I Hate To Start Another Husband Bashing Thread But...**Update on Page 4**

[becka]

my DH is really starting to annoy me!

We are trying to cut back on some of our spending so we can get our finances in a better position. We have discussed and started some of our money saving activities but DH is making some of it difficult.

One of our big money drains is DH eating out for lunch everyday. He will spend on average $7-8 per day on lunch. Well over a month that adds up so we decided that he should take his lunch a few days a week. Well according to him that is fine but I will have to pack his lunch for him everyday. Why? Because he claims that he can't pack a lunch - he doesn't know how!!! The man is almost 30 years old and is a chemist yet he is incapable of making himself a ham sandwich.

Well then tonight I made baked chicken thighs (instead of our normal boneless chicken breasts because the thighs are much cheaper) with baked potatoes and veggies. Well DH complained the entire meal that he just couldn't eat it because he can't eat chicken off of the bone. He can't figure out how to get the meat off the bone! He told me that I will either have to go back to making only boneless chicken breasts or he will just have to eat something else whenever we have chicken! What is he going to make himself if he can't even make a sandwich to take for his lunch!

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH! Do I have a right here to be frustrated? He is just being lazy and thinks that because I am the one who really wants to save more money that I will just roll over and do everything!

I feel a little better getting that out but I can't wait to hear what else he can't do!

 

[Serena]

I wish I had some advice for you.

 

[grinningghost]

Sorry you're frustrated, but you are totally doing the right thing by packing lunches. DH used to eat his lunch out everyday too. He also used to buy his coffee at the donut shop in the morning. We have since started packing lunches and brewing his coffee for his thermos and wow - we really ARE saving money!

But don't despair becka - it's a husband thing. I pack DH's lunches too. But I've learned it's better anyway, because I can make sandwiches WITHOUT leaving crumbs all over the place.

 

[tcfdick]

Have you thought about fixing his lunch/dinner like you would a small child? Would it sink in with him? For instance, you could take the meat off of the chicken leg and cut it into very small pieces with all the other vegetables you cooked already on the plate like you would for a two year old. Make his lunch like you would for a five year old, put peanut butter and jelly sandwich, pudding cup/jello cup, boxed juice, and a note like, "Have a wonderful day!" I don't know how long it would take, but I bet he would get wise pretty quick if he's smart enough to be a chemist. Sometimes saying nothing and doing is the most effective way to get your point across.

 

[Mishetta]

Love that picture of your DS Becka! I can't believe how big he's getting!

Okay, back to the subject at hand! My DH takes his lunch every single day! (Poor guy!) I make it for him. He would not make his lunch because he doesn't want too, but it does save a lot of money brown bagging it, so I make it.

Then again, my DH does sooooo much for me, that making his lunch is just a minor thing. I'm glad to do it. My DH washes the floors & vacuums the entire house & helps me loads with the baby (who is 2 y/o ~ not really a baby anymore.) So I don't mind that he wants me to make his lunch. I figure we'll both benefit if we save some money.

Now the chicken thing I would have an issue with! Can't eat chicken off a bone? Come on now! I would expect Nathan to say that, not your DH! (Of course, I wouldn't eat the thigh either. We're strictly a white meat family ~ boneless & skinless! I buy a big bag at Sam's Club every 3 to 4 weeks.)

If DH has such an issue with that & he wants to fend for himself when it's dinner time, then let him! You & your DS can have your wonderful chicken dinner while your DH eats a bowl of cold cereal!

Sounds like he needs to make a little effort too! Good luck!

 

[Pin Wizard]

LOL! Sorry! It slipped out. I just find his not being able to make a ham sandwich funny. I guess you have his mom to thank for that. Sounds like Mishetta lucked out in the husband department. I want a model of a single guy like that. Yup, marriage should be give and take. Does making his lunch really bother you?

 

[Pop Daddy]

didnt read it, but Im on your hubbys side

 

[becka]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard
Does making his lunch really bother you?

No. Making his lunch does not bother me. Him telling me that he is not able to make his lunch bothers me.

If he just asked me if I could do that for him most days for whatever reason that would be fine but to flat out say that he doesn't know how to make a sandwich is ridiculous! I have seen him do it before although admittedly after he made the sandwich he didn't have to transport it any further than the table.

 

[Pin Wizard]

LOL! It's true. It's all how the "request" is delivered. I used to get so ticked at my husband all the time because he didn't know how to ask nicely. When you basically "order" me to do something, no, I'm NOT going to do it!! You ask me nicely, yes, I will! You would think they would catch on.

 

[battricia]

I don't blame you at all for being frustrated. Thankfully my significant other can handle making his own lunch. I make dinner, but we eat it together. But if he doesn't like what I make, he can make something himself, he is fully able to do that. When you said he's gonna have to eat something else when you eat the chicken, i thought, 'and who does he think is going to cook something else for him?!' heh. I wish you luck. Maybe you should 'teach' him how to make food, in the way you would teach a 6 year old how to make sandwiches..

tricia.

 

[Antonia]

I didn't know my husband had a twin!!

In all seriousness, I have often told my friends that when I die, don't send flowers - send take-out. My DH would starve to death if not for me fixing his food. He can't make a sandwich either!!

 

[Alex]

OH somebody cut me a break. He's doing it because he can.
If I even thought about pulling that kind of B.S. DW's answer would be "if you are that stupid starve".
He's trying to manipulate you plain and simple.

 

[Serena]

Originally posted by Alex
OH somebody cut me a break. He's doing it because he can.
If I even thought about pulling that kind of B.S. DW's answer would be "if you are that stupid starve".
He's trying to manipulate you plain and simple.

yep

 

[~*Belle 2003*~]

My DH does most of the cooking in our house! I do make his sandwiches daily but he will do it if I can't.

As for not eating chicken on the bone...that's what the knife and fork are for! Does he ever eat anything else on the bone like a chicken drumstick, T-Bone. etc?

Good luck - looks like you're gonna need it!

 

[disykat]

My dh makes his own lunch (he was already in the habit when we got married) - but he took PBJ sandwiches everyday until I coached him a bit. (He'd be in a bit of a spot if I hadn't since we don't have peanut butter in the house anymore!) When we first got married he was horrified that I wanted him to take leftovers for lunch. Now at dinner he asks "is there enough for my lunch tomorrow?" I put them in a divided dish I got from tupperware and leave it in the fridge for him.

Here is what dh does when there aren't leftovers. When we grill hamburgers or hotdogs, we freeze the leftovers and split them up two to a baggie and put them in the freezer. Then he can just grab the buns from the freezer along with a slice of cheese. We save extra ketchup packets when we go through the drive through so sometimes he can take those. Again, he was horrified when I first suggested this but says everyone is envious of his lunches now.

He also likes soup. Now the cans have pop off lids so all he needs is a microwavable container and a spoon and he's all set.
Canned stew and chili work this way too.

I make the kids lunches so we always have string cheese, apples, carrots, etc. on hand.

For some reason, he still won't make himself a sandwich. He has a mental block about spreading his own mayo or something. But between leftovers, burgers and hotdogs, and soup, he manages okay.

Good luck!

 

[swea_pea1]

Does your DH have a microwave at work? DH and I used to save a lot of money by packing Michelena's frozen dinners for lunch. Yes, they cost more than a sandwich would (I think they were between $1.00 and $1.50), but still cheaper than buying a lunch. And there's a whole bunch of variety...lasagna, spaghetti, mac and cheese, etc. I also bought a whole bunch of very little Rubbermaid containers and would make Jell-o cups for lunch. With a can of soda, the whole thing was about 2 bucks.

If it makes you feel better, my DH made the list today too. Men, can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em

 

[nancy679]

I pack DH lunch too but only because if he were to pack it, it wouldnt be as healthy.

And he wont eat chicken off the bone either. He says he just doesnt like it--even with a knife--

 

[chager]

I usually fix Dh's lunches. I also try to make extra for dinner and then put some into a divided dish and the fridge before we eat. A couple times this didn't work because whatever I fixed didn't turn out right and he didn't like it. He always forgets to take his lunch on those days.

If DH ever said he couldn't eat chicken because of the bones I would probably tell him to grow up and get over it. (I have said this in the past to him about various things )

 

[chager]

Oh yeah....I see Popdaddy agrees with OP's DH....I guess he can't eat chicken around the bone either

 

[Mr.BsMom]

I wish you a lot of luck... It sounds like he doesn't want to do it (make his own lunch) so if he says he can't, and then you don't do it for him, well guess what? He gets to eat out! That's pretty pitiful, if you ask me. And he can't take the chicken off the bone?? Come on!

I'm very lucky..... DH packs his lunch - and mine too! - every morning. He usually packs a sandwich or leftovers if we have them. We both agreed a long time ago that it was completely crazy to spend a bunch of $$ on lunch out every day. Sure we go out occasionally (we work together), but most days we take something in. It works for us!

Good luck!