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

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Bbbbefc9]

I’ve saved £1000 into a savings account so far... that’s crazy for me considering I was only managing to save £150-£200 a month pre lockdown!!! I am addicted to shopping and I am struggling trying not to buy stuff online... but most places don’t have a lot of stock of stuff now as it’s sold out so that’s helped me.

 

[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

 

[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!!!

 

[Tippingpoint23]

I'm finding I have been browsing online shopping places, seeing the delivery date isnt until late may/early june and thinking 'wow i wont even want that by then' and clicking off! Maybe this is finally the end of my longterm love of online shopping for crap I enjoy for a week or two and then shove into a cupboard to be thrown away in a year

I'm lucky to live at home and whilst I pay rent its very low compared to if i had to rent privately etc so using this time to hopefully save a large amount of money to boost the moving out fund!

 

[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.

 

[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!

 

[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.

 

[NosyMoo80]

My credit card statement is half a page instead of the usual 2 pages. I’ve realised it Is possible to only food shop once a week, if I’m organised, use a list and ruthlessly meal plan! That being said, I’m prob spending more on food as only going to Tesco now instead of Aldi as I can get everything there.
Saving around £50 a month with no Starbucks visits
And no general frittering cash with weekend trips to dunhelm, b&q, Dobbies etc. Making the most of being able to save extra for the time being but oh boy I can’t wait till the shops are open again and I can get a proper mooch round and take my time And not feel in a panic or stress although who knows when that will be x

 

[Juliet]

I’m buying a lot of shit. Loungewear, wax melts, baking ingredients (NOT for banana bread mind), books, random shit off eBay.
I could spend money in the Sahara desert if I’m honest

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[Lurker121]

It’s been great not spending money on petrol, lunches and coffees etc at work. However I feel like we’ve spent an awful lot of money on food since lockdown and deliveries from local independent butchers. Also guilty of a couple of online orders here and there but definitely been able to save a decent amount instead of struggling to get by at the end of every month.

 

[Bumblebee]

I think I must be one of the few that’s spending more! I’m still working so still spend on fuel but the rest of the family are at home and eating me out of house and home.
food shop is up to 3 times as much as normal. As usually shop in Aldi and Costco. Finally got to Costco this week and stocked up on a few bits but not got to Aldi except for once during lockdown.the queue is just too big and as I’m working full time. Actually work 6 days a week as have a full time job and I work on a Saturday on Waitrose, so last thing I want to do is spend an evening or Sunday queuing to shop.
It shows how much ds2 (18) ate out of the house as now he’s eating three meals a day at home it costs a lot more. He used to work in a pub so would be fed there three nights a week plus at the canteen when at college for lunch. He’s 6’5 and usually very active. My garden and garage now look like a gym and assault course.
plus dh used to eat breakfast and lunch out of the house as he’s leave to work in London at 6am.
I’ve cut back on coffee as no coffee during my break on Saturday or meeting friends after work on the way home. No meeting friends for lunch on a weekend either.
But I’ve needed new clothes and desperately needed new underwear. I’ve had to buy new work shoes today. Dh who is furloughed has annoyed me by spending any money that we might have saved on a new tv! Arriving Sunday. Apparently it was a bargain.

 

[memoii11]

I've saved so much money. I'm only spending on food and bills, no online shopping. I usually eat out at least a couple of times a week, spend way too much at the shops weekly, online shop mainly on ASOS, lots of days out, nights away, holidays, all sorts. I've saved thousands.

 

[EmilyChambers]

I’ve saved £1000 into a savings account so far... that’s crazy for me considering I was only managing to save £150-£200 a month pre lockdown!!! I am addicted to shopping and I am struggling trying not to buy stuff online... but most places don’t have a lot of stock of stuff now as it’s sold out so that’s helped me.

If you are under 40 and don't need access to the money you have saved, it might be worth opening a LISA. I think they still do them?

I opened one as I don't have a very good private pension.

You can pay in £4,000 each tax year and the Gov put in 25% for what you put in, so if you put in the full £4,000, they put in £1,000.

You can't touch the money without penalty until you are 60. You can pay in till you are 50 then it earns interest only between 50 and 6p and then you can either take it as a lump sum or withdraw as and when while it gains interest or you can continue to pay into it.

 

[Babyjane123]

We’ve saved quite a bit as we usually eat out a lot and take our kids out every weekend!!
BUT we are spending around £250 a week on shopping (normally spend around £100 ) and lots of takeaways are opening back up near us so we’ve had a few of them.
We have managed to pay our £1200 credit card bill in around 5 weeks though which we’re pleased about!!

 

[mummy2under2]

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

I know.
Actually really enjoying it.
I cook in the week for the kids anyway but its nice to cook for all 4 of us.
Sure the novelty will wear off soon

 

[Dexy]

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.

This is me too. Apart from food and petrol most of my money goes on socialising. My husband pays the regular bills and I pay for all the treats like nights out/theme parks/shows/panto etc for us and our five year old. We usually do quite a lot. We have a date night at least once a month. Always book Alton Towers/Center Parcs and holidays etc so we have fun family things to look forward to.
Our food shopping has gone up ( my child is eating us out of house and home ) but overall that’s about it.
Despite ‘saving money’ I’d still prefer my old life back. Don’t get me wrong we are still making memories - we’ve done school work, crafts, baking, kite flying, made a bug hotel, he’s learnt to ride a bike finally etc - and it’s been lovely spending extra time as a family but I cant help still feeling trapped.
I’ve managed to not spend on any non-essentials but have bought a couple of baby things before they go out of stock for our new arrival in August.