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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
Devoutspoken · 18/04/2023 11:51

A £50 takeaway curry is completely worth it if one deems it so. I wouldn't spend hundreds of pounds on stuff that other people deem important but live and let live

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 11:52

Devoutspoken · 18/04/2023 11:51

A £50 takeaway curry is completely worth it if one deems it so. I wouldn't spend hundreds of pounds on stuff that other people deem important but live and let live

Exactly. I have a friend who spends £100s on having botox in her forehead and I genuinely can’t tell the difference. It’s obviously worth it to her though, and she can afford it, so why would anyone else be bothered how she spends her money?

VincentVaguer · 18/04/2023 11:53

Ihatepainting · 18/04/2023 11:43

I don’t think that’s why anyone buys a takeaway 😂😂😂 same reason as it’s not why anyone goes to a restaurant. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone do it for you

I do wonder if folks are being deliberately obtuse. I can’t fathom how you can get to adult hood and be so utterly confused like this as to why anyone would order a takeaway. That anyone would genuinely believe that the reason folks order an Indian takeaway is they find it a huge and exhausting task to cook their own. It’s bewildering.

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It's bewildering to you that some people think takeaways are a massive waste of money?

WomblingTree86 · 18/04/2023 11:54

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 11:46

I’m not defensive. I’m just explaining why spending £50 on a takeaway is worth it to me, because it’s a concept you don’t seem to be grasping.
I don’t do the cooking in my house by the way, it’s DH’s job. He makes an excellent curry, cooking is his passion. Sometimes he can’t be arsed though, so we get a takeaway.

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What makes you think I have any problems "grasping" the concept? As I said, I can see that it would be worth it if the takeaway is particularly good in comparison to own cooking/ready meals or if you are a very high earner. It's not the same money wise as a cleaner/car wash or other things you mentioned though.

Scarfitwere · 18/04/2023 11:55

MaknCheeese · 16/04/2023 13:43

@Ihatepainting
Because the prices seem so high and I do wonder how people can afford it now with so many threads on COL crisis and food bank usage.
I am shocked at many of the replies, I consider spending £30 on a takeaway as expensive but have been clearly told that is considered cheap.

I feel like the purpose of this question was to make your own choices appear superior to everyone else? Not everyone enjoys cooking or has time to do it regularly when working 60 hour week with commute etc. Lots of people are cash rich and time poor. Holidays for us can cost maybe 7 or 8k plus for 4 of us so £30-40 quid on a takeaway a week doesn't really make any odds. There are also varying standards of takeaway food, it's not all rubbish. Lots of people have a high income, lots don't. People work to their different budgets and lifestyles, it doesn't make one better than the other.

VincentVaguer · 18/04/2023 11:57

Having read this thread though, I will say IN DEFENCE OF TAKEAWAYS if I lived somewhere which delivered really good Asian or Thai food from decent restaurants then I'd be much more likely to splash out on one.

I find the idea of spending almost 100 on burgers, chips and drinks, or paying £20 a pizza from Dominos (without the confusing discounts), or paying £60 for a average, standard, family curry a complete waste of money. Even if I was absolutely on my knees with tiredness I couldn't contemplate doing that 😅

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 11:58

WomblingTree86 · 18/04/2023 11:54

What makes you think I have any problems "grasping" the concept? As I said, I can see that it would be worth it if the takeaway is particularly good in comparison to own cooking/ready meals or if you are a very high earner. It's not the same money wise as a cleaner/car wash or other things you mentioned though.

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Apart from the actual price (and £50 is just a figure plucked out of the air and doesn’t represent what I actually pay for takeaway), how is it different? I paid £65 for someone to valet my car recently and it only took an hour or so. Chopping an onion takes about a minute, but I pay 80p extra for chopped ones so in terms of cost vs benefit there isn’t much difference. Cooking a curry may cost significantly less in terms of ingredients than a takeaway, but you also have to factor in the energy cost of a few hours simmering time etc.

VincentVaguer · 18/04/2023 11:58

And I don't always 'enjoy' cooking. Sometimes I fucking hate it. But I'm good enough at it by now to be able to conjure up something from the kitchen without really stressing over it which in turn saves money I guess.

VincentVaguer · 18/04/2023 11:59

Chopping an onion takes about a minute, but I pay 80p extra for chopped ones so in terms of cost vs benefit there isn’t much difference

......faints clean away..... 😅

Blaueblumen · 18/04/2023 12:10

It's bewildering to you that some people think takeaways are a massive waste of money?

Exactly. Not only a waste of money but usually unhealthy too.

Lavendersquare · 18/04/2023 12:15

Out of interest how much did you think a takeaway for 4 was going to cost?

WomblingTree86 · 18/04/2023 12:16

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 11:58

Apart from the actual price (and £50 is just a figure plucked out of the air and doesn’t represent what I actually pay for takeaway), how is it different? I paid £65 for someone to valet my car recently and it only took an hour or so. Chopping an onion takes about a minute, but I pay 80p extra for chopped ones so in terms of cost vs benefit there isn’t much difference. Cooking a curry may cost significantly less in terms of ingredients than a takeaway, but you also have to factor in the energy cost of a few hours simmering time etc.

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Do you simmer the curry for hours? Really?

Regardless, you are obviously a high earner and/or takeaways where you live are very good taste wise. You do you and stop being so defensive about that other people don't think takeaways are worth the money.

Comefromaway · 18/04/2023 12:17

I don't have a cleaner or a gardener but I do have two takeaways per week.

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 12:18

Blaueblumen · 18/04/2023 12:10

It's bewildering to you that some people think takeaways are a massive waste of money?

Exactly. Not only a waste of money but usually unhealthy too.

Waste of money, unhealthy, and also not compulsory. So the absolute joy of them is that it’s not your money being wasted and not your health being compromised!

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 12:21

WomblingTree86 · 18/04/2023 12:16

Do you simmer the curry for hours? Really?

Regardless, you are obviously a high earner and/or takeaways where you live are very good taste wise. You do you and stop being so defensive about that other people don't think takeaways are worth the money.

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I don’t, as I don’t cook. DH does, yes. That’s how they get their flavour and how the meat becomes tender.
I guess my issue comes from the fact that surely people can only judge what would be a waste of their money, not anyone else’s? Genuinely why would anyone care what other people spend their money on? There are many reasons why takeaways are not a waste of my money. Buying ready meals for example would be a waste of my money, because I have never had one that I enjoy.

CornishGem1975 · 18/04/2023 12:24

I buy a takeaway because I can't be arsed to cook sometimes and the local Chinese restaurant makes crispy chilli beef far better than I could.

Everyone chooses how to spend their own disposable income don't they? I don't understand people who waste money on smoking for instance but it's their choice.

Ihatepainting · 18/04/2023 12:30

Blaueblumen · 18/04/2023 12:10

It's bewildering to you that some people think takeaways are a massive waste of money?

Exactly. Not only a waste of money but usually unhealthy too.

No one is asking you to buy one. You are coming across like you’re personally offended folks chose to buy take aways , it’s really odd.

daverday · 18/04/2023 12:38

Going to be honest-I order the main courses & cook the rice & chips myself Have been known to order a takeaway & cook the side orders myself-Really to let the kids think it's a take-away.
We are on a tight budget- Can cope but only just...
To be honest- I really think people on Mumsnet don't really get it.

AlltheFs · 18/04/2023 12:39

You absolutely can’t replicate a takeaway with home cooking. There’s something about the absolute crap in a good takeaway that makes it extra good in a completely bad sort of way.

I can cook a curry or fried rice or similarly and it is very good indeed. But it doesn’t have the hangover banishing “filth factor” qualities of a proper takeaway.

I could genuinely live on special fried rice from the takeaway where I used to live. It revived me from the brink so often. I’d still buy it if it was £50.

Comefromaway · 18/04/2023 12:57

Mine has just arrived. £3.50. Bargain.

To wonder how people can afford a takeaway for a family?
Wenfy · 18/04/2023 13:05

AlltheFs · 18/04/2023 12:39

You absolutely can’t replicate a takeaway with home cooking. There’s something about the absolute crap in a good takeaway that makes it extra good in a completely bad sort of way.

I can cook a curry or fried rice or similarly and it is very good indeed. But it doesn’t have the hangover banishing “filth factor” qualities of a proper takeaway.

I could genuinely live on special fried rice from the takeaway where I used to live. It revived me from the brink so often. I’d still buy it if it was £50.

Indian takeaway recipes do exist - usually have a ‘restaurant style’ prefix.

WomblingTree86 · 18/04/2023 13:20

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 12:21

I don’t, as I don’t cook. DH does, yes. That’s how they get their flavour and how the meat becomes tender.
I guess my issue comes from the fact that surely people can only judge what would be a waste of their money, not anyone else’s? Genuinely why would anyone care what other people spend their money on? There are many reasons why takeaways are not a waste of my money. Buying ready meals for example would be a waste of my money, because I have never had one that I enjoy.

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I think you are taking this far too seriously. Just because people have an opinion on whether takeaways are worth the money doesn't mean they care what you do.

DanceMonster · 18/04/2023 13:25

WomblingTree86 · 18/04/2023 13:20

I think you are taking this far too seriously. Just because people have an opinion on whether takeaways are worth the money doesn't mean they care what you do.

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Oh I’m not really, I’m just at home recovering from surgery and am really really bored to be honest. I wouldn’t have bothered discussing takeaways otherwise. On that note I’m off to eat my takeaway butternut squash and red pepper soup that the local deli has just delivered.

AlltheFs · 18/04/2023 13:32

Wenfy · 18/04/2023 13:05

Indian takeaway recipes do exist - usually have a ‘restaurant style’ prefix.

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They are still not the same, and when you can barely sit up it’s not what you want to be doing.
Literally the only thing I miss about city life is dirty takeaways.

Newestname002 · 18/04/2023 13:40

I've stopped buying takeaways as it was costing about half my weekly grocery bill. With the increased costs of living something had to give. Now I just buy nice ready meals and "cook" them at home for a fraction of the price. 🌹

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