A savvy shopper, bored of her husband's 'moaning' about swaps to cheaper groceries has shared her frustration with fellow mums. The reaction resulted in calls for the partner's 'unreasonable' response to be met with 'strikes', while others responded telling him to 'get over it', adding simply: "The whining is seriously unattractive".
As the cost of living rises put ever increasing strain on household budgets, Brits across the UK are make swaps and cut backs when it comes to their grocery shopping. However, the reining in on buying top brand products in one household has caused upset and blacklash. After posting about the issue on parenting forum mumsnet, the response from fellow shoppers was overwelming.
Some 134 people replied to the post, in which the shopper wrote: "Like most others our family have had to rethink budgeting. We can no longer afford to buy all branded stuff and I’ve made quite a few changes to our grocery shop." They added that their husband was "constantly ‘commenting’" about the switches that had been made, annoying the poster. They said he'd made comments such as "oh can’t we afford Charmin anymore this toilet roll is not very good, you need to use twice the amount’" and "’This bacon is so thin it all breaks up and you can’t cook it properly", as well as "I don’t like this brown sauce, why can’t we have HP?". She added: "I’ve suggested he does the shopping but he refuses."
The list of complaints continued on everything from the choice of washing detergent to Heinz beans, and the chocolate on biscuits". He'd also questioned: "Are these the cheap, basic range eggs? We should get free range where the chickens can roam".
Many social media users jumped to the shopper's defence after they explained that while they were good at finding offers and bargains, but "everything costs more". Adding: "He obviously knows this but just responds with ‘it’s a false economy though as most of this is either sh*it or you have to use twice the amount’. "
After asking if the budgeting and product swap issue "caused friction" in other households, one outraged Mumsnet user replied: "Are you his wife or his mummy? Has he had his head up his **** in the clouds for over a year? Does he not watch the News? Couldn't be doing with that sh*te. He can sort his own food out and pay for it. The whining is seriously unattractive."
Anothers agreed: "Surely you just let him do the shopping if he's that bothered?" Someone else added: "He needs to be an adult and take some responsibility instead of moaning. If he refuses to get involved with shopping and keeping bills down then he gets what he's given. He needs to think of some solutions himself if he's not happy."
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Others offered advice: "Put the cheaper stuff in the branded packaging and see if he notices!", said one person. "I would stop buying the ‘extras’. No biscuits, alternative sauces/spreads etc. Buy Heinz beans, but don’t serve such a large portion", said another
As the ideas piled in, the original poster said: "I did try this but it was worse, he was outraged that he only got half a tin of beans with his egg and chips the other day!"
Some picked up on the egg debate. "Is he aware there are currently no free range eggs due to bird flu? All birds have to be kept inside." Someone else agreed: "There are no free range eggs at the moment sadly. I always buy free range eggs, as caging chickens is incredibly cruel. But currently all chickens have to be kept inside due to bird flu."
But not everyone ripped the husband to pieces. One person said: "Yes, causes trouble in our household too. I’m afraid I am on your husband's side and have probably said every example you have given in your post. I have however, picked up an extra shift a month to pay for the better quality products so we don’t have to go without."
Another added: "He's not unreasonable but he needs to walk the walk and in this case that means getting into the nitty gritty and propose alternatives. Including cutting portions sizes/having meat less often etc.
Another said: "Weĺl, he's wrong to complain, but sometimes poorer quality items CAN be a false economy. If things are wasted/not eaten etc then they aren't bargains."
What do you think about making swaps to cheaper brands? Do you have any advice for budgeting households? Let us know in the comment box below.
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