Overheard on Facebook

[Dollar Slice]

A friend said he took an Uber to work rather than clean the snow off his car. :-|

But on the flip side, a friend who is coming to visit told me her budget in advance and asked me not to plan anything expensive :-)

[Maenad]

How much snow are we talking?

[Dollar Slice]

How much snow are we talking?

As a Minnesotan, you would laugh so hard...he posted a pic. He would have had to shovel some snow behind the car that was just up to the bottom of the bumper. And push off the 6" that was on top of the car. Everything else was clear (mirrors, wheels, doors, etc.) because it melted some yesterday. The storm was on Wednesday.

[druth]

A friend said he took an Uber to work rather than clean the snow off his car. :-|

But on the flip side, a friend who is coming to visit told me her budget in advance and asked me not to plan anything expensive :-)

The other day I took the bus to work so I wouldn't have to dig out my car.  I think it was actually faster than doing the digging.  Almost the same. 😆

Actually a good experience because I was going to a clients house and hadn't realized how easy a bus ride it was before, so now I know I can do that any time.

[RetiredAt63]

How much snow are we talking?

As a Minnesotan, you would laugh so hard...he posted a pic. He would have had to shovel some snow behind the car that was just up to the bottom of the bumper. And push off the 6" that was on top of the car. Everything else was clear (mirrors, wheels, doors, etc.) because it melted some yesterday. The storm was on Wednesday.

I am laughing - but does he have the proper tools?  I have a heavy duty brush/scraper in the car, and a small shovel in the trunk.  You can tell I live in snow country.

[Dollar Slice]

How much snow are we talking?

As a Minnesotan, you would laugh so hard...he posted a pic. He would have had to shovel some snow behind the car that was just up to the bottom of the bumper. And push off the 6" that was on top of the car. Everything else was clear (mirrors, wheels, doors, etc.) because it melted some yesterday. The storm was on Wednesday.

I am laughing - but does he have the proper tools?  I have a heavy duty brush/scraper in the car, and a small shovel in the trunk.  You can tell I live in snow country.

He said he had a shovel. It's not a terribly snowy area but we do get snow a few times a winter on average.

[CupcakeGuru]

Back to seen on FB..

It never ceases to amaze me when you see a person you know, who sponges off their parents (they are 29 years old). Works 15 hours a week, doesn't pay rent or cell phone and they go and buy a $50,000 SUV with all the bells and whistles to cart around 2 kids.

[Primm]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

[Nudelkopf]

A friend bought a puppy just before Christmas last year (from a rescue shelter, at least, but still $800). It is definitely part labrador. She posted a few weeks ago that her & her husband just bought their new house.... because the dog out-grew their 2 bedroom apartment. (Duh, it's part labrador, it's not going to be an indoor dog). Aaand she posted today - the house they bought is 4 bed/2 bath home for $550,000, with a $40k deposit.

Tl;dr They're in a shit-tonne of debt because they impulse bought a dog that unsurprisingly outgrew their unit & "needed" to buy a bigger house.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

A friend bought a puppy just before Christmas last year (from a rescue shelter, at least, but still $800). It is definitely part labrador. She posted a few weeks ago that her & her husband just bought their new house.... because the dog out-grew their 2 bedroom apartment. (Duh, it's part labrador, it's not going to be an indoor dog). Aaand she posted today - the house they bought is 4 bed/2 bath home for $550,000, with a $40k deposit.

Tl;dr They're in a shit-tonne of debt because they impulse bought a dog that unsurprisingly outgrew their unit & "needed" to buy a bigger house.

I have a friend who lives in a tiny house with a full grown husky. The difference is the husky gets walked every morning and run 5km every night, as well as loooooooong hikes on the weekends.

[mustachepungoeshere]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

[penguintroopers]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

$360 a week?
How's that even possible?

I'm genuinely curious about this too. Are they even buying groceries, or eating takeout at every meal for that?

[mustachepungoeshere]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

$360 a week?
How's that even possible?

I'm genuinely curious about this too. Are they even buying groceries, or eating takeout at every meal for that?

I mentioned it to a colleague. She used to order Lite n' Easy dinners for her elderly mother, and they were $12 each so it's easy to see how it would add up to $360 a week with breakfast and lunch.

[marty998]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

$360 a week?
How's that even possible?

I'm genuinely curious about this too. Are they even buying groceries, or eating takeout at every meal for that?

I mentioned it to a colleague. She used to order Lite n' Easy dinners for her elderly mother, and they were $12 each so it's easy to see how it would add up to $360 a week with breakfast and lunch.

Lite n Easy delivers breakfasts? Like how fucking difficult is it to pour oats and milk, and eat a banana?

The average 6 or 7 year old can do that :O

[mustachepungoeshere]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

$360 a week?
How's that even possible?

I'm genuinely curious about this too. Are they even buying groceries, or eating takeout at every meal for that?

I mentioned it to a colleague. She used to order Lite n' Easy dinners for her elderly mother, and they were $12 each so it's easy to see how it would add up to $360 a week with breakfast and lunch.

Lite n Easy delivers breakfasts? Like how fucking difficult is it to pour oats and milk, and eat a banana?

The average 6 or 7 year old can do that :O

I don't know, oats and milk are too much for me at 5.30am. Vegemite toast all the way. :D

(For reference, I checked the latest Lite n' Easy menu, and it's not oats and milk. It's
nut cluster crunch with skim milk.)

[marty998]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

$360 a week?
How's that even possible?

I'm genuinely curious about this too. Are they even buying groceries, or eating takeout at every meal for that?

I mentioned it to a colleague. She used to order Lite n' Easy dinners for her elderly mother, and they were $12 each so it's easy to see how it would add up to $360 a week with breakfast and lunch.

Lite n Easy delivers breakfasts? Like how fucking difficult is it to pour oats and milk, and eat a banana?

The average 6 or 7 year old can do that :O

I don't know, oats and milk are too much for me at 5.30am. Vegemite toast all the way. :D

(For reference, I checked the latest Lite n' Easy menu, and it's not oats and milk. It's
nut cluster crunch with skim milk.)

That's like what, special oats and special milk?

[Warlord1986]

The main mall in my hometown has a Hello Kitty truck outside. People waited in line for four hours to buy this stuff.

[Just Joe]

Of course they wouldn't just order it off the internet later. Wow, the prices.

[BlueHouse]

BlueHouse, the mind seriously boggles. I just...can't even. I absolutely understand that what you grew up with is normal (I remember The Day I Realised Not Everyone Has Non-Stick Pans) but I can barely begin to imagine the logistics involved with that many towels.

I know!  I laugh with my mom about it now and we both wonder "what was she thinking"!  It didn't seem strange in the least to me growing up, but once I had to start doing my own laundry, I learned that re-used towels wasn't that gross and I also figured out how to dry my body FIRST, then dry my hair.   Anyway, she says that's the way she grew up too, so she didn't think anything weird about it either.  I find that part very hard to understand though because I know she grew up without a dryer - so she must have done her fair share of hanging everyone's towels and washcloths, etc. 

p.s.  My mother used to also move every bed, every day, and vacuum underneath them.  She definitely wasn't doing that into my teen years, but I know she did it until I was at least 6.   It was the year she got a new vacuum cleaner from my father for Christmas.  He thought it would make her life so much easier because it was a canister vac that could reach under the beds without moving them! 

[Dragonswan]

In a FB group I'm in which is dedicated to frugal grocery shopping.

I posted a cost comparison between the meal box I got (for free courtesy of a not-so-frugal friend) and ordering online delivery through a supermarket.

Difference (deliberately choosing no sale items) was $35. Meal box = $89, ordering = $54.

Reply from one of the group participants - "Yes but most people also impulse buy so it can work out better for them to get Hello Fresh or one of the others."

Yeah, nah. Point completely missed.

A work contact of mine just told me how much he and his girlfriend are saving on groceries by buying Lite n' Easy.

It's only costing them $360 a week, so with alcohol, takeaway coffee, etc, they're easily topping $400 a week for food.

Oh yeah, what a bargain.

>.<

$360 a week?
How's that even possible?

I'm genuinely curious about this too. Are they even buying groceries, or eating takeout at every meal for that?

I mentioned it to a colleague. She used to order Lite n' Easy dinners for her elderly mother, and they were $12 each so it's easy to see how it would add up to $360 a week with breakfast and lunch.

Lite n Easy delivers breakfasts? Like how fucking difficult is it to pour oats and milk, and eat a banana?

The average 6 or 7 year old can do that :O

I don't know, oats and milk are too much for me at 5.30am. Vegemite toast all the way. :D

(For reference, I checked the latest Lite n' Easy menu, and it's not oats and milk. It's
nut cluster crunch with skim milk.)

That's like what, special oats and special milk?

Wow, I was gonna guess avacado toast and french vanilla latte to justify the cost, but cereal and milk? That's just urban robbery.

[Smokystache]

The main mall in my hometown has a Hello Kitty truck outside. People waited in line for four hours to buy this stuff.

Wow wtf???

Wow indeed. In what place in the world is Hello Kitty something new that would cause 4 hour lines? (According to some sources, Hello Kitty arrived in the US in 1976! She's 40+ yo). Oh, now I see. It's "super cute merch." That would justify it.

I'm half incredulous at those who would stand in line for four hours and half impressed with the person who realized they could ride the Hello Kitty wave even longer (and avoid the price of opening a mall store) by using a "Merch truck". Well played.

[LeRainDrop]

The main mall in my hometown has a Hello Kitty truck outside. People waited in line for four hours to buy this stuff.

Wow wtf???

Wow indeed. In what place in the world is Hello Kitty something new that would cause 4 hour lines? (According to some sources, Hello Kitty arrived in the US in 1976! She's 40+ yo). Oh, now I see. It's "super cute merch." That would justify it.

I'm half incredulous at those who would stand in line for four hours and half impressed with the person who realized they could ride the Hello Kitty wave even longer (and avoid the price of opening a mall store) by using a "Merch truck". Well played.

Guys, did you not see the part where if you spend $25, you get a FREE mini-tote?  Free!!!!!!!  LOL

[Just Joe]

Waiting.in.line.for.hours - to buy stuff? No thanks. Benefits of not living in a big city. Not crowded enough here to create much of a line. 5 mins for a really popular movie if you choose a weeknight.

[chouchouu]

I'm a member of some parenting groups which is where I learned about "after pay," a product for people so bad with money they can't get a credit card. People will mention things they have, always unnecessary and someone will comment asking if the retailer has "after pay." Things like $70 "bento" lunch boxes, 2k prams and the like.

A fb advertisement came up today for thermomix, 24 months interest free. I've heard these things are expensive so people are buying this overhyped blender/steamer on plans. All the comments were people commenting on what a great deal it is.

[nnls]

I'm a member of some parenting groups which is where I learned about "after pay," a product for people so bad with money they can't get a credit card. People will mention things they have, always unnecessary and someone will comment asking if the retailer has "after pay." Things like $70 "bento" lunch boxes, 2k prams and the like.

the people I know of who use afterpay often use it because they think its a better option than a credit card, as its interest free. they see it more as layby that you get instantly

[mustachepungoeshere]

I'm a member of some parenting groups which is where I learned about "after pay," a product for people so bad with money they can't get a credit card. People will mention things they have, always unnecessary and someone will comment asking if the retailer has "after pay." Things like $70 "bento" lunch boxes, 2k prams and the like.

the people I know of who use afterpay often use it because they think its a better option than a credit card, as its interest free. they see it more as layby that you get instantly

And that's the problem.

They see it as an instant layby, not debt.

I know people in their early 20s who, for moral/ethical reasons, avoid consumer debt like the plague. Would never get a credit card. But they have revolving Afterpay balances.

The marketing has worked.

[nnls]

I'm a member of some parenting groups which is where I learned about "after pay," a product for people so bad with money they can't get a credit card. People will mention things they have, always unnecessary and someone will comment asking if the retailer has "after pay." Things like $70 "bento" lunch boxes, 2k prams and the like.

the people I know of who use afterpay often use it because they think its a better option than a credit card, as its interest free. they see it more as layby that you get instantly

And that's the problem.

They see it as an instant layby, not debt.

I know people in their early 20s who, for moral/ethical reasons, avoid consumer debt like the plague. Would never get a credit card. But they have revolving Afterpay balances.

The marketing has worked.

yes it really has, I know people who have a rolling balance of $1000 on afterpay and see nothing wrong with it, but judge me for having a credit card (that is paid in full each month and i use for reward points)

[mustachepungoeshere]

A friend of mine with a serious spending problem from eating out*, who is definitely old enough to know better, has made a staggering discovery.

His new girlfriend just moved in and introduced him to this amazing concept of going to the supermarket and buying food.

Groundbreaking.

He's calling all his friends to share this breakthrough.

"You can just buy the food you like, and then cook it the way you like it. I'm saving $300 a week!"

He's 45.

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

[I'm a red panda]

A friend of mine with a serious spending problem from eating out*, who is definitely old enough to know better, has made a staggering discovery.

His new girlfriend just moved in and introduced him to this amazing concept of going to the supermarket and buying food.

Groundbreaking.

He's calling all his friends to share this breakthrough.

"You can just buy the food you like, and then cook it the way you like it. I'm saving $300 a week!"

He's 45.

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

WOW. That is truly an amazing discovery. 

But can you tell me more about the Maccas? Do they make them different?  I don't even understand?
Is the guy really lonely and craves regularly seeing the servers or something?

[RWD]

"You can just buy the food you like, and then cook it the way you like it. I'm saving $300 a week!"

He's 45.

Wow... If he had started that habit when he was 20 and invested the difference he'd have a million bucks from just that.

[iGz]

Not really on facebook, but similar local social network.

I was chatting with a girl and after saw her photo I noticed quite big watches on her wrist so I asked what type it is. She replied that it is Garmin Fenix 5S and bought it directly from the Garmin store for 599 € . This is huge price in my country compared to median month salary (around 950 € before taxes, net will be around 720 €).  After some time she told me, that she lives with her mother and can't afford to buy small apartment (I mean with mortgage - she wouldn't be able to pay monthly payments and bank wouldn't approve mortgage ).

Well... I know people like to buy expensive gadgets, but it always surprise me why... Does this Garmin watches give you so much more compared to running, swimming, etc, without them ?

[mm1970]

A friend of mine with a serious spending problem from eating out*, who is definitely old enough to know better, has made a staggering discovery.

His new girlfriend just moved in and introduced him to this amazing concept of going to the supermarket and buying food.

Groundbreaking.

He's calling all his friends to share this breakthrough.

"You can just buy the food you like, and then cook it the way you like it. I'm saving $300 a week!"

He's 45.

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

whoa

[slugline]

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

Is he literally travelling to three different outlets to buy one item (at the a la carte price) at each to assemble one meal? Driving among them all, of course? That's truly anti-mustachian hall of shame worthy. Wow!

And I just realized this means he must eat at McDonald's frequently enough to actually notice the differences between locations. Double wow!

[chouchouu]

I'm a member of some parenting groups which is where I learned about "after pay," a product for people so bad with money they can't get a credit card. People will mention things they have, always unnecessary and someone will comment asking if the retailer has "after pay." Things like $70 "bento" lunch boxes, 2k prams and the like.

the people I know of who use afterpay often use it because they think its a better option than a credit card, as its interest free. they see it more as layby that you get instantly

And that's the problem.

They see it as an instant layby, not debt.

I know people in their early 20s who, for moral/ethical reasons, avoid consumer debt like the plague. Would never get a credit card. But they have revolving Afterpay balances.

The marketing has worked.

yes it really has, I know people who have a rolling balance of $1000 on afterpay and see nothing wrong with it, but judge me for having a credit card (that is paid in full each month and i use for reward points)

Pretty much all the comments I see mention something about being unable to "afford" the product without after pay.  People who live paycheck to paycheck but want a 2k pram so they buy it on after pay otherwise they would never be able to save up that amount of money. There was an interesting thread about Chrisco,  where people said they used it even though they knew they were paying a premium because otherwise they couldn't "afford" Christmas.

I think a lot of these women feel that the material things they provide their kids are a reflection of their parenting. Which is why they are happy to buy a $60 lunch box because they think it insulates them from criticism. Then there are the comments about how it saves them money because they're not buying packaged food. As if they never noticed the regular lunch boxes at the supermarket. I have pointed out you can actually buy a real bento box for $2.80 at Daiso, which is compact and lightweight unlike these American bento boxes which are huge and weigh a ton and look nothing like a real bento. They're actually pretty awful designs for something so expensive. Lots of small corners that would be tricky to clean.

[nnls]

I think a lot of these women feel that the material things they provide their kids are a reflection of their parenting.

My sister commented that someone on her facebook must not really love their kids cause of how little they got them for Christmas, I wasnt too sure how to respond.

[nnls]

I think a lot of these women feel that the material things they provide their kids are a reflection of their parenting.

My sister commented that someone on her facebook must not really love their kids cause of how little they got them for Christmas, I wasnt too sure how to respond.

Wow, your sister sounds like an materialistic ass.

yeah we have different views on things

[dragoncar]

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

Is he literally travelling to three different outlets to buy one item (at the a la carte price) at each to assemble one meal? Driving among them all, of course? That's truly anti-mustachian hall of shame worthy. Wow!

And I just realized this means he must eat at McDonald's frequently enough to actually notice the differences between locations. Double wow!

Of course not, he’s actually buying a full value meal from each store and growing away the portions he doesn’t like from each.  That way he saves money on each value meal

[chouchouu]

I think a lot of these women feel that the material things they provide their kids are a reflection of their parenting.

My sister commented that someone on her facebook must not really love their kids cause of how little they got them for Christmas, I wasnt too sure how to respond.

Isn't it funny how two people from the same family can be so different!

I've seen people comment that books shouldn't be given as presents because they're not fun. It's amazing how someone can illustrate how stupid, ignorant and materialistic they are in just one sentence.

[nnls]

I think a lot of these women feel that the material things they provide their kids are a reflection of their parenting.

My sister commented that someone on her facebook must not really love their kids cause of how little they got them for Christmas, I wasnt too sure how to respond.

Isn't it funny how two people from the same family can be so different!

I've seen people comment that books shouldn't be given as presents because they're not fun. It's amazing how someone can illustrate how stupid, ignorant and materialistic they are in just one sentence.

I give my sisters kids books every birthday and Christmas, I wonder if she thinks that I shouldnt be giving them. She hasnt said anything

[shelivesthedream]

I wonder if the comments are different depending on people's general attitude to material possessions. For example, there's a difference between parents who buy themselves all the things and buy nothing for their children, and parents who don't do consumerism at all. The former does seem kind of mean to me because the children can see their parents general lives and how they fit in.

I'm 7.5 months pregnant. Someone said to my husband on Sunday (Mother's Day), "Oh, next year you'll be shopping for a card and present too!" He very politely did not say, "Why? My wife doesn't need stupid crap that we pretend our one-year-old child has magically earned money for and picked out himself. What's the point?"

Our children will get way more on their birthdays (once they are old enough to realise what they are) than we do for ourselves: a cake, their choice of dinner, no chores, and between one and three presents. This is a fountain of luxury compared to "Hey, it's your birthday." "Yep." So...in the context of our general life, are we mean and unloving or kind and generous?

[chicwhitesox1]

my friends electricity bill shoot up to $500 he's mining coins

[Barbaebigode]

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

I've heard this type of thing with popular beers made by huge breweries. "X beer is better in Y region because the water there is better". I wonder if those perceptions will survive a blind test.

[Dragonswan]

A friend of mine with a serious spending problem from eating out*, who is definitely old enough to know better, has made a staggering discovery.

His new girlfriend just moved in and introduced him to this amazing concept of going to the supermarket and buying food.

Groundbreaking.

He's calling all his friends to share this breakthrough.

"You can just buy the food you like, and then cook it the way you like it. I'm saving $300 a week!"

He's 45.

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

This level of ignorance can only be blamed on his parents spectacular failure to give their child any domestic skills.  Or in the vernacular: No home training.

[I'm a red panda]

I'm 7.5 months pregnant. Someone said to my husband on Sunday (Mother's Day), "Oh, next year you'll be shopping for a card and present too!" He very politely did not say, "Why? My wife doesn't need stupid crap that we pretend our one-year-old child has magically earned money for and picked out himself. What's the point?"

Someone asked my husband what he got me for Mother's Day this year.  He actually did reply "Nothing, she's not my mother."

I spent the day cleaning our mudroom. It gets so yucky over winter, I might make that a tradition.

[jinga nation]

I'm 7.5 months pregnant. Someone said to my husband on Sunday (Mother's Day), "Oh, next year you'll be shopping for a card and present too!" He very politely did not say, "Why? My wife doesn't need stupid crap that we pretend our one-year-old child has magically earned money for and picked out himself. What's the point?"

Someone asked my husband what he got me for Mother's Day this year.  He actually did reply "Nothing, she's not my mother."

I spent the day cleaning our mudroom. It gets so yucky over winter, I might make that a tradition.

@iowajes Tell your husband, random internet guy gives him fist bump. I've been saying that since 2006.

@shelivesthedream Looks like we Mustachians behave similarly for kids birthdays, continents apart.

[shelivesthedream]

I'm 7.5 months pregnant. Someone said to my husband on Sunday (Mother's Day), "Oh, next year you'll be shopping for a card and present too!" He very politely did not say, "Why? My wife doesn't need stupid crap that we pretend our one-year-old child has magically earned money for and picked out himself. What's the point?"

Someone asked my husband what he got me for Mother's Day this year.  He actually did reply "Nothing, she's not my mother."

I spent the day cleaning our mudroom. It gets so yucky over winter, I might make that a tradition.

Brilliant. I had a conversation with someone recently married about whether one is obliged to get something for one's mother-in-law. As in, whether she should receive a card from the child and another card from the child-in-law. My response was "Are you kidding?? She's not my mother! Let me know when they invent mother-in-law's day. I think Mr SLTD can deal with being an ambassador on behalf of both of us, and I can do the same for my mother." I only even get my mother anything at all because she'd be upset if I didn't.

I got given a small flowering pot plant at church. All the women did, not just mothers. I was just glad it wasn't cut flowers. Apparently on Father's Day last year the men got American muffins. I am waiting for a moment to suggest that this year they get cacti in a bid for gender parity while still allowing them to feel butch and manly.

[shelivesthedream]

@shelivesthedream Looks like we Mustachians behave similarly for kids birthdays, continents apart.

This is another one of those things where we say "We are going to do this thing" and everyone says "Ha ha no you're not" and will then act surprised when we do the exact thing we said we were going to do. Glad I have this forum to reassure me that we are not crazy idealists who will suddenly become different people and be utterly unable to resist the consumer onslaught once we have an actual child to deal with.

We also have plans for birthday parties, which are basically the parties my brother and I had as a child: held at home; new outfit (which will be their "good" outfit for that year, or until they grow out of it) or fancy dress; party games (pass the parcel and the like if rainy, tag and water pistols and the like if sunny) or just playing depending on age and preference; homemade finger food like sandwiches and little sausages with lemonade (which the birthday person helps to make that morning), then cake, jelly (in multiple artificial colours! such treats!), and ice cream. Possibly also paper plates, plastic cups and napkins (choosing the paper plate design for my party was a huge deal when I was little as it was the only time we ever had them - and it seems prudent to not have to worry about crockery breakages with a dozen eight-year-olds rampaging around.) One year I had a commercially-organised birthday party at a swimming pool, and it just wasn't as good. There was also the year I had a bought cake - and again, it just wasn't as good.

[jinga nation]

@shelivesthedream Looks like we Mustachians behave similarly for kids birthdays, continents apart.

This is another one of those things where we say "We are going to do this thing" and everyone says "Ha ha no you're not" and will then act surprised when we do the exact thing we said we were going to do. Glad I have this forum to reassure me that we are not crazy idealists who will suddenly become different people and be utterly unable to resist the consumer onslaught once we have an actual child to deal with.

We also have plans for birthday parties, which are basically the parties my brother and I had as a child: held at home; new outfit (which will be their "good" outfit for that year, or until they grow out of it) or fancy dress; party games (pass the parcel and the like if rainy, tag and water pistols and the like if sunny) or just playing depending on age and preference; homemade finger food like sandwiches and little sausages with lemonade (which the birthday person helps to make that morning), then cake, jelly (in multiple artificial colours! such treats!), and ice cream. Possibly also paper plates, plastic cups and napkins (choosing the paper plate design for my party was a huge deal when I was little as it was the only time we ever had them - and it seems prudent to not have to worry about crockery breakages with a dozen eight-year-olds rampaging around.) One year I had a commercially-organised birthday party at a swimming pool, and it just wasn't as good. There was also the year I had a bought cake - and again, it just wasn't as good.

That's what we've been doing for 5 years. Wife and I loved the birthday parties just as you described, we grew up in East Africa (except the paper and plastic products, it was all steel for us). Commercial parties have no appeal for us, they're too structured. The kids don't need that, they have enough of that bollocking in school. Cue Pink Floyd... We don't need no...

Once we had a party in a huge public park for dirt cheap. Alcohol not allowed, plus the occasional gator in the lake that one can canoe/kayak on, for a low cheap price. Ordered pizza from a local place (2 for 1 XXL pies), had finger foods (samosas), and watermelon and pineapples we cut up on site. Invited over 60-70 people, over 90% showed up. Still getting asked 3 years later when we're doing it again.

My wife makes excellent plain chocolate cake, we don't like the icing BS. My younger kid doesn't like cakes, she prefers chocolate strawberries, apples, pretzels. So we let her make her own. My mother made a simple dessert using Marie biscuits and fresh cream and fruit.

[Just Joe]

This is a man who would go to three different Maccas for dinner, because he preferred the burger from store A, the fries from store B, and the thickshake from store C. I wish I was kidding.

I've heard this type of thing with popular beers made by huge breweries. "X beer is better in Y region because the water there is better". I wonder if those perceptions will survive a blind test.

When I lived in Italy there was a belief that the coffee tasted different region to region b/c of factors like this. After a while I thought I could tell a difference too but maybe that was my imagination.

[I'm a red panda]

I'm getting so much "what are you doing for her birthday?"

My daughter is turning 1.  We literally are not planning on doing ANYTHING.

Should we be doing something?