Page 5 | To be annoyed that DH has just spent £25 on dinner?

SnappyHorse · 2023-09-23T17:18:29+00:00

We’ve just had our usual Saturday night ‘what shall we have for dinner’ conversation. Me not wanting to cook because I cook every night because I’m home earlier than DH, and DC’s wanting takeaway fish and chip which costs £30 every time. We compromised on fish and chips from the Co-Op round the corner which I can just chuck in the oven. DH said he’d nip out. He’s just come back from M&S having spent £25 on Gastro fish and chips. I’m sure they’ll taste lovely, but I’m annoyed that he’s spent £25 on 1 dinner. We haven’t really got £25 to spend on 1 dinner and if he was going to spend that, why didn’t he just get takeaway? Slightly light hearted, but I am annoyed with him.

bostonchamps · 23/09/2023 20:25

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 19:54

YANBU. DH and I have only had 'a meal' from the chippy 3 or 4 times in about 2 years. We have a cone of chips between us when we're out in the day, if we're hungry. Costs £2.00. Probably have one 5-7 times a year.

One portion of chips with one large fish, and mushy peas or curry sauce (that does me and DH with a piece of bread and butter,) is now costing about £11.50. Not paying it. (Was £6.50 pre 2012.) I now do my own chips in the oven, (a bag that gives 10-12 portions costs £2.00,) I open a tin of mushy peas, (59p from Aldi,) and get 4 battered cod for £3.50 in Aldi too. And we have one each as they are a bit smaller. So for around £6.00 we get 4 meals. (And plenty of oven chips left over.)

It's fucking batshit to get a chippy tea now (from the chip shop,) OR a takeaway regularly. Had DD and her DH around a few months ago, and we all had a Chinese takeaway. Chicken curry and egg fried rice and 1 bag of chips and some noodles and prawn crackers for me and DH. And 2 vegan curries, 1 boiled rice, and some salt and pepper chips for DD and her DH. Also 8 mini spring rolls. Cost £45.00 3-4 years ago, that same order was £28.

Needless to say we rarely do it now. Me and DH used to have a takeaway every other week that cost about £13..., (pre 2021.) We had chicken curry, rice and chips, some noodles, some prawn crackers, and half a dozen chicken balls. It now costs £26 for the same order. We only have it 4 or 5 times a year now. We get takeaways (Indian and Chinese) from Tesco maybe once every 3 weeks. Costs £8. Feeds us both.

The takeaway prices are fucking exorbitant now. Yeah, I am sure they need to charge that much because of rising costs of everything, but we are still not going to pay it. Everything has risen for us too!

A neighbour of mine - woman with four kids aged 5 to 15, and a boyfriend who lives there half the week, has a takeaway 3 or 4 times a WEEK. Chinese, Indian, kebab shop takeaway, pizza etc... And at least once a week, she goes to McDonalds to get an order for the 5 of them. Must set them back £30 to £40 each time. How the fuck they afford it is beyond me. Even if we COULD afford this, I wouldn't spend it. DH has a theory that she can't have a cooker! He is joking, but even if she hasn't, it would make more financial sense to get one, instead of wasting £70 to £80 a week on takeaways!

You can use the same logic to say that prices in 2019 vs, say, 1998 are ridiculous. It doesn't work like that, you're living in the past.

My priorities are different to yours. I spend that money on a take away when I want, you don't, that doesn't make me (or the many others who order take away food) 'batshit'

1daughterand3sons · 23/09/2023 20:26

I just looked at our local chippy and it would be £45
3 small cod
2 large chips
Cod bites kids meal
Prices are crazy.
Glad we never get fish from the chippy.
When we have a chippy tea we only buy chips from the chippy and cook our own fish.

MakeAListTheySaid · 23/09/2023 20:27

SnappyHorse · 23/09/2023 20:19

We can afford £25, but it just seems a waste for 1 meal. I generally shop in Aldi, then either Sainsbury’s or Morrisons for the branded bits or the bits I can’t get in Aldi.

We have a big M&S food hall about 5 minutes drive away, so I do often go in there but I wouldn’t do a full shop there, or buy a gastro meal deal for £25!!

Oh, so you can afford it? i change my mind and I don't see the issue then.

He fancied something nicer than co op. Why shouldn't he buy it just because you see it as a waste? He might think some things you buy are a 'waste'. He fancied having it, you can afford it. What's the issue? 🤣

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:27

Is there such a thing as NAICE pizza?

Pizza is just pizza isn't it?

I'll see meself out............ >>>>>>> > 😩

yogasaurus · 23/09/2023 20:29

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:27

Is there such a thing as NAICE pizza?

Pizza is just pizza isn't it?

I'll see meself out............ >>>>>>> > 😩

Crosta and Mollica!

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:31

@bostonchamps

You can use the same logic to say that prices in 2019 vs, say, 1998 are ridiculous. It doesn't work like that, you're living in the past.

WTAF are you rambling on about?! I am 'living in the past??' I am talking about 2021 FFS. TWO YEARS AGO! I am comparing the prices from TWO YEARS AGO.

Of course the prices will be hugely different between 1998 and bloody 2019. It's 21 years. The prices should not be DOUBLE - or more than double - 2 years later!

OlizraWiteomQua · 23/09/2023 20:32

4 battered haddock plus 1kg good mccains home fries from coop would be £12.35. This is what OP agreed to having thought about the family food budget and already ruled out spending £30 on a takeaway.

I'm not sure how the M&S version came to £25. I can see separate posh fish gastropub chips or buying a boxed set "fish&chips for 2" either of which would be £20 for 4 servings so did he get some sides too? But YANBU op - the M&S version isn't much of a saving on the chip-shop version.

Mountaineer0009 · 23/09/2023 20:32

SnappyHorse · 23/09/2023 18:33

I think if he’d gone to the co-op, it might have been £10, rather than the £25 in M&S.

For those asking, DH does the laundry and most of the dog walking. I do all the housework, all the food planning and cooking, and all the admin/mental load. I WFH 4 days a week, in the office 1 day. DH only WFH 1 day, the rest in the office.

how can he not realise, that most of the times your paying for the brand name ? £25 omg

Edwardbear1 · 23/09/2023 20:32

do people really share one portion of F&C between more than 1 person? (excluding elderly of course)

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:32

yogasaurus · 23/09/2023 20:29

Crosta and Mollica!

Show quote history

Had to google that, coz I'm not posh! Is it nice?

yogasaurus · 23/09/2023 20:34

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps I mean, they’re not like a little Italian trattoria with checked cloths and wine bottle candles, but for frozen pizzas, they’re… naice!!

GodDammitCecil · 23/09/2023 20:34

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:27

Is there such a thing as NAICE pizza?

Pizza is just pizza isn't it?

I'll see meself out............ >>>>>>> > 😩

You’re kidding, right? I’m not a big pizza person, but all pizzas are definitely not created equal.

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:35

Edwardbear1 · 23/09/2023 20:32

do people really share one portion of F&C between more than 1 person? (excluding elderly of course)

Me and DH do. With a piece of bread and butter each. Plenty for us. Each to their own, and I don't judge people who eat more. (We are mid to late 50s.) We have shared one portion for the past 10-12 years. There are waaaaaay too many chips in one portion for one. Even a 'small bag.' The fish are quite large too. As I say, there is plenty for us.

dancingorange · 23/09/2023 20:36

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 19:54

YANBU. DH and I have only had 'a meal' from the chippy 3 or 4 times in about 2 years. We have a cone of chips between us when we're out in the day, if we're hungry. Costs £2.00. Probably have one 5-7 times a year.

One portion of chips with one large fish, and mushy peas or curry sauce (that does me and DH with a piece of bread and butter,) is now costing about £11.50. Not paying it. (Was £6.50 pre 2012.) I now do my own chips in the oven, (a bag that gives 10-12 portions costs £2.00,) I open a tin of mushy peas, (59p from Aldi,) and get 4 battered cod for £3.50 in Aldi too. And we have one each as they are a bit smaller. So for around £6.00 we get 4 meals. (And plenty of oven chips left over.)

It's fucking batshit to get a chippy tea now (from the chip shop,) OR a takeaway regularly. Had DD and her DH around a few months ago, and we all had a Chinese takeaway. Chicken curry and egg fried rice and 1 bag of chips and some noodles and prawn crackers for me and DH. And 2 vegan curries, 1 boiled rice, and some salt and pepper chips for DD and her DH. Also 8 mini spring rolls. Cost £45.00 3-4 years ago, that same order was £28.

Needless to say we rarely do it now. Me and DH used to have a takeaway every other week that cost about £13..., (pre 2021.) We had chicken curry, rice and chips, some noodles, some prawn crackers, and half a dozen chicken balls. It now costs £26 for the same order. We only have it 4 or 5 times a year now. We get takeaways (Indian and Chinese) from Tesco maybe once every 3 weeks. Costs £8. Feeds us both.

The takeaway prices are fucking exorbitant now. Yeah, I am sure they need to charge that much because of rising costs of everything, but we are still not going to pay it. Everything has risen for us too!

A neighbour of mine - woman with four kids aged 5 to 15, and a boyfriend who lives there half the week, has a takeaway 3 or 4 times a WEEK. Chinese, Indian, kebab shop takeaway, pizza etc... And at least once a week, she goes to McDonalds to get an order for the 5 of them. Must set them back £30 to £40 each time. How the fuck they afford it is beyond me. Even if we COULD afford this, I wouldn't spend it. DH has a theory that she can't have a cooker! He is joking, but even if she hasn't, it would make more financial sense to get one, instead of wasting £70 to £80 a week on takeaways!

Obviously prices have increased since 2012, that was over a decade ago. It's not batshit to treat yourself, let's be real the bag of frozen chips and 49p can of mushy peas is not even close to the taste of a chippy, that's why it costs more...

GodDammitCecil · 23/09/2023 20:36

People are not ‘bat shit’ to order takeaways if they can afford it, and want to! How dramatic.

Unless you are the takeaway-fixated person, from threads of yore….. 🤔

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:37

yogasaurus · 23/09/2023 20:34

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps I mean, they’re not like a little Italian trattoria with checked cloths and wine bottle candles, but for frozen pizzas, they’re… naice!!

Ithh · 23/09/2023 20:37

@Edwardbear1

Our chippy is very generous on portion sizes. One large chips is easily enough for 3 and the fish are massive so 2 between 3 is fine. We pay less than £18 for that. It is “up north” though!

AdoraBell · 23/09/2023 20:38

Well he got the food for dinner, I might be annoyed by the cost difference but it’s done now and can’t be changed.

In future I would prepare something on Thursdays to reheat for dinner on Friday. Pasta bake/curry/casserole etc or picky foods- cheese/ham/crackers with veg/salad/crisps. Just tell DC that costs are too much for takeaway now.

Ilovepugs2017 · 23/09/2023 20:41

I’d be annoyed too. I tend to do the shopping as I always look for ways to save money and look for what’s on offer and what supermarket is cheaper etc. DH probably wouldn’t do this, maybe it’s a man thing 🫣

We have a chippy 12 doors down from our house and now we just put some battered fish/sausages to cook in the air fryer then when it’s nearly done pop down to the chippy to grab a large bag of chips! Saves so much money. Two youngs fish fillets in farm foods 99p so for 5 of us it works out £1.98 for the fish (ds has sausage) and then a large bag of chips is £3.50. Essentially less than £6 for a chippy tea

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 23/09/2023 20:42

You all got fish and chips + a pudding. YABU it sounds great and at 6.25 each it's less than the chippy would have cost.

BarbaraofSeville · 23/09/2023 20:47

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 23/09/2023 20:32

Had to google that, coz I'm not posh! Is it nice?

Show quote history

Hands down the best ready made pizza by far. Like a naice wood fired one not shite like Domino's, pizza hut or just about anything else from a supermarket.

We get ours from Costco where they're about £6 for a twin pack so quite a bargain.

MakeAListTheySaid · 23/09/2023 20:50

Edwardbear1 · 23/09/2023 20:32

do people really share one portion of F&C between more than 1 person? (excluding elderly of course)

Lots of mumsnetters do the competitive under eating thing. A third of a portion of chips and they don't need to eat for a week. They all protest a bit too much about just how big the portions are at their chip shop to justify it...some have even posted photos of portions of chips. 😅 Mumsnet is a weird place at times.

silvertoil · 23/09/2023 20:53

It would annoy me too as it's wasteful but it's done now so try and reframe it as a treat (especially the pudding!) I think it would be overly critical to say anything, as it's a bit micromanaging to stipulate how much he can spend on dinner (ie if the situation were reversed and the H gave DW a hard time over one dinner choice which can be afforded!)

Oooooooooooo1 · 23/09/2023 20:57

I live next to a working fishermen's beach . Fish & chips £18 for two large portions
We take it on to the beach to eat
If your Fish is frozen & transported then cooked its going to cost alot more, then add in the cost for the boat,wages,fuel, insurance etc
Anyway hope you enjoy it @SnappyHorse, like others have said it's done now

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 23/09/2023 21:00

Edwardbear1 · 23/09/2023 20:32

do people really share one portion of F&C between more than 1 person? (excluding elderly of course)

We live really close to the coast in Northumberland. Ds (8.5) and I share a fish and chips and a carton of curry sauce. Dh has a full portion of F&C to himself. Dc1 (12) has a single battered fish

I'm a big fat fatty and I am definetly full after half a fish and chips from the seaside.

We don't buy fish and chips from "inland" chippies.