AIBU to think people begrudge weekly food costs but spend more freely elsewhere?

[IlovePhilMitchell]

People will spend money on subscriptions, takeaways, the cost of a weekly shop on a meal out, £10 on a candle but begrudge £80 on the week shop.

Food is one of the most important things to us as humans, it nourishes us and keeps us well. It should be a priority above most things we spend money on, not just an annoying necessity.

We have been lucky in the past with extremely cheap food costs and yes I know things have increased a lot and not in line with wages, but it’s not actually that bad if you don’t buy brands and cook.

I do appreciate a lot of people don’t have have room in their budget for any increases. I think my post is more aimed at those who whinge when they spend freely elsewhere.

Yes, this. It's shit.

What circumstances and measures do you think they can put into place to avoid this scenario?

They are literally freeing up the budget so that it can be spent on other things.

This

Eh- their whole service is based on a short term solution to immediate need, not treating it as an alternative to the supermarket-

referrals? Food banks traditionally work on social services referrals anyway

providing “emergency” packs - 2/3 days food which is not a long term solution to lack of food budget

I have some experience and that’s not mine.

No referral from the social services was required and whilst you’re right. It was 2 to 3 days of food. There was nothing to stop me from going back repeatedly as many times as I wanted to

Because fundamentally the position that I was in was not going to change in 2 to 3 days.
I could see how people could just rinse and repeat the cycle throughout the month
Rather them than me, but it could be done if you weren’t fussy about what you ate

Yanbu. I know people who have holidays but buy cheap crap and would never buy organic food.

So unless you’re buying all organic you shouldn’t go on holiday?

And if the food bank kept handing over packs to the same person every 2 days, obviously.

they could, and do Refuse. They’re not obliged to give out food

I volunteered for a time at a small local food bank. Referrals came from all over (schools, SS, clergy, even requests from neighbours of the 'You know Tony, yeah? He's really struggling this month...' variety. It was a small enough place that at least one person on the committee would know Tony and what was going on there).

It was a sticking plaster when benefits had been delayed, 'lost' etc, or in the gap between last benefit payment and first income from a new job, or when child maintenance hadn't been paid, or someone's MH or alcohol issues had left them unable to cope. We didn't try to tackle underlying issues. We didn't have the expertise.

That’s not my experience. I can only speak from my personal experience.
But my situation was not gonna resolve itself in 2 to 3 days. It wasn’t gonna resolve itself in 2 to 3 weeks so I would’ve been able to access it for as long as I wanted to.
As it happens, I didn’t
But I could’ve

Personally I would see holidays as a waste of my money but it’s not my business.

I think it is their prerogative to not buy organic food. Even if they didn’t spend on holidays, they aren’t likely to spend money on organic food - perhaps they think it’s not worth paying those prices.

Me neither.
I love a candle but usually receive them as a gift and haven't had a takeaway for ages. So hopefully then by the OPs logic I am permitted to moan about the rising cost of my grocery bill.

I hate candles and haven’t had a takeaway in years. I like cheap food and wouldn’t buy organic if I had 10x as much money

I disagree. I love food and enjoy thinking of what to buy, cook and eat. I buy trainers as I need something for my feet but I don't enjoy buying them. I don't buy candles. I agree with the OP.

Yes I've noticed this. It's the same ones who will happily spend £50 in the pub of an evening,then complain about the price of food when they're paying £8 for a pint of lager!

Presumably you understand that not everyone thinks the same though? It’s almost like people enjoy different things.

I really can’t be bothered to think about food in that way. I lived alone for 20+ years and never cooked anything that wasn’t potatoes or out of a freezer.

But I am fully cognisant that people think different ways.

Of course not. But saying organic meat and milk are too expensive but then having a holiday is weird.
I can't afford holidays but I can stretch to a few bits of organic food.

Yes I think people seem to expect that some things won't be expensive even if they can afford to pay it but will spend on other non essentials.

Cost of living overall is lower in NZ than in the UK
groceries are the only metric where NZ comes out higher.

a lot of that comes down to high import costs

so it’s not really a like for like comparison. Everything costs more here except for groceries so it’s overall much tougher here financially

I put food first. Subscriptions etc come well down the list after council tax, electricity, gas, DS sports, eating out, money put back for holidays and birthdays then subscriptions.

Agree with this. It’s the same with all essentials, everything is increasing in price so much and therefore there’s less disposable income left to spend on the things that actually bring us joy as we have to spend it on the things that we need to survive.

The struggle to survive is engrained in human existence. It's a fallacy to think we have moved past this entirely. Countries like our's may think we have because we have had it so good for so long because we have been richer than everyone else and basically been able to dominate markets and resources. We are becoming poorer now though comparatively and other countries are overtaking us and competing for scarce resource. Our entitlement as a society will be truly tested in the coming century when we realise that actually we aren't automatically guaranteed even the basics simply because we exist and live here. You are not promised a good time or even survival.

It’s literally none of your business what people spend on freely or complain about.

the fact is food wasn’t too cheap, it was pretty much in line with wages. Now we pay double or more for less, foods stuffed with palm oil to save costs yet somehow they cost more.

I genuinely don’t know how you can say food prices are actually Ok even though wages haven’t kept up. Almost like this is eage bait & a subtle attempt to say poor people deserve to be poor.

everyone should be able to get their shopping, pay their bills and yes have a treat or two without it breaking the bank.

No, thanks. I'd rather 'candles and trainers' (travelling in my case) than waste money on organic food and whatnot. I'm not a foodie; I don't care about it. I eat to live, don't live to eat. And would most definitely resent spending good money on 'higher welfare' and some such bullshit. As it is, I think food costs are fine, I don't moan about it, and I don't spend much on it. But it's probably because I prioritise other things for sure.

For foodies, the squeeze is far greater, probably, and I understand why they're complaining. Trainers, tattoos, candles, tvs, travelling (insert your own) is fun. Food is not. It's a basic necessity. And sinking lion's share of your money in something that comes out of your other end 12 hours later (rinse and repeat) - I'd resent that, most definitely.

It’s the nutrients that quite literally feed your cells that would make you in a better place to survive any kind of disaster. That’s the investment.
I always think of the piles and piles of belongings at Belsen etc
It all counted for absolutely shit in the end, but if you were well nourished to begin with, I guess you stood a better chance.