise boring / rainy evening similar to going out for a meal. We don't live in an expensive house, drive new cars, buy takeaway coffees, smoke or drink alcohol which I guess frees up the budget, much like any other financial decision.

Pseudonamed · 15/04/2023 22:37

@ChickenMacaroni That is the cheapest I have ever heard of anyone ever having a takeaway.

roses2 · 15/04/2023 22:38

How are people finding takeaways so cheap?? I'm in London and take away prices are now insane. My local Indian is £15/dish. My local fish and chip shop is £14 for fish + £3 for chips!

Ihatepainting · 15/04/2023 22:39

ChickenMacaroni · 15/04/2023 22:34

We usually do Chinese for 11 (4 adults and 7 kids) for around £45. Feels very reasonable to us. Indian is slightly more expensive due to starters and naans.

Chippy tea is usually about £20 for the 6 of us if everyone has a protein - usually just a sausage or fishcake.

Pizza would tend to be £20ish for a couple of large Pizza Hut pizzas if we collect. 3 or 4 slices is enough each.

Sometimes DH and I have chips, cheese and naan from the kebab shop. It's £7 delivered.

I don't really understand why we wouldn't be able to afford it - we tend to do it as entertainment on an otherwise boring / rainy evening similar to going out for a meal. We don't live in an expensive house, drive new cars, buy takeaway coffees, smoke or drink alcohol which I guess frees up the budget, much like any other financial decision.

I’ve no idea how rhis is possible unless you all have about 25% of a meal each. It’s like rhe mumsnet chicken on steroids.