Uncommitted partner

Miss_Kitty_Fantastico

Hi

This may seem like a strange question but how can I become OS without making a big deal of it with my partner.

His attitude is that he didnt spend 4 years at uni to live on beans and toast etc (he says he did enough of the OS life when he was a student).

He is supportive of my wish to save money etc but isnt willing to compromise on meals etc.

How do I go OS and save money without him feeling hard done by?

Thanks in advance

donny-gal

Well there are two things, OS and MS (money saving) OS is doing things the old way, cooking from scrach, good quality meals, fresh veg. they end up cheaper, but take a bit more planning than buying ready made. Using the different more economical bits like cleaning with Stardrops/White Vinegar. You can if you need to stretch food over many meals, or you can just cook from scratch nice meals and using up what is left if there is any. Using the SC to cook meals, but it doesnt make it beans on toast. I am sure there are many more who will give you plenty of ideas of what to cook, not an expert there.

He may have done the MS life at uni, but doubt if he cooked meals from scratch very often?

DG

squeaky

Don't tell him!

Full stop

OS is aimed and spending your "housekeeping" thriftily and wisely. He doesn't need to know that you made your spag bol, or chilli, or pie from scratch. Nor does he need to know that the spray bottle of "cleaner" is vinegar and water with a (optional) couple of drops of a nice smelling essential oil.

I'd be inclined to do most of it in the background, so to speak, but gently introduce him to one new thing at a time...

..if he likes pizza, for example, make your own - he'll notice the difference (for the better) honest and you can say that you made it and it's wa-a-ay cheaper than shop bought ones and isn't full of rubbish and preservatives etc.

You know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach... so is the way to his OS side

thriftlady_2

Cooking from scratch is not what I'd call compromising on meals. Buying ready meals is though I agree with Squeaky - just keep mum. Get on with it quietly and without comment.

whatatwit

My OH likes good food and boy would I see face pulling if i tried to feed him beans on toast for tea.

But, last night, I put some garlic and herb philly into a chicken breast and then wrapped a slice of bacon round it, shoved into the oven in a covered dish. I also did some fried onion/peppers/courgette then mixed in a tin of blitzed tomatoes, simmered until thick. Served with some spaghetti.

There was a real plateful and it worked out fairly cheap.
He commented on how nice it was and how much more he got than the 'Tesco' equivalent.

MoneySavingSapphire_:D

I agree with the homecooking thing - my bf was getting sick of my "its so much cheaper than... I've saved..." rambles (my fault, I get over enthusiastic and talk for ages, past the boredom point of whoever I'm speaking to ) but then I made him, yes, Pizza. He was mightily impressed, as he was with the spag bog, the way I got the dog hairs out of the carpet and the way the kitchen smelt of lemons after I'd cleaned it... Unfortunately its worked too well - I'm moving out into my own flat this autumn (live with his mum) and he announced the other day "maybe I'll move in with you when you move out..." :eek: Noo, a man in my nice flat...
Anyway, back to the point - if you want to convert him rather than not tell him (although that's a good plan, let him pay for the non OS ready meals and takeaways!) is there an aspect of it that will get him on side? So money he seems to be prepared to spend for a "better" life, but is he into fitness? Tell him its healthier, and uses less chemicals. Into the environment? Better for that too. Or just put all your savings into a jar and then when's its mounted up for something lovely, spring it on him and say you'll only share if he joins in from now on, lol!

Ytaya

You could make him homemade baked beans on homemade bread and see how that goes down. Very tasty! :rotfl:

daysieblue

My partner started out quite non-committal (bit of a fussy eater/food snob) but now we have a freezer full of HM meals, a BM that never stops and a SC that churns out gorgeousness every time. He seems to be coming round to my way of thinking! I think he thought it would be a fad that faded away, but I haven't lost my enthusiasm yet!

This weekend we're going to be eating HM Meatloaf, HM curry and HM chilli, and all of these will have left overs for the freezer. So any evening he can pull one out and have it for his dinner. Much better than ready meals!

db xx

helen0103

My OH was not committed to OS to start with either.

I just stuck at it and once he realised that we were saving money and eating a lot healthier then we were he has now come round to my way of thinking.

Proof of this was last night - he ate Value baked beans for the first time (or so he thought...) and admitted the were just as good as Heinz (He has actually been eating value beans for a while but I have always told him they were Heinz:D )

He even helps me when I'm having a mass cooking session to fill the freezer - he can make a mean lasagne now!

dannahaz

My DH isn't interested in OS from a money saving point of view at all. What he likes is good food, growing and preserving our own veg, and knowing exactkly what's in his food.

He likes the convenience of our homemade "ready meals". We always cook extra, and then freeze it. Usually, we have at least one portion extra.

So if moneysaving isn't what turns him on, get him on side with the flavours.

Miss_Kitty_Fantastico

thanks all

i think you're right small steps and not making a big deal about it

my problem is like moneysavingsapphire is that i get so excited about ms and os that i do his head lol

i'll keep you posted

xx