AIBU to “steal” this?

[AmiABadPersonn]

Hello everyone I just want your opinions on this as today I’ve been in a heated argument with my friend as to wether I am unreasonable or not.

I am off work on maternity leave so the funds are tight at minute. There is a man who lives near me I believe he is drug user, he sells half price stuff and also takes orders on what you want for half price. He knocks on my house about 1 or 2 times a week with a bag of half price goods. I always buy washing detergent and softeners from him because you can get a whole weeks laundry of the nice brands for around £10. Money is tight as I have just had a baby and I have 2 other children with my husband also. i also sometimes get baby milk formula from him if I’m running low because it’s cheap.

I feel like this is not wrong because if I didn’t buy it other people would. Even if no one bought it he would steal it anyway in hopes someone would buy it eventually.

Today my friend was at my house when he came so I offered her to have a look what he had. She immediately asked him where he got this stuff from and he replied “shop”. She didn’t say much after but when I finished buying my items she started shouting about how I’m funding his drugs addiction and I shouldn’t support it because I am now stealing too. I told her to relax it’s fine it’s only a couple of items. She didn’t say much and finished her coffee and left quick.

So am I morally wrong for this? Or would you do the same?

Oh do join the rest of us in the real world!

@Runnerinthenight I wasn't being off! I was just saying that the op had replied.

Well that speaks volumes about your morals.

I know, I hadn't seen any replies when I posted, don't worry!

The real world where all supermarkets are acting as charities and providing food as cheaply as possible to their customers without a thought to the dividend payments of their owners.. that real world?

Sorry OP but I still can't get over how much you're spending on laundry! (plus I find the fancy and scented stuff actually makes clothes feel worse and mustier over time - can't beat laundry soda)

I still can't get over this or what a disgusting example you're setting your poor children.

My scorn is aimed at thieves, and the enablers of thieves. You are totally twisting things. If the only way I could have afforded a 3rd baby was to buy stolen goods from a drug dealer, then I wouldn't have had a 3rd baby - but nice try at deflection.

Kudos to me absolutely for making sure I got it right. Most decent people do.

Up to you if you’re happy to support that but it’s a no from me.

The real world where thieving isn't a way of life.

WTF should supermarkets act as charities? Don't be so fucking naive! They're businesses not charities, and if you don't like the price they offer, go elsewhere - don't steal from them and their customers, ie me!

Food banks can help with things like laundry detergent and there are often big discount schemes, where you pay a few quid for a bag of groceries, in areas where there are high levels of people struggling.
I know of communities where it’s not uncommon for the local shoplifter to knock on with their goods, and those areas often have such schemes.

I have a vulnerable sibling who lives alone. Has been burgled twice, roughed up a bit the first time, properly beaten the second time, restrained in cable ties, face beaten into a pulp - on Christmas Eve.

So excuse me if I have no time for thieves.

The police identified the utter cunts but the PPS decided there wasn't enough evidence. We had the bastards on CCTV sneaking up the drive and kicking the back door in!!!

I believe you were there one implying they act as charities only increasing their meagre profit margins when people steal from then to cover the losses. As I understand it they charge the highest amount they can get away with in order to maximise profits, therefore the thefts actually make no difference to you or me and how much we spend whilst shopping.
FWIW I do actually think shoplifting is immoral and have no qualms with people being arrested and charged for it and no qualms with shops implementing controls to reduce shoplifting (even though this is purely to keep their profits up, not to reduce prices for you or me).

She shouldn’t have had another child if she needs to steal to feed it 🤷‍♀️

The £10 a week is on laundry pods, softener , stain remover and laundry scent balls from persil or lenor.

WTF, you don't need all that shit if you're struggling! Just get basic washing powder from Aldi and Lidl like most people on a budget do.

You're bringing a junkie and a thief to your door every week so you can have high end cleaning products, it's ridiculous. Even stolen and at half price you're spending way, way more than I do every week on that stuff and I'm earning OK.

Absolutely this. Totally disgusting attitude and no mother should have it.

Init, he's an addict and a criminal and you're letting him come to your door. Despicable when you have kids.

No you shouldn’t be doing that and I hope your friend reports him to the police.
Shops and businesses are loosing their livelihoods because of theft and you are complicit.
Plus spending £10/week on washing has completely blown me away.
If you’re near an Aldi or a Lidl their own brands are excellent and you will spend the tiniest fraction of that

I don't think anybody said they could only afford baby number 3 because of their purchasing stolen goods from drug users (again, drug dealers don't need to sell stolen goods since they make plenty of money selling drugs instead).
Are you saying everybody who lives in privately rented accommodation / council housing who has not been fortunate enough to get onto the housing ladder should not be allowed to start families? Even if they have decent morals and don't buy stolen goods from drug users? Kinda sounds like it.

If you’re that hard up, don’t spend £10 a week on laundry detergent, et cetera. You just need a large box of 100 and something washes and that will do you for a few months and then a bottle of fabric softener every month or so which I think is about 4 or 6 pounds I can’t remember.

They do miss it and they are having to raise the prices for honest people who don’t steal.
YABVU

If you took a week off murdering, but everyone else was murdering that week, would that make it ok to re-start murdering the next week?

Substitute the word stealing for murder in the example above. There's your answer.

If you can't afford it, don't buy it.
If you really need it, go to Lidl.
If you still can't afford it, go to a food bank.

Of course what you are doing is wrong. And getting a criminal record for handling stolen goods whilst unlikely will cause real problems for you and your child.

My mum's cousin got one in the late 60s for buying a knock off record on a market stall which meant she had to change her plans. Unlikely now, but why take the risk....

You're right that Asda makes massive profits, but it doesn't make stealing right. All the rest of us will have to pay the higher prices the supermarkets charge because of theft.

It was the op that kept going on about having a baby and two other children as an ‘excuse’ for handling stolen goods! She’s no better than the shoplifter and is costing us all money in the long run.

Well, she clearly doesn’t need to steal to feed it. She’s just spending what she should be spending on their food on other things like £10 a week on laundry detergent Et cetera I bet there’s other things she spends money on that shouldn’t if she’s hard up, she could afford the formula if she didn’t do that

I don’t even use conditioner just a tiny amount of Aldis own brand Zoflora equivalent.
Plus Aldis powder at half the measure adviced on the box and I wash on cold and everything comes out lovely and clean.
Even the muddy sports kits