How much have you saved in lockdown?

[Whitepillowcase]

I just read an article regarding how much people have saved in lockdown. There were very mixed comments as some people have obviously lost jobs.

But for those that haven’t, how much have you saved from not going out, or not paying for travel to work?

 

[Whitepillowcase]

I’ll start. I have saved 10k since September. I am kicking myself that I didn’t start from the beginning of the first lockdown, I dread to think how much I spent on online shopping and clothes I didn’t need to sit in my living room! I guess I never anticipated it would go on this long and never saw it at an opportunity to save properly!

What I have realised is how much I waste. I just hope we don’t all fall back into the trap of spending fortunes on lunches and coffees once we go back to normality.

 

[TJ90]

I’ve saved a couple of grand but had my garden done with artificial grass, so although I don’t have the savings in my bank, I’d never have been able to do it if we didn’t have lockdown. I look forward to hosting a bbq once rules allow in my lovely garden. I’ve also managed to buy things like new crockery and pans. They could’ve done with replacing but they were fine to keep using but whilst there was spare money I bought new.

 

[Whitepillowcase]

I’ve saved a couple of grand but had my garden done with artificial grass, so although I don’t have the savings in my bank, I’d never have been able to do it if we didn’t have lockdown. I look forward to hosting a bbq once rules allow in my lovely garden. I’ve also managed to buy things like new crockery and pans. They could’ve done with replacing but they were fine to keep using but whilst there was spare money I bought new.

Brilliant. Well done! I bet we wouldn’t have thought anything when spending that money on other things we were used to buying. Now we look at things like crockery as a treat. Im including myself in this, i think about something for the house as a treat, yet wouldn’t think twice about spending 100 on lunches, or another 100 on going out! That’s aside from travel etc

 

[Facehugger]

I've not saved anything. I don't go out anyway & still been to work as normal, so no difference here

 

[LittleMy]

Just over a grand. Would have been more but I’ve been guilt spending and spoiling the kids more than usual over lockdown trying to keep them entertained at home.

 

[Causewaygal]

About 15k by not being able to go away on my beloved adventures, and probably another 12K from just not going out. We would normally eat out every weekend and drink a fair few cocktails. Then there are lots of crew parties that we didn’t attend and the budget for those is pretty high normally with hair, clothes and travel as we would stay over in Belfast at a hotel usually.
Financially better off but mentally screwed ...

 

[Mulholland Drive]

I'm self employed, and so even pre-covid most of my working week was spent at home (roughly 65%). And that has probably risen to about 90% now.

Surprisingly I am earning more money now than I did before the lockdowns, and therefore saving around £2-£4k per month but without having to economise on what I buy.

That said, I have cut back on a lot of impulse buying anyway - clothes, shoes, bags, make-up kits etc - I used to buy to excess. But not any more, or at least not quite so frequently, but only out of necessity.

So my savings compared to pre-covid only amount to perhaps £300-£400/m, but its my increase in earnings that have really made the difference. Had it not been so I would have had to cut back and save more.

 

[KerChing]

I’ve found it more expensive as I started food shopping online rather than in Aldi/ Lidl Family food bill doubled. I never spent/ wasted any money anyway so nothing to save there, plus our income has plummeted.

I had to stop working to be at home with/ home school the kids so went from 2 incomes to 1. Husband not getting bonuses due to economic situation.

I’ll be flat out working again once schools back and will definitely prioritise saving more than I did before.

 

[Skyeball]

Not too much on paper as we don't go out much anyway, but the cancellation of most of the kid's extra curricular activities has meant we have ticked off a few big projects on the house faster.
So far, we have managed to replace all the guttering, build new pathways for the garden, replace all the fencing, re-design half the kitchen and have it fitted with a new dishwasher, sink, taps and work area. Have tree surgery done on the trees on the back garden and replace the flooring in most rooms of the house.
Also have turned part of the back of the house into a storage area and a wasted part of the kitchen into a traditional pantry.
Next we have 2 new exterior doors and new windows and new beds for the kids on the horizon.
It's mad that so much of our disposable income was going on activities. Although, I miss seeing my kids happy and involved in things and I miss them sleeping well, because they'd used so much energy.

 

[Gym&Tonic]

I saved a lot in lockdown because I used to waste so much money on crap before. So much rubbish that I realise now that I didn’t actually need!

 

[Monkeybum]

I've had my garden done too so zero savings but I've Skegby about £10k on having it fully refurbished and furniture etc. I've wanted it done for years but never been in a position to afford it. I was 40 last year so had a lot of things cancelled and refunded as well as continuing to work full time from home. So financially I have been very lucky

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Not much but have did home improvements and replaced expensive things like windows. Kids being home 24/7 for a good chunk of the last year has sent my food costs soaring. Food does seem to have gone up too.

 

[Lulu Goss]

I saved just over 7k last year (March-September). We decided to move house and I needed to catch up savings wise so being in lockdown made that so much easier!

Since we moved we’ve been saving smaller amounts each month but instead using our money to do up the house.

It really does make you realise how much you can spend on nothing without realising. Travel, lunches, pub lunches, drinks after work, it all adds up. I’ve also stopped ordering clothes online as much seeing as I have nowhere to wear them!

 

[Sunshine&clouds]

I've saved lots of money on not buying clothes, meeting friends for lunch etc. But I buy more takeaways, have a Tesco delivery every week and have spent a fortune on sweets, cakes etc!

 

[jaymie]

Save a lot too, thanks to lockdown. Save on those stupid travelcard that cost £200 a month and lunch money, hoping that we can continue to work from home. My sleep has never been better, solid 8h of sleep everyday and happier generally - no grumpy morning commute and office politics. Can you tell I am the weirdo that enjoy lockdown.

 

[Fofoca]

I haven’t made any day-to-day savings. I hardly socialised anyway so no savings there. I am working from home full time but pre Covid only went into the office a few times a week anyway, so only save £10-35 per week on travel (London, Oyster card). I ate packed lunches when I did go in.

As others have said, food shopping has become a bit more expensive as there is less choice/flexibility. My household bills have gone up as I’m home all the time.

However, I have “saved” by not making bigger purchases as a result of Covid. My parents are stranded abroad so I’ve saved about £1K not having to get them Xmas, birthday presents etc.

I can’t go on holidays so have saved another £6K (one big holiday and then a couple of city breaks, at least one of which I’ll take the parents and pay for us all).

I usually treat myself to a handbag at least once a year so another £2K saved. I’ve also not purchased any coats or footwear since March 2020, my weakness!!

My personal takeaway habits haven’t changed (I live alone). But I used to see my parents once a week so I’ve saved at least £3K not eating together/going out.

So that’s about £12K that I’ve just not had the opportunity to spend*. I think the key difference is between saving and not spending though. I don’t feel £12k better off but I guess that’s because it’s not one massive lump sum of money.

*Writing it down, it’s obvious my main savings are coming from my parents being out of the country. And so actually these savings are spread over 14 months, a bit longer than Covid restrictions.

 

[Wishiwasaninfluencer]

Definitely saved on make up - I think since last March I have bought one eyebrow pencil usually I go through make up products every 3/4 months. However I have spent most of the money I’ve saved on better skincare products instead!

Used to wash my hair every day for work and now go 2/3 days without washing so I’ve saved on shampoo I guess.

Haircuts and eyebrow appointments as the salons haven’t been open!

I’ve saved a lot on clothes, particularly expensive work clothes, because all I wear now is leggings or joggers and jumpers.

I used to come home for lunch most days but there were still the odd 1/2 days I week I would go out for lunch so I have saved there. Sometimes i would pop to Pret for a coffee and pastry at the weekend which is like £5 a time too. I still get a takeaway once a week as a treat so that hasn’t really changed.

I just stick to one food shop a week/every other week so I haven’t wasted money on popping to Tesco after work just because I fancy a different pasta sauce to the one I have in the cupboard lol.

I walk to work so no travel costs to save but I used to fly home to Scotland a probably 4 times a year which used to really add up - Christmas and Easter flights can easily be £200 return plus airport parking! Instead I drove up twice last year which is about £120 per time for the round trip!

 

[DuckDuck]

I’ve actually spent more money , mainly on booze and pretty much keeping Amazon in business. I’m drinking far more than what I would normally , I’m furloughed from 2 jobs so I have a huge amount of time on my hands now , I’m loving furlough life tho...but am drinking in the daytime . It’s not a problem I can’t fix , I’m not worried

 

[521418]

Saved 8k since July... mostly by not being able to travel. I typically use the majority of my AL to go abroad for a month every year. I could save more but I’ve been allowing myself to replace items with better quality upgrades and I’m trying to replace a lot of things I use (cleaning & beauty) with vegan alternatives.