You fool, you idiot!

[coulditbeme2323]

There were a couple of threads on MN yesterday about what posters spend their money on. One was about a slice of cheesecake in London and the other the cost of a toastie in a Garden Centre.

Neither items were cheap, but I thought there was a lot of rude comments such as "only idiots pay that" or "you fool."

Now MN is for debate and there is nothing wrong with disagreeing, but is name calling really fair just because people choose to spend their money on different things.

😂 always with the charity.
‘Q: I returned an order to Next. They refunded me twice. I contacted it them several times and they told me in writing I can keep the duplicate refund. Should I keep the money?
A: It would be stealing. You must donate it to a charity.’
Why the obsession with charities?

If you have money you might as well spend it and keep the economy rolling. Not helping anyone having it under your mattress gathering dust.

Sorry I should have clarified.

It's fine to take sandwiches and a flask, it's just somebody on the toastie thread said "why didn't you take sandwiches and a flask."

I mean quite obviously because the poster didn't want to.

I mean let’s take it to the extreme: one of the reasons I decided not to have children is because of the cost. It would be like me going on to every thread focusing on the cost of childcare, school holidays, children’s activities, children’s clothes etc etc. and yelling at posters about how they are foolish for spending all their money on their kids!

My DD 2 does this on flights She can afford to buy stuff but her DS doesn't like anything with mayo.in. you try and get a sandwich from shop or plane without it. And as she's making for him she may as well.make for herself also with better bread and decent amount of filling.

A lot of people really are at the breaking point over money these days, and it seems to bring out the worst in them. I don't think it's personal.

Yes I did, the instant I saw the title of the thread. Glad I’m not the only one.

I do hear that, but it's easy to avoid threads that will trigger you.

But they're not a 'brigade' are they?

They're just people who take sandwiches and a flask instead of buying food and drink.

That actually is sneering.

@SethBrogan , I mentioned to a friend that if I went on a day trip, I'd sometimes would get some food from M&S (e.g. quiche). My friend went on and on about how I should take my own sandwiches and drink, and how I'd save loads.

Fine, and they had a point but I don't eat bread very often and would have warm unpleasant sandwiches just to save about £1.
Twat.

I don’t disagree with your point really, but when there’s two adults, making a picnic isn’t a big extra labour when when you factor in the time and faff of queuing up, finding a table in a busy venue, getting a baby seat etc, ensuring there’s stuff the kids are going to actually eat etc.

If I was guaranteed quick service and a good table on arrival, I’d pay. If it was just adults there’s no way I’d be bringing sandwiches.

I guess it’s about what labour you want to do, and what it’s worth paying for.

I honestly can’t see what is wrong with that. It wouldn’t even register to me if a passenger took their own lunch.

I have, for years, taken a packed lunch/snack on days out. Initially it was so O could give 2 small SN children the food they needed when they needed it. Also it meant we had more money for nice things rather than paying £5 per coffee/ £10 per garden centre sandwich. I'd not sneer at someone paying £19 for a slice of cheesecake if that suited them either.
I'm hoping to travel abroad for the first time in 25 years. We will he self catering (I'd rather not, but it still suits Dc & means we have funds for eg boat trips/snorkeling whilst there. Live and let live I say.

Exactly! I used to work with a bloke who’s wife insisted every time they went out that they bring a flask and sandwiches etc.
His issue was that they could absolutely afford once in a while a nice meal out whilst on one of these trips but she wouldn’t have it.
I grew up incredibly poor and now that I can afford to have few nicer things I treat myself when I’m out or holidays etc and I know not everyone is not as fortunate as that.

I think it depends, if you never get a treat out and realise when you want to that it’ll properly set you back it’s depressing having someone on mn say ‘just bring sandwiches and a flask’- when they do it but do treat themselves regularly

You're right, it's not just an MN thing at all. I was reading a thread the other day and thinking its yet another example of how many people on here are fixated on the how does someone have more/less money than I thought. But there's probably loads of it IRL too it just doesn't get vocalised. Whereas here people are anonymous!

I think the problem was the thread was about the increase in col and then op after saying how expensive things are now gave an example of paying £19 for a slice of cheesecake. I have no issue what people spend their money on but don't then cry poverty and try to be relatable. There was one the other week about how the poster couldn't afford to save any money so why should anyone on uc be allowed to save money she then went on to say she pays £200 everytime she goes to the hairdressers and how thats a standard price.

And there is kindness to be had too. It’s just a bit harder to find than maybe it was 14 years ago. But I think that might be a reflection of life in general

Sorry for your tragedy. I don't think people get over that, learn to live alongside perhaps.

Why are some people so invested in what other people do? If I want to take my own lunch with me on a day trip (or an aeroplane!) I'll take it. If I don't I won't.

Don't bother being depressed on my behalf, I'm as happy as Larry doing my own thing.

I suppose it depends what you're taking in your picnic. Not all picnics are created equally!

I wouldn't fancy eating the warm meat paste sandwiches etc that constituted a picnic when I was a child either.

But, when my children were little, picnics were just a baguette, paté, garlic and herb soft cheese, a tub of tomatoes and cucumber, a tub of olives and one of those tubs of peppers stuffed with cream cheese - their choice. And, tbh, we'd have been hard pressed to find something they liked eating as much as that when we were out. So I always took picnics when they were children.

Nowadays, I'd rather have an extra 10 mins in bed!

Eta: my point was that it doesn't have to he time consuming or heavy to carry!

I just wish people would stop using terms like ‘brigade’ and “washed down with…” shudders

done it myself esp long haul. Get a good sandwich and some fruit and take that on-board. I hate airline food (might be different ar the expensive end). But people going out of eg breakfast with bread rolls or a croissant wrapped up make me laugh. It's a bread roll and shops are full of them

I'm a garden centre groupie not just for plants but the local one near to me has a massive eating area including outside and I'm more than happy to pay their quite expensive prices (Egg sandwich, nice bread, cheapest sandwich, I think it's around £5 or so).

Most meals start around £12, around six main cooked choices plus salad choice and baked potatoes with different fillings, they are very generous with their portions, have a large amount of veg to choose from, you can have some of everything. You definitely wouldn't starve buying a meal there.

I love the place.

I think the point being made here is of course there is nothing wrong with it, just like there is nothing wrong with spending £19 for a cheescake... There is no need for name calling!

Is "the flask and sandwich brigade" not just equally sneery about people who perhaps cant afford to buy lunch on a day out and take sandwiches because its cheaper?
People who dont have much money also like a day out and if taking their own food and drink saves them that 20 or 30 quid that means they can afford to take their kids out they dont deserve to be sneered at.