The Economy is Suffering but Are You Spending More than Normal ?
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Hi everyone, I just wanted to know how your spending habits have changed during lockdown?
I know that the economy is taking a hit but would you say all this spare time is making you spend more? For me personally I feel as though I can’t help myself, I just can’t resist a bargain, I’ve found myself buying way more vinyl records and clothes and even several pairs of new shoes that I’m yet to walk in. What have been your guilty purchases during lockdown?
We bought a present for my mother in law and for my parents from our son as he hadn't seen them in ages and wanted to do something nice. That is the only extra spending we have done. Everything else have been things that we have needed. Our grocery shop is slightly higher but we haven't spent more otherwise. We aren't impulse buyers.
I imagine most sensible people are not spending more on trivialities but are able to save money which would normally go on social life, lunches, coffees, impulse buys. Does anyone really need new shoes and clothes during lockdown? Better to wait and see how your weight is faring at the end!
Lynibis well for me I did need new shoes as lockdown will obviously end at some point, same for clothes, I’m just taking advantage of all the deals making things that I will make good use of even cheaper. As for buying music, I’m an avid collector and it is something to listen to during lockdown. My weight is doing fine thanks, I’ve just come back from playing basketball with my partner, almost finished my breakfast smoothie and just about to go and work out in my gym, good job I didn’t take up a cake making course or it might be a different story.
MonsieurCroque actually lockdown has helped me stay off the sugary treats as I only order 'good stuff' to be delivered. On the other side I am exercising less than when I was working so at the moment scales are balanced, not lost, not put on.
I won't be buying summer clothes but may treat myself to some new winter woolies when we are a little nearer normal.
Lynibis yes I’m not doing too badly with the sweets but I agree that I’m missing out on burning all the normal calories from having a physical job, on the other hand I don’t normally get a chance to go and play basketball for an hour every morning either, I guess it’s all about balance.
Nope, I've massively cut back my spending. My grocery shop is perhaps a little higher but other than that and my direct debits I haven't bought anything. Once things are relatively 'back to normal' and it is safe to do so I plan on supporting small and local businesses. For now, I don't want to support the big businesses that are still open putting their workers at risk as they are working in factories, such as ASOS and Amazon.
lornaae As for supporting local businesses, I'm happy to support them if they're good value for the product that you get.
Our local butcher was advertising BBQ packs, so we ordered and picked up a few, but all it was, was repacked low quality stuff from the cash and carry.
I certainly won't be using them again.
lornaae As Dennab knows all too well, we have an absolute horrible landlord in our local pub. He upsets everyone. Hopefully his mail order wife will stop supporting the place and it'll be taken over by someone else.
The only problem here with the restaurants and bakeries is that they all suck, along with the privately owned takeaways.
I've saved a lot of everyday costs since the start but have spent more than usual on food. I'm not the only one - my friends have noticed the same with one guy reporting that the meal is the highlight of the day and it consumes his time thinking about what to put together. On the plus side - no food has been wasted. Money saved = new garden furniture.
I kept online purchases down due to having family in the Royal Mail and being effectively banned by my significant other from ordering anything as they've been under a lot of pressure. That's definitely saved me money. My fuel bill is now less than my water bill and food-wise, nothing has changed because we've found lots of ways to occupy ourselves other than eating. I do owe our good eating habits to the brilliant person I married though because it would be takeaway central if I'd been stuck on my own during this time. I feel for anybody who is and have tried to keep an eye on friends who are.
Before the lockdown I used to enjoy going to coffee shops. Now that I'm unable to visit them I've been buying a lot of chilled coffee cans/bottles to keep me going.
I’m still buying lots online, that’s the only way I tend to shop these days due to being a wheelchair user. So lockdown hasn’t really changed my daily life other than not going out to eat or cinema.
My main expense was travelling and eating out, which I can’t do atm so there’s definitely been a saving
Spending a lot less and made me realise that we dont need to buy half the things we do
Yes the groceries cost more...the margarin is 25p more....and because can not shop around spend more money on one shopping...it is more expensiver. I usually spend 20 pounds a week in Sainsburys and go to the butcher and others closed because of pandemic, now I spend 60pounds with one supermarket a week, that is how bad it is...
I'm spending alot less due to not eating out, No take away, No travel fares, Our grocerie shop is definitely higher but it's more then levelled out by the money we saved from not spending as much in other areas. Iv not been doing as many online orders either.
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