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?

Kind of Brexit, in that the uncertainty means I’m worried about my longer term employment prospects. We no longer buy things on credit, based on the assumption we’ll be able to pay them off. Other than the mortgage we are now debt free, and we’re making overpayments on that and have savings to tide us over.

Brexit means we’re going to Cornwall this year, as we booked it in March when we thought Brexit would happen on 29th March. Looking forward to going to Cornwall though!

Generally, we just only buy stuff we need. We don’t buy tat and we all have basic but functional clothes and shoes. We’re not into gadgets and use our phones until they’re beyond repair.

Not as blasé about the future, we’re bunkering down a bit.

@chipsarelife
Shopping centres are soulless. Quite depressing, just there to suck as much cash out of you as possible.

Good for a wee stop, as you say, though.

We are definitely being more careful with money because of brexit. But the biggest factor for us is that we want to move and we have delayed that decision until there is greater clarity around brexit - could be a long wait...

A little bit of Brexit. A lot of being in debt and therefore 'poor' (of our own stupid making).

Mostly environmental concerns. I'm trying to stop buying 'new' stuff and sticking to second hand from Ebay or things for the home from vintage/antique markets/car boots/etc.

My local high streets have little to offer that we want to buy.

I notice vans delivering to local houses non stop so I'd be interested in internet shopping figures.

No not Brexit, I still spend the same amount of money but mostly online, shops never seem to have what I want, clothes wise I am tall so can mainly only buy online anyway.

The cost of food has shot up, so eating out is a rarer treat, the weeks shop has shot up (butter has gone up from 85p to £1.40).
We would sooner go physically shopping than internet shopping, but we don’t go shopping often due to money, time and only go when we need something.

Brexit is making me pessimistic and more reluctant to spend money. I might need it when the economy goes down the pan. My plan is to pay off as much of my mortgage as possible when my fixed term ends next year. This will save me more money than a savings account.

Also, I have too much clutter already, and for some reason I've completely lost interest in clothes/fashion.

I also don't need more clutter and I've completely lost interest in clothes/fashion.

No payrises, cost of living rising, high street never has what I want anyway so I buy online when I do buy, also am set up home wise so not needing to buy much stuff so its only replacing clothes and shoes as they wear out.

Earning 50K a year on MN is not rich

More than my wife and I earn between us. 3 kids (no mortgage or rent right enough, the house is paid for) - 50k pa would be bloody luxurious.

The shops are always empty, the best sizes go first, they don't order as much. The customer comes out empty handed, or buys something different and ends up taking it back.
Friend in Primark says a lot do this.

Distrust of the Government and not knowing what they are going to cut next.

note to newsreaders and journalists and politicians.................ITS NOTHING TO DO WITH INTERNET SHOPPING.

Of course internet shopping is a factor. Many of us buy some/most or all of what we buy online and much less in physical shops.

Which has a knock on effect as less is stocked so we don't bother going to the shops because we know they won't have our size, the selection will be poor or the item we want will be out of stock.

So we can get what we want delivered directly to our door the next day, often for free. I've just bought a washing machine. Instead of getting off my arse and going to look round the local Curry's, John Lewis and Comet which of course no longer exists, I sat down with the laptop and a cup of tea and went through all the filters on a couple of websites, checked reviews, searched for a discount code and the washing machine that I ordered yesterday morning is being delivered today. No shops necessary.

The main factor for me is lack of money! Then I’m not wanting to waste the money I have as the future is looking so uncertain due to Brexit.

Nah, don’t spend because I haven’t got any!

You could try and blame Brexit, but then you would have difficulty explaining why the global trend for consumerism is down.

It's geopolitical and Brexit plays a very small part in china going into slow down and the rise of internet shopping etc etc.

A combination of reasons I think. Shopping nowadays just isn't enjoyable. I avoid the town centre as much as possible. It's a nightmare to park and costs a fortune. And I can never get what I need. The clothes shops are dire, and if I do see anything I like, they've never got the size I need. I get pretty much everything I need in the supermarkets or online.

High Streets have been in decline for ages.
We are spending more due to Brexit... I keep thinking it will be harder to get stuff I want so I buy it sooner rather than later.

Not high street spending, but we want to do a major renovation to our house and Brexit has put us off. The renovation would make the house more suited to our needs (moving walls) but wouldn't add value to our house. If the economy tanked, we might need to relocate if we lost our jobs, so there's no point in doing the work now.

but wouldn't add value to our house

Highlights the worldwide situation in a nutshell.

This year my pension contribution has risen and is set to rise again in October, the price of parking at work has more than doubled, my home insurance has risen by £15 a month...so I am worse off. Our disposal income has decreased. I only buy what is absolutely necessary to keep my smart enough for work and the children in clothes and shoes that fit them.

@Justanotherlurker
Highlights the worldwide situation in a nutshell.

In what way?

The only thing that stops me spending is the inability to find exactly what I want. It’s hard work looking for it.

I’m not worried about Brexit especially. The thing putting me off shopping is, I’ve got everything. Classic, lovely garments. Gallons of perfume. A ton of make up and toiletries. Many, many books. More jewellery than I can wear.

I’m not young enough to want to buy loads of cheap clothes (I notice that Boohoo.com, Primark etc are thriving, so girls of that age are clearly still buying) and I’ve read Marie Kondo’s book. I have lovely dresses I feel sorry for because I don’t wear them enough. Why would I want more? More stuff makes me feel worse, not better!

The most exciting shop I visit is TK Maxx, simply because I might find unexpected things I didn’t know I wanted.