My roommate treats our communal fridge like a free sample station at Costco.
Hi guys, I’ve(23m) been living with this guy for about eight months now. For the most part, we get along great, but he has this "tax" system where he thinks taking just a little bit of whatever I buy doesn't count as stealing. I’ll buy a carton of milk, and it’s a quarter gone by the next morning. I bought a pack of specialty cheeses for a date night, and when I went to grab them, the package was already open and half the slices were missing. When I bring it up, he just says he was "hungry in the moment" or that he’ll "get me back later," but "later" never actually happens.
It’s not even about the money at this point, it’s the principle of wanting to eat the food I actually planned out for the week. I don't want to be the guy who puts his name on every single egg in the carton because that feels petty, but I’m tired of playing grocery store for a grown man. How do I shut this down without making the apartment vibe completely awkward? Do I start charging him a subscription fee or just buy a literal mini-fridge for my room?