[AnW819]

So DH and I moving in with DHs dad, sister, and boyfriend has been working out, except for 1 thing: FOOD!

Before DH and I moved in they were nutourious for eating out, ordering, etc. Now that we moved in they snack, snack, snack, and eat, eat, eat and do not even notice it, and then blame it on us.

We decided when we moved in DHs sister and I would do shopping together, and split the bill but we soon realised that would not work because they buy things DH and I would NEVER buy. Like charmin TP which does in 2 days and is expensive!! And tide laundry detergant! NO WAY!! So then DH and I did shopping one week, and she went the next, thought maybe this would work. Wrong. She spent $50 and $10 of it was on coffee we don't drink.

Then we decided okay we will buy our own stuff. My ginger ale was gone after 1 glass, etc. That did not work out.

Then there was tention in the house for a few days because they have been playing the well we bought this you bought that crap. So she suggested we write our names on food we don't want them to eat. This caused even more of a problem!!

So now today we go down stairs and DH looks in the med cabnit to see the pepto bottle; it states "if you are the LAST person to use this, buy a new one!". Um...okay? Obviously?

I am not sure how to go about all this. I mean do I buy my own milk, eggs, etc.? Meds? There is not enough room to have all of our own stuff, not to mention, the fact that they will eat it.

This was a problem at my dads as well, but this is much more because its three other people. My room does not even fit a queen size bed so I cannot store anything up here. Cabnit space is minimal.

The anger and tention coming from everyone is so stupid. I mean who argues about this crap??

Any ideas??

Thanks all. :nrant:

 

[nodmicks]

Can you fit a dorm fridge in your room? Long ago when I had room mates I had a dinky room but I had roll out under the bed for storage and a dorm fridge.

 

[daylily]

When DH and two of his buddies worked out of state and lived in a camper, they handled their food situation this way. Every pay day, they would put a set amount of money in the grocery kitty. In their case it was $100 each. This was only used to buy real food and receipts had to be provided. If one of them wanted any junk food such as sodas, chips, candy, cakes, etc, they had to buy their own with their own separate money. A list of what was considered junk was written down and posted in plain site and agreed on by all three. This worked out really well for them. Also they agreed that my DH would cook, one of the guys cleaned up after the meal and the other one did all their laundry. Maybe you can glean some useful ideas from this

 

[AnW819]

nope, we really cant fit anything. DH has to keep his small dresser with clothes out in the hall way.

 

[AnW819]

Thanks for your ideas! The only problem with putting money aside every week is she 'cant afford' to buy groceries every week'. She said they would spend maybe $100 a month on grocerys which sounds like bs to me =/

 

[Darlene]

I don't think there is much you can do .
I still say I'd move into a place all my own even if that is one room. A boarding house for a month or so is much better than living with all this stress.
Good luck!

 

[AnW819]

Thats not really an option right now =/ Thanks though!

 

[Ceashels]

So there isn't any space under the current bed that you can store things in shoe box size containers?

What about over the door "shoe" storage units like Clear Over the Door 24-Pocket Shoe Bag You can make one easily with an old sheet some thread and a needle. Dollar stores might have them too.

Are you allowed to put hooks on the walls? You can make tee shirts into bags to store things in and hang them on the wall for storage or put them on a hanger in store things in your closet.

You could also make storage space Slender TV Remote Clutter Organizer | Storage pocket caddy for your Bed that can easily slip along one side of the bed. Lots of little things can be kept in these pockets and you can make more than one row of pockets.

What you do need to do is sit down with these good people and brainstorm solutions. Living with "room mates" is never easy.

 

[Josephhgoins]

Would it be an option to trade responsibilities?

You take over paying the light bill, phone bill and cable bill and she buys all the groceries or something to that effect?

Make sure everyone understands that groceries means groceries and anything else that is used by everyone.

 

[nodmicks]

So there isn't any space under the current bed that you can store things in shoe box size containers?

What about over the door "shoe" storage units like Clear Over the Door 24-Pocket Shoe Bag You can make one easily with an old sheet some thread and a needle. Dollar stores might have them too.

Are you allowed to put hooks on the walls? You can make tee shirts into bags to store things in and hang them on the wall for storage or put them on a hanger in store things in your closet.

You could also make storage space Slender TV Remote Clutter Organizer | Storage pocket caddy for your Bed that can easily slip along one side of the bed. Lots of little things can be kept in these pockets and you can make more than one row of pockets.

What you do need to do is sit down with these good people and brainstorm solutions. Living with "room mates" is never easy.

Awesome ideas!

 

[Missourimom]

I don't think there is much you can either except to suck it up and save and move into a room somewhere. This stuff is going to happen when multiple people live in a home where clear boundaries and rules aren't set in place from day one. My 19 year old daughter is going through this with her roommate right now too.

 

[AnW819]

Well, I am not going to just give up. There has to be some type of solution. I am not living with college roommates. I am living with a family equalling 5 people, and most familys live with other people so there must be a solution. I am not going to give up and move out. We moved in here to save money and get out of debt so that when we get an apartment we can stay there and I am not going to give up this time, expecially over something like food.

So there isn't any space under the current bed that you can store things in shoe box size containers?

What about over the door "shoe" storage units like Clear Over the Door 24-Pocket Shoe Bag You can make one easily with an old sheet some thread and a needle. Dollar stores might have them too.

Are you allowed to put hooks on the walls? You can make tee shirts into bags to store things in and hang them on the wall for storage or put them on a hanger in store things in your closet.

You could also make storage space Slender TV Remote Clutter Organizer | Storage pocket caddy for your Bed that can easily slip along one side of the bed. Lots of little things can be kept in these pockets and you can make more than one row of pockets.

What you do need to do is sit down with these good people and brainstorm solutions. Living with "room mates" is never easy.

Our bed is on the floor but awesome ideas cea!!! I am going to make on of those and put it on the door in the closet!!

Would it be an option to trade responsibilities?

You take over paying the light bill, phone bill and cable bill and she buys all the groceries or something to that effect?

Make sure everyone understands that groceries means groceries and anything else that is used by everyone.

We pay a total rent amount to DHs dad. Not sister. She does not pay anything-so there really is nothing to trade =/

 

[Lady_V]

If the bed is on the floor... think UP

Even one shelf can give you enough room for your food... providing you aren't putting huge bags of rice up there :lol:

There are a lot of us who are good at small space storage ideas... can you draw a picture for us showing us the measurements, door placements and what you have in there now? Icovia Space Planner is pretty good

 

[Ceashels]

If you have a box spring you can raise it on cinder blocks (I would recommend 5 - one for each corner and one for the middle of the opposite side that you need access for) and protect the floor with a few towels.

IF all you have is a mattress then invest in 3/4 inch plywood that is cut to the dimensions of your mattress and use it as a base -- most stores can cut it for you at the store. If it won't fit in your car than have them cut it in half. You'll need another cinder block but you'll have full support for sleeping - not bouncing (kwim? ) hehehe. The cost of the wood and blocks might run you $20 bucks max but the cost you'll save overall is much higher.

---
Keep in mind that storing things in your room may also set up some tensions so it is not a great solution to the long term problem.

A better solution: might include having a "staple" grocery list that everyone contributes to and that everyone eats. Get your menu planning hat on and sit down with the other cooks in the house! Everyone splits that grocery bill. Then everyone else can pay for their own extras that only they will enjoy... coffee, brand name detergent, etc. It takes a bit more micromanaging but if everyone agrees to it things will get better.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

When I had housemates everyone had their own cupboard in the kitchen. My cupboard, my food, off limits to others. People were good about minding the rules. I had the fridge to myself mostly because nobody else bought vegetables.

I think separating and labeling things is your best bet.

 

[AnW819]

When I had housemates everyone had their own cupboard in the kitchen. My cupboard, my food, off limits to others. People were good about minding the rules. I had the fridge to myself mostly because nobody else bought vegetables.

I think separating and labeling things is your best bet.

We are trying that now and its really just not working, at all.

If you have a box spring you can raise it on cinder blocks (I would recommend 5 - one for each corner and one for the middle of the opposite side that you need access for) and protect the floor with a few towels.

IF all you have is a mattress then invest in 3/4 inch plywood that is cut to the dimensions of your mattress and use it as a base -- most stores can cut it for you at the store. If it won't fit in your car than have them cut it in half. You'll need another cinder block but you'll have full support for sleeping - not bouncing (kwim? ) hehehe. The cost of the wood and blocks might run you $20 bucks max but the cost you'll save overall is much higher.

---
Keep in mind that storing things in your room may also set up some tensions so it is not a great solution to the long term problem.

A better solution: might include having a "staple" grocery list that everyone contributes to and that everyone eats. Get your menu planning hat on and sit down with the other cooks in the house! Everyone splits that grocery bill. Then everyone else can pay for their own extras that only they will enjoy... coffee, brand name detergent, etc. It takes a bit more micromanaging but if everyone agrees to it things will get better.

Yeah I can see everyone getting poed at this to. We live on the third floor so up and down all the time to get food to cook downstairs they will know. There really are no cooks in the house. Everyone works weird shifts so we all cook for ourselves. DH just told me he went downstiars and the ketchup was out and she started saying well im not getting anymore and this and that its your turn, not even deciding to look in the cabnit where there is more. Raising the bed would work, but its up against the wall, and DHs "bed" is directly next to it, so it would be a lot of moving all the time. I really think the closest idea would be ideal!

If the bed is on the floor... think UP

Even one shelf can give you enough room for your food... providing you aren't putting huge bags of rice up there :lol:

There are a lot of us who are good at small space storage ideas... can you draw a picture for us showing us the measurements, door placements and what you have in there now? Icovia Space Planner is pretty good

I can take pictures!!

 

[Ashley01]

When I lived with roommates we did the one cupboard each thing. Then a shelf in the fridge. We had one roommate that would just split the cost but it didn't work because we were buying things he didn't want so we just bought ourselves. Then some nights we'd have "community" dinners everyone would contribute something and help out it worked and at one point we had 7 of us living there!! We always had a cleaning chart that we rotated so everyone had their own chore for the week and then would rotate Sunday so your not always the one cleaning the bathroom, mopping floors, vaccuuming etc.

 

[Greebo]

I think you should move. Soon!

 

[frugalfriend]

When I had housemates everyone had their own cupboard in the kitchen. My cupboard, my food, off limits to others. People were good about minding the rules. I had the fridge to myself mostly because nobody else bought vegetables.

I think separating and labeling things is your best bet.

:yeah: I see this as the only way it will work, too. Everyone just needs to be RESPECTFUL of each other's property. Make ground rules that it is only OK to borrow from someone else if you ASK first, things like that. You will all have different preferences on what you buy/like, so shopping together or splitting the bill, like you said, will not work. I also like Ashley01's idea of having community dinners. You can sometimes cook together and each contribute towards it so there is more unity in the house. But, otherwise to each his own.

 

[2ndGenGranola]

I like the raised bed idea. I remember in hs going over to a friends house. Her dad had built her bed. Her room was small and the bed was raised high enough to need a ladder. Underneath was shelving/chest of drawers acting kind of as braces for the bed. It was very unusual but cute and functional at the same time.