Retirement changes a household’s finances, but what do you do if your partner goes overboard and becomes ‘cheap’? 

On this week’s So You Think You’re an Adult, one woman said her husband has become “miserable with money” since he retired. 

“The one part that’s driving me mad is what he’s doing with the weekly food shop,” she told Moncrieff. 

“He’s decided, in order to save money, that he’s only buying own-brand or knock-off products instead of brand names.” 

This thriftiness is fine for the likes of “pasta and potatoes” - but her husband is also buying “buying cheap wine that tastes like nail varnish”. 

“[He] has even gone as far as buying ‘red sticker’ chicken - which is basically gone off on the day of purchase,” she said. 

“I know he’s adjusting to living on a pension, but we are well set up in life, and don’t need to live like this. 

“He says it’s because we need to be prepared for every eventuality, but the way it’s heading, the only thing that will happen is me ending up in hospital from using sandpaper as toilet roll.” 

Retired on a budget?

Writer Barbara Scully said she’d be more worried about getting salmonella from chicken on the brink of going off. 

She told the listener, however, this could simply be an adjustment period for her husband as he retires. 

“I often think, especially with older men in this generation who very likely were the main breadwinner, that responsibility, contrary to all my feminist thinking, lies heavily on a man’s shoulder,” she said. 

“That might be why he has become overboard... once he gets used to the fact you are okay, he’ll loosen up a bit.” 

Until then, Barbara advised going shopping with the husband to make sure he’s not being too frugal. 

Maintaining control

Broadcaster Declan Buckley pointed out the husband might be using the grocery shop to maintain control. 

“It's about him trying to say he still has a value in the world,” he said. 

“Whether or not he was the only breadwinner, he was working and doing stuff and being in control of a certain domain that has gone away. 

“I do think the control thing becoming an issue is a problem – the reason for it is understandable but with the action, she needs to step in.” 

The couple could also consider investing in a grocery store club card or downloading a discount app if they’re looking to save money.