AIBU to order a steak while short of money?

[Dogingarden]

First of all this isn't a begging post and I don't want money from anyone.

I'm currently housebound while recovering from a major illness. Just starting to get my appetite back and I have a major craving for a steak. I genuinely can't stop thinking about it. I very rarely eat red meat in general and currently I'm not well enough to cook one by myself so I was planning on ordering one in for my dinner. Only issue is I have a very limited budget and it would leave me a bit short until I get paid next Friday.

Wibu?

If they're bringing it from a pub five minutes walk away, hopefully that's little difference from them carrying it to the far end of a really big beer garden.

I don't even like steak that much and would never order it in a pub but I can see the attraction of a steak, chips, tomatoes, mushrooms and a nice sauce right now. Hope you get your steak OP and it sets you on the way to recovery.

Maybe you’re low in iron?

Get it and enjoy. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

I'm already taking iron because I am very anemic due to my surgery and treatment.

Not olive oil, BUTTER!

Can you take out a loan, OP?

(I'm joking)

Just go for it and enjoy it. Being poor doesn't mean you should give up all luxuries and it sounds like you could do with the nutrition if you haven't been eating.

It depends what you’d be short for & who that impacts.

If it would mean you can’t eat, heat your home, pay a bill etc then no I wouldn’t spend it on a steak. If you have kids who would suffer for being short I also wouldn’t.

When I crave steak it usually means I need protein in general, iron and possibly vitamin B12 and Zinc. I try to eat red meat (steak, liver etc) once a week and take supplementary iron, b12 and zinc etc. I strength train so my requirements are quite high. Do you have eggs in the house that you could scramble or make an omelette with? If so, eat those and see if the craving goes away. They also contain all the above macro and micro nutrients.

A burger might satisfy your craving. Would be cheaper

But really, it's up to you, right? You don't need our permission / validation

Hope you feel better soon

Yes, this is what I was thinking, and even as a vegetarian I think perhaps the OP's body is trying to tell her something, even if it ends up just being comfort food!

Get well @Dogingarden hope on the road to recovery and you've help otherwise.

Have the steak, sounds like you can't do anything, so have what you enjoy.
You only have a week to wait until you get paid.

I say treat yourself but I’m terrible with money and often leave myself broke.

Don’t be so stupid. Of course you would be.

If you want it and there is nothing preventing you from having it, then go ahead

If you've had the steak from that pub before and know it's similar to what you want, I'd be tempted to go for it - often with an unshakable craving, you can end up spending MORE time, energy, and money trying to substitute something more accessible and sensible because the craving isn't satisfied and doesn't go away so you keep trying something else. OTOH, it depends on how being a bit a bit short will impact you; if you're incapacitated or your movements severely limited you may want to have a little extra money on hand just in case of anything unexpected.

Im sorry im going to sound boring.

A week is quite a long time. What will you be short of? Do you otherwise have enough food for the week? Would you miss rent, mortgage, utilities or a credit card payment? (If so do you need a good credit history for things like a mortgage application) Will it only affect you?

Id have the same concern about whether the steak keeping, but if those basics are covered go for it. And thoroughly enjoy it without guilt.

Do get another iron check - if you are still very low and been on iron long enough that it should have improved you might need an infusion.

I would. You said yourself you’re recovering from a major illness. You should be kind to, and look after yourself. Do you think you could have anaemia? Craving meat can be a symptom of low iron. Black pudding is also high in iron, if that’s something you eat. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Get it, your body wants the iron and protein. You can eat beans on toast another day!

This is what I would suggest too. Steak only takes a few minutes to cook and isn't difficult as long as you don't get distracted! Idea of sitting in a chair to cook is a good one. I used to do this when I was pregnant and tired/dizzy.

I think leave the steak for when you have more money. Especially as you can’t cook at the moment so presumably you’re eating ready made food which can work out more expensive. What kinds of food are you eating?

In the mean time, how much iron are you taking? I take 210g morning and night.

Surely that is what it means.
The OP can’t afford a steak.

In the same way that a person might need a car to get to work, there are other ways of getting there than in a Bentley if you can’t afford a Bentley.

If she’s unwell, being so broke she can’t afford to eat because she uber eats in a steak isn’t going to help.

If the pub is only 5 minutes away are you well enough to go and have your steak there?
I personally would treat myself but never have such a fine specimen as a beautifully cooked steak delivered in a grotty polystyrene tray.
I would go without until I was well enough to eat it freshly prepared at the pub table.

Can you order something else that would hint you a similar 'hit'? Chinese stir-fry beef etc?

Enjoy the steak, hope you feel better soon.

If it’s not already prescription strength iron then look into upping that if you can!