Disagree with communal fridge

[Frannni]

Our neighbour, we shall call them “neighbour X” recentl started a discussion on the street WhatsApp about needing a communal fridge so anyone on the street can store excess fridge stuff over the summer. Everyone chipped in and “neighbour x” bought the fridge.

I am starting to get a bit miffed about it all, as firstly the fridge is kept at neighbour Xs house, which means they kind of control it. Secondly, we needed to use it recently to store excess drinks as we were having people over. Guess what, it was full so no use at all.

What has really annoyed me is that I have since heard it was mainly full due to neighbour X filling it with their own stuff. I am feeling really annoyed that we chipped in £50 for something we cannot even use when we need it. AIBU?

Interesting.

When my parents grew up in the 1950's and 60's in Sweden, in some villages there was something called a "Freezer Community". It was a communal freezer where you could rent a space to put food in. This was before everyone had a freezer at home.

Crazy idea

I'd prefer a communal husband myself. Preferably with DIY skills.

How could it be full anyway? You’ve all paid equally so you all have a specific space in the fridge and once you’ve filled your space then that’s it. You can’t use someone else’s space. So… how was it full? Or has it not been divided up properly so actually, one person can fill it and then no one else can use it?

It’s just a stupid idea.

I'd chip in fifty quid for that!

I agree with others that this is a strange idea that was never going to work. What was it that appealed to you enough to hand over the £50.

on our village we have the community fridge at a church - more of a foodbank/ food exchange thing so you donate your excess food for everyone to use. It doesn’t stay there for you until there’s more space in your own fridge at home.

Also, one more question… why would there be more Excess food ‘over the summer’ specifically?

Will he be asking you all for your share of his electric bill too? And too take it in turns to go and clean it?

That could get... interesting. Yes to the DIY skills though.

This was an insane idea from the outset and I’m baffled anyone agreed to it. Lesson learned not to agree to bonkers proposals in future!

I would book my shelf for Christmas now if I were you OP.

A "communal fridge"... in a PRIVATE property only accessible by the owner? 😂

You have to admire some people, robbing people and making them grateful for it. Genius.

I am going to work on a "communal pool" in my garden.

You could have bought your own personal second hand second fridge for £50!!

More likely to get the lay about making mess kind

YABU for ever considering it and parting with money.

Your neighbour is s CF of the highest order.

I’m so glad I’m not in a street whatsapp

What the fuck

I am going to work on a "communal pool" in my garden

I like this idea. For keeping all to myself selflessly hosting in my garden.

Or a communal good at ironing person

🤣 that's hilarious

We’ve got one in our town it’s called the ‘community fridge’. It’s in the town hall and is very popular. It had to be moved to the town hall due to vandalism and people stealing huge quantities of food from it. I think it’s a lovely idea for families who are struggling to make ends meet. People donate food and I know that left over food from one of the supermarkets gets taken there from time to time too. I think in times when the cost of living is so high and people are struggling to pay their bills things like this can make a real difference.

Were you going to traipse over to the next door neighbours every time you needed to refill a guest’s glass? This is so badly thought through it is astonishing that anyone thought it was a good idea- and even more astonishing that several neighbours chipped in thinking it was a good idea.

Obviously that's a terrible set up.

But why on earth did you chip in when it was so obviously a bad idea?

@paperrockscissors that's something completely different.

That's a community fridge.

Op is talking about a shared fridge, people just use it for extra space