Is it Brexit uncertainty that stops you spending money?

[EleanorReally]

www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jun/10/high-street-visits-hit-six-year-low-as-brexit-uncertainty-deters-shoppers

I noticed a lot of empty shops in my local shopping centre.
I dont think I am deterred from spending by Brexit?
I am just poor careful, totally unrelated to brexit
Are you?

It's probably a combination of things.

People being short of money in general - many haven't had payrises for years, but bills, food and leisure activities have increased in price.

Online shopping.

Less of an interest in shopping as a leisure activity. More interest in experiences instead of 'things'. Interest in decluttering meaning less enthusiasm for buying stuff.

A bit of brexit. A bit that payrises in public sector are so dismal. But mainly environmental concerns mean I don't take pleasure in buying "stuff" unless it is essential.

The one shop I was thrilled to see shut down in my shopping precinct was Brighthouse. It was a large shop but always empty. I'm not surprised since they charged 69.9% interest and, of course, encouraged paying weekly. At that interest rate, the end cost would be more than double.

No, the lack of shops on the high street that sell interesting shit is what stops me spending money. I'm bored of all the clothing shops selling the same clothes with different labels. I'm bored of boring identikit shops. Even toy shops are boring now, ffs.

Consumerism upsets me, I hate shopping centres at the best of times but the enclosed space upsets me

Consumerism doesn't upset me at all. I'm a fan.

No, it's not having any money that stops me from spending it

• but when Boris becomes PM we're all going to get BIG TAX CUTS!

Yippee! I'll have some then!

But.... oh... wait... that's just for people who are ALREADY rich...

I don't spend money because the fucking Tories have stolen it all.

I do all my shopping online, apart from a supermarket I haven't been inside a shop in absolutely ages.

Shopping is boring. I'm thrilled I don't have to plough through shops for things I need. Thank you delivery people.

But.... oh... wait... that's just for people who are ALREADY rich...

Earning 50K a year on MN is not rich. The mental gymnastics will have to come out to play though just as much as it did when all the "dyed in the wool lefties" who want to pay more tax was suddenly targeted by Corbyn at the last GE by focusing on 80K earnings.

There are some things that I might hold back on due to "Brexit uncertainty". Big purchases (like new kitchen, new car big), career moves, holidays.

High street shopping not so much. But I'm not doing much of that because there's nothing I want to buy. Sick of trawling through loads of cheaply made rubbish in poor quality materials that aren't made to last.

We are buying far less for environmental reasons, and a focus on decluttering/ minimalism.

Brexit has made us wary to commit to new jobs, moving house, but hasn't affected our day-to-day spending.

Not Brexit so much as lack of money.

Agree about the poorly made goods, and online shopping is cheaper, and you can usually return goods without hassle

We came back to the UK a month ago, it was surprising how deprived town centers seemed. Lots empty shops, nothing to buy, and what was available was expensive.

A lot of family are worried about Brexit and asking how easy it would be to get their money out the country

Yes i think so.

I have plenty of savings but the interest isnt keeping up with inflation. Stock markets and funds are wobbly. Things are just very very uncertain. Why buy stuff?

I buy food. I buy clothes if I need them. Ill buy paint and bits to improve or repair my house. Ill go away on holiday. Ill eat out (a bit). So Im not spending nothing but I am not buying stuff.

I have a few reasons:

Lots of other demands on my limited disposable income
Trying to make my lifestyle a bit more sustainable
Trying to declutter and create some actual space to live in rather than add more stuff
There are lots of other things I'd rather do in my spare time.
Lack of variety - another poster has already pointed out it's the same shops everywhere you go.
Fear of the financial future, be that brexit, redundancy, ill health or anything else. I'm scared that if something goes wrong I'd find myself with a houseful of crap I don't need and no financial buffer.

It’s made me wary of buying a house! And moving, however we have sold our house and going into rented for 6 months.

Day to day spending - not really, I’ve been on a economy drive since last year (about 60%) successful.

Plus our high street is abysmal, pound shop after pound shop and just tat, most of my clothes are from eBay and supermarkets. Even the nearby ish out let is full of rubbish.

We are staying home for holidays this year (as we do most years) but going to Disneyland at Christmas as a treat.

Plus as a pp said time I really lack in time and what spare I do have I don’t want to be traipsing around shops

It has made me more wary.

DH and I have been saving to pay more capital off the house. We’re worried about a property market crash and he works in a vulnerable industry. So we’re over paying now. Which means we have had less for luxuries.

I’ve also ploughed money into paying off all credit. Which means we haven’t had a holiday or any new clothes recently. I’ve been picking up DDs clothes from mum to mum sales.

And I have to account for everything in the weekly shop to the penny.

I reckon we are not the only middle band earners pulling our belts tight now so we have some buffer for a crash. I know most of my friends are.

Yes, Brexit is a big factor. I really worry about price rises and shortages.

I'm also now really conscious that I don't need anything more than we already have when it comes to household goods or clothes or toys. The waves of plastic seems unstoppable, but can try and reduce what I buy.

I am purposely not buying any clothes because I don't need any more and I'm not getting suckered into buying new because of fashion. No one gives a monkeys what I look like. Plus all of the environmental concerns.

People are definitely not buying houses. I've been talking to removals companies and their business is right down. They all blame Brexit. We can't sell ours even with huge price reductions.

Currently unemployed so not spending much, but only ever being able to earn minimum wage means I never spend much at any time, other than maybe at Christmas.

No holidays / meals out /nights out, no first-hand clothes other than underwear and socks, no takeaways, no booze, no car,everything from the supermarket is from the basics range or slightly past its best so yellow-stickered down to about 10p, everything else you need is available for fuck all from carboot sales in any case, my Smartphone is a cheap Chinese knockoff on pay as you go...so basically it 's a case of cheapest possible stuff all round for me, and no extraneous impulse buys of tat either.

Thing is: I don't actually lack for anything really. Apart from a secure future, but that's a whole other story.

No, it's not having any to spare, I'm covering necessities to afford some fun in summer holidays.

I went shopping last week into a big mall type place for the first time in about two years as I had a few hours to kill.

It was dire. I had to trawl through clothes looking at tags to find the right sizes. There were no size 10 or 12 in half the things I like and it seemed to be either 6 or 18.

I had to wait just under ten mins to be served in new look. I was the only person waiting, eventually someone came over.

That said loos were clean and parked easy!

I just didn't really enjoy it. I much prefer online shopping to be honest. I think most people do now

Don't have any money to spare.