Anyone else think they will change their spending habits after lockdown?

[Legoandloldolls]

Firstly it's not effected our income, but I'm more aware that it could.

I'm normally quite happy to mooch around the shops and buy things that I dont nessarally need but they catch my eye while I'm out.

I just cant see myself doing this again for a long time to come. Mind you no idea when shops will be back to normal anyway.

If I had to queue up and do the socail distancing I wouldnt go into clothes shops at all. You couldnt browse and imagine it would feel stressful. I could get everything we needed in a supermarket or online.

Basically I missing the old days of just wondering out and getting kids clothes and shoes. But if they needed shoes now it would be a stressful chore.

I would rather take them one at a time into Asda and get shows etc there, and only order for me once I'm totally desperate.

I think we could just about cope like that only getting esentails for at least a year which is a joyless thought

[Sparklingbrook]

I have realised I can get most of the stuff I need online.

So not going shopping means no impulse buys or looking in the sales and just mindlessly picking stuff up, trying it on etc.

I won't be going clothes shopping or for a poke around John Lewis etc until everything is back to normal because it's too stressful.

[FizzyPink]

I think we’ll stick with doing a big weekly shop rather than popping into Sainsbury’s on the way home every evening. It feels like we’re spending more but I suspect by not buying lunches or eating out for dinners we’re actually not and both of us feel a lot more healthy

[Sparklingbrook]

We have been doing a weekly shop too @Turnedouttoes, and it's working really well. We used to go every other day and I think we spent more, and again more impulse buying.

[Legoandloldolls]

Yes, no impulse buys for me is also a good thing. I'm finding it hard clearing out the outgrown kids clothes too without charity shops open. I buy to much for my dd that's for sure sorting through last year summer clothes.

I have started a list of what is desperately needed and so far that is just school clothes that I dont know when they might be needed

[lifeisgoodmostofthetime]

I do miss wondering round the shops especially when there's a sale. I save a huge amount by sale shopping and can't be bothered with online shopping and going through page after page. I don't think I'll change that much.

[Sparklingbrook]

I have actually found some things in my wardrobe hardly worn that I had forgotten all about that I have started wearing.

Can you imagine what it will be like at charity shops when they reopen? They will be overwhelmed.

[Bol87]

I will in the sense i blooming need to stop buying stuff on Amazon 😅 to be fair, it’s been mostly activities to desperately keep my toddler entertained, 3rd birthday presents for next week & baby essentials for our newborn! But I’m well acquainted with my our amazon delivery man 😳 socially distanced of course!

But honestly, I can’t wait for a mooch round the shops but I’ll wait until the virus seems a bit more under control as def not essential! .. probably helps that I’m carrying some baby weight and won’t buy anything until I’ve shifted some, lockdown or no lockdown!

I’ve had to get my DD1 new shoes this month. You can buy a measuring guide from Clark’s (or Amazon) and it tells you the length in mm. Then just use shops online size guide.. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’ve bought trainers, sandals & wellies doing this & they all fit perfectly bar one pair of sandals that ran very small! I went to the post office to return them & I was the only one there, so no big deal really..

[hotlava]

I have cut out my deliveroo/take away habit in favour of cooking every day. I hate the washing up but I have saved money and lost weight.

[Sparklingbrook]

Things like childrens' shoes people might start to think they don't need to queue up at Clarks any more every school holiday to get feet measured. They can do it themselves. Too late for me but what a time and patience saver. Ours used to do a 'take a ticket' system, it was so tedious.

[CloudsCanLookLikeSheep]

I've saved an absolute fortune on not having coffee, food and booze out out. Not sure if I will change long term but certainly medium term whilst jobs are insecure I will curb my 'on the hoof' habit (presuming I can do if these places open)

[lljkk]

If charity shops remain closed then I will have to shop elsewhere. So annoying. I don't like buying clothes online. Maybe supermarkets will benefit.

Long Qs definitely make you think twice about going anywhere.

[Sirzy]

I am reliant on Asda and Tesco deliveries now so I’m much better at meal planning and sticking too it so will stick with that (not online though!)

I can’t see me going back to eating out as regularly as I did before. We had said for ages we needed to cut down and have shown we can now

[Saucery]

I’m going to stick to online deliveries- one a week and no popping to the shop for a top up (that always leads to buying more than just the one thing I went in for).
I’m also going to stick with the smaller local businesses for fruit and veg, gin, flour etc that have been absolute stars delivering to me and lots of other people they wouldn’t usually deliver to. Might branch out to a local butcher that shares a site with a farm shop too.

[CloudsCanLookLikeSheep]

Online shoe buying tip - buy two sizes next to each other and keep the one that fits. Most returns are free and can be done through the corner shop (hermes/collect plus etc) so it's not such a hassle as having to go to the PO.

[ivfgottostaypositive]

My income has been halved due to a combination of furlough and temporary wage cuts.

By having to balance my books more carefully I'm planning on taking more packed lunches to work or cooking a large enough evening meal that there is some for lunches the next day. Also going to argue for considerably leas days commuting into the office as the cost of public transport is astronomical and actually many of us have shown we don't need an office environment to be productive

Less office means less need for 5 working days worth of office outfits and shoes so won't need to spend so much on that

Taken up couch to 5k and realised that actually I can run outside - for free! (ie not on a treadmill infront of a TV) so gym membership will go

That actually we don't need lots of expensive distractions and outings for DD - she's been more than content running about the park (in our allotted 1 hour exercise time of course!)

Will buy more at LIDL compared to M&S and Sainsbury eg tinned tomatoes and pasta is soooo much cheaper!

We cancelled SKY as paying £80 a month and that didn't even include Q or Sky Cinema - it's been gone 3 weeks now and actually don't miss it AT ALL so won't be signing up again for the foreseeable future

[CornishTiger]

I hope family trips to the supermarket will become a thing of the past!

I hope people will remain shopping as infrequently as possible and meal plan. Their budgets will be better for it as the supermarkets rely on us rely buying.

I think it’s clear people are starting to see what they actually need rather than want.

I hope people continue to support the smaller businesses who have adapted and been reliable.

I have some big companies off my list of who gets my money in future. Non essential retailers and businesses who are still working with little care for staff. One example is a local hot tub Company who are still delivering and installing for example won’t get my custom.

[CornishTiger]

Will people go back to the gym and exercise classes? Personally I probably will but I know lots of people have discovered lovely walks and cycling routes.

Those of you waiting for charity shops. Can you bundle them up free fo collector?

[SkelingtonArgument]

There is nothing wrong with a hot tub company delivering and installing their product (although I wouldn’t want one). Presumably it’s being installed in the garden so there is no problem with social distancing. Companies which can continue working safely should do so

[Sirzy]

I can’t wait to get back to the gym. I was a runner before a gym goer so still running anyway and working out at home but it’s not the same (not expecting it til back end of year though!)

[Legoandloldolls]

I'm burning up and giving clothes to my FB clothing bank, but it's a pita when you realise you bough dd about 30 shirts. I'm not binning any clothes. Just wish I hadn't left it so late and for so long before sorting her clothes.

[PerfidiousAlbion]

I cant say Im doing anything differently to be honest.

The things I am saving money on are all social, including travel and holidays.

[ivykaty44]

Will people go back to the gym and exercise classes? Personally I probably will but I know lots of people have discovered lovely walks and cycling routes.

I’ve always done both, so will definitely return to gym classes. Tomorrow my instructor is having a class on zoom and it’ll be great to see everyone - hopefully if it works for me!

[girlicorne]

Our income hasn’t been affected, mine had increased, DH is furloughed and we are saving about £1000 a month on childcare, school fees, travel and school meals. I realise we are very lucky and at the beginning of lockdown we stood to lose everything, I didn’t see how I could work from home and DH wasn’t entitled to anything originally as he started a new job on 3rd March. I m not hugely fussed on buying tons of material stuff that clutters up the house. I ve bought some new clothes for me and the DC on line I don’t really go in clothes shops anyway so I ve probably spent on clothes what I would normally. We are still having takeaway once or twice a week. we spend loads on holidays and days out however and this won’t change after lockdown we are desperate to get out and have some fun as soon as we can!! So no our spending habits probably won’t change after this.

[nellodee]

This reminds me of that Dr Zeuss book:

At the fork of a road
In the Vale of Va-Vode
Five foot-weary salesmen have laid down their load.
All day they’ve raced round in the heat, at tops speeds,
Unsuccessfully trying to sell Zizzer-Zoof Seeds
Which nobody wants because nobody needs.

Up to now, we've all been buying those Zizzer-Zoof Seeds.

[Sparklingbrook]

Our income is the same, it's just interesting to see how much non essential spending we did that we probably won't start again.

We used to have takeaways quite a bit but haven't really missed them. We actually had a chippy tea last week and it felt like a treat.