How has your spending changed during COVID-19? What are you saving?

[coconochanel]

moved to a separate thread as it could be an interesting subject to discuss!


Wages aside obv how much money are you saving from not buying takeout coffees, sandwiches, takeaways, things from homesense etc?

 

[hnoz]

Wages aside obv how much money are you saving from not buying takeout coffees, sandwiches, takeaways, things from homesense etc?

I have discovered I am addicted to spending money and I cannot tell you how difficult it has been to not go shopping for a new dress for the weekend, or buy a fancy bottle of wine or treat myself to a coffee or homeware.

Is there a shopaholics anonymous? Asking for a friend.

 

[monga]

I have discovered I am addicted to spending money and I cannot tell you how difficult it has been to not go shopping for a new dress for the weekend, or buy a fancy bottle of wine or treat myself to a coffee or homeware.

Is there a shopaholics anonymous? Asking for a friend.

Looks like addiction clinics will be a good investment going forward ...Must let Douglas Bannatyne know

 

[mummy2under2]

Wages aside obv how much money are you saving from not buying takeout coffees, sandwiches, takeaways, things from homesense etc?

In 5 weeks I've spend about £2k less.
I am literally addicted to buying stuff and it's only just hit home now I don't have the option.
Had this exact discussion with hubby last night.

My normal working week -
Buy lunch & dinner out every day.
Multiple daily Starbucks and Joe & The Juice.
Weekends we do something with the kids on both days and eat lunch and dinner out on both days.
New makeup.
Twice weekly blow drys.
Go out/date night every other weekend.
New outfits every weekend.
And that's only me.

Not including the copious amounts of stuff I buy the kids.

I've barely spent a thing the last 5 weeks asides from food and essentials.
I need to seriously rethink what I'm spending money on... My fast fashion habit is disgusting.

 

[Glitterbitter]

Wages aside obv how much money are you saving from not buying takeout coffees, sandwiches, takeaways, things from homesense etc?

I am so missing my take out coffees! Saving a fortune on them, I have been buying almond milk lattes from amazon (£12 for 30!! They are yum and what a saving!), also saving on my daughters travel to/from school and meals at school (approx £120 saving), my own travel as now walking the odd day I need to pop into the office. I have treated myself to some new and very needed clothes though and I don't feel the slightest bit guilty as I have zero spring/summer clothes. My daughter needs new clothes too

 

[birdiefly246]

In 5 weeks I've spend about £2k less.
I am literally addicted to buying stuff and it's only just hit home now I don't have the option.
Had this exact discussion with hubby last night.

My normal working week -
Buy lunch & dinner out every day.
Multiple daily Starbucks and Joe & The Juice.
Weekends we do something with the kids on both days and eat lunch and dinner out on both days.
New makeup.
Twice weekly blow drys.
Go out/date night every other weekend.
New outfits every weekend.
And that's only me.

Not including the copious amounts of stuff I buy the kids.

I've barely spent a thing the last 5 weeks asides from food and essentials.
I need to seriously rethink what I'm spending money on... My fast fashion habit is disgusting.

Same here. one thing I've realised is how much I spend on fast food on my way home from work or uni when I cba to wait until I get home.

It's a shocking amount of money. Now theyre closed and I can't spend there I'm like geeeeezz I can do so much with that money!!!

 

[Caramel Latte]

Absolutely no fashion shopping, coffee/fast food, petrol

 

[hnoz]

I spent a lot of money on socialising - dinners out, tickets to things, holidays, drinks, new outfits for said drinks. Plus husband’s commute has stopped.
I’m on 80% pay and husband is working from home so even with my reduced income we are still saving more than ever. Which is lucky because we are both in at risk industries.

Food shopping has gone up though, lots of baking ingredients to pass the time, a lot more at home beer and wine.

 

[Sln2404]

I used to spend around £80 on food shopping, 2 adults, 2 kids. I’m now spending about £150 and I have no idea how. Although I am having to buy all my toiletries and cleaning products with the shopping I guess.

 

[Suzesnooze]

In 5 weeks I've spend about £2k less.
I am literally addicted to buying stuff and it's only just hit home now I don't have the option.
Had this exact discussion with hubby last night.

My normal working week -
Buy lunch & dinner out every day.
Multiple daily Starbucks and Joe & The Juice.
Weekends we do something with the kids on both days and eat lunch and dinner out on both days.
New makeup.
Twice weekly blow drys.
Go out/date night every other weekend.
New outfits every weekend.
And that's only me.

Not including the copious amounts of stuff I buy the kids.

I've barely spent a thing the last 5 weeks asides from food and essentials.
I need to seriously rethink what I'm spending money on... My fast fashion habit is disgusting.

You eat out a lot! How are you coping having to cook?

 

[LunaLovegood]

I’m with you all! My spending on food and drink for the house have doubled! I’ve been like when the cashier tells me the total in my weekly shop. It all seems essential though?! I guess though if you add in costs that would’ve been spent it other areas when we were allowed out I suppose it balances out.
I also get a good dopamine hit from adding to my savings, sounds silly and I am a spendaholic but seeing the total go up seems to hit the spot for me too I use Plum to save cos the withdrawal isn’t instant so it makes me think twice before moving money back to my current account!

 

[Disneylover]

I’ve saved money as working from home so no train fare, also I’m a bugger for getting Starbucks/Costa on the way to work.
Also saving as not going around different shops, just sticking to Tesco and that’s it although my boys are eating me out of house and home so food bill defo gone up plus Tesco have upped their prices I think. I’ve put the money I’ve saved into a different account for the holiday we probably won’t be going on now

 

[Dannie]

Its been eye opening. Nothing been bought apart from food once a week and my online banking transactions are now only a quarter of what they were normally. Can’t believe how much bloody money Ive wasted. Starbucks, meals out every weekend, M&S dine ins. Cinema and my candle addiction etc. Doing a weekly food shop but still popping in and out of Tesco every time I would go past.

Me and hubby have decided we are going to stop all that and when lockdown lifts limit treats to once a month instead of weekly and put all the money we would of saved when earning normally aside. There was something in particular we were going to do in retirement but we said why not bring it forward as If we stop spending like we did we‘ll have it in a few years Instead. We also want to put a extension onto our kitchen. Ive been truly shocked in how much we were spending

 

[Disneylover]

Its been eye opening. Nothing been bought apart from food once a week and my online banking transactions are now only a quarter of what they were normally. Can’t believe how much bloody money Ive wasted. Starbucks, meals out every weekend, M&S dine ins. Cinema and my candle addiction etc. Doing a weekly food shop but still popping in and out of Tesco every time I would go past.

Me and hubby have decided we are going to stop all that and when lockdown lifts limit treats to once a month instead of weekly and put all the money we would of saved when earning normally aside. There was something in particular we were going to do in retirement but we said why not bring it forward as If we stop spending like we did we‘ll have it in a few years Instead. We also want to put a extension onto our kitchen. Ive been truly shocked in how much we were spending

I forgot about weekend meals out! Oh and candles, I’m missing buying candles! It’s made me realise how much money we waste in general

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

I saved about £600 in last pay period, this month it's likely to be more as the whole month will be in lockdown. I'm not eating out and not paying for bus tickets to work and no impulse spending on bits and bobs either. I assume my electric bill will increase because I'm now working from home full time.

 

[coconochanel]

Well I decided to only buy what I needed at the beginning of the year but bloody hell I didn't expect to not be able to treat myself to a Homesense candle now and then! I've saved on takeaways and eating out as I used to have a mc Donald's at least once a week and eat out quite a lot. Also where you would pop to the shop for one thing and end up spending £10. Like most people I only do one food shop a week now so that's saving me money. Petrol is another big saving I've only filled up once since lockdown

I forgot about weekend meals out! Oh and candles, I’m missing buying candles! It’s made me realise how much money we waste in general

I burnt all my candles so I got desperate and had to buy one from asda.

 

[EmilyChambers]

Our spending hasn't changed, other than I've not filled my car up yet because I filled up on the Monday before lockdown Monday then didn't use my car for 3 weeks. Now I'm. Back at work.

Lunches, 2 of us take lunch 5 days a week so that's not changed and 1 has lunch at home anyway so that's not changed.

I'm buying more kindle books, but they are only 99p.

Weve spent £800 on a dining set for outside and £150 on a slip but both of those we had saved up for and would have ordered anyway.

We've spent around £1,000 on tickets for various things this year, so far two of those have postponed to 2021 and 2022.

Weve paid for next year's holiday but that's normal, this year's holiday was paid for last May so waiting on that to be cancelled them we can book 2022 holiday!!

So pretty much the same I think...

 

[Prgirl_cesca]

We have always lived quite frugally, we rarely go out, mortgage is manageable etc. I got paid today (my 80%) but my bank balance is the highest prior to this it has been for years.

So clearly all my money went on crap I didn't need, laziness buying stuff for lunch and petrol.

 

[Diva18]

I've been thinking more about my spending. Only buying what's essential. I use to go out for meals and drinks quite a lot. Not buying clothes online anymore. I am saving money. I will continue to carry this on after lockdown. So I can stop buying so much crap and save some money for something good.

 

[Boredofthegram]

Coffee is the major one (several costa daily usually) and lunch during work. Weekend we used to get a takeaway and mooch about shops buying candles or stuff for my son. Swimming weekly or cinema and petrol.
But I haven’t really seen that much of a saving yet as my food bill has almost tripled as my son is permanently hungry and he used to have breakfast and lunch at school. I’d like to think my spending habits will change after this but I can’t wait to get back to being able to browse a shop whenever I like and grab a coffee with friends