To ask how much money you have saved since lockdown?

[Cheapprimarkbra]

... Compared to same 12 days of the previous month (23rd - 3rd)? Not including the usual bills, subscriptions/direct debits and mortgage/rent, have you noticed a massive change your outgoings?

I am a self employed freelancer (as is DP) and we both rent, so definitely not an enviable position.
Between 22nd Feb and 3rd March, I just worked out that I alone spent roughly £384 on train tickets, clothes, coffees, online orders, meals out and takeaways. This same 12 days I have spent £78 (just food, essential office supplies and a cheeky lottery ticket), so that means my savings total up to about £306 in TWELVE days! I feel almost ashamed at how easily I would throw money away, and will definitely reflect on this whenever I go to buy something that I don't necessarily need in future.

It will be interesting to hear other peoples' savings stories!

Why is this a smug thread? It seems like a genuine question from the OP. We have saved money on commuting and lunches at work plus we haven't eaten out of course. Heating Bill's will definitely rise, but overall we have probably saved £400.

Nothing. My food bill is now over twice what it was with the increased food prices and 5 people now at home at all times compared to just me and the toddler and I do intermittent fasting so I don't usually eat lunch anyway.

Unless the government get a handle on the food prices and cap them we will be broke. Especially with my husband furloughed and no overtime on top of that.

None. My kids are like locusts and won’t stop eating. And if I’m honest I’m no better.

Petrol is the only real saving, but suspect that is mostly offset by gas, water and electric bills and more expensive food shops

Nothing. We have spent more if anything on food and things for the baby.

We have electric cars do no fuel costs and I am having to pay to have my horse looked after whilst in isolation at £140 extra a week. It’s shit.

Not a lot - as I usually have to watch my income anyway
Less on petrol.

I don't usually indulge in takeaways or buying many clothes - as my main focus has been on saving for a decent summer holiday for DS.

I wonder what effect this will have on people who are used to spending lots on things - when they see how much money can be saved?

2 days of commuting petrol instead of 10 (save £18)
0 meals out instead of 3 (save £60)
0 take away instead of 1 (save £25)
2 work lunches instead of 12 (save £40)
One big shop instead of 4 smaller plus top ups (save £50 - not as much as It hope due to now feeding 4 at home all day)
£25 spent on crafts (save £100 on last months incidental spends over a range of stuff)

Saved £303

Saving around £450 per month by not paying for gym membership, some other memberships, swimming lessons and fuel for the car. Also took the opportunity to stop grabbing a bottle of wine too many evenings a week! Have felt much better for it too.

Have spent more on food - ordered some bulk versions from Amazon like pancake mixes etc, and a lovely fruit and veg box delivery. Also spent a bit on school supplies, but don't feel I need anything else atm.

I never full appreciated just how much money I manage to spend in the pub

I'm about £500 up on two weeks. Job and wage is as normal but wfh so no commuting, buying food/drinks/coffee etc or randomly popping into shops. And no real increase in bills as only me at home and in a flat so don't need heating on.

Very lucky.

After school club £15 a day
Dance lessons £20 a week
Rugby tots £9.50 a week
Easter holiday childcare average of £73 per day

So loads, but I have spent similar on things to entertain us at home, gym equipment etc. When we were in SI due to symptoms we had no one who could bring food, having three takeaway meals a day is v expensive!

Nursery is closed so £800 per month just from that. DH is saving about £200 per month from not buying lunch/breakfast/coffees, and another £160 or so from reduced transport costs. We could save another £150 per month by stopping paying the cleaner (they aren't coming over until the lockdown is over), but we don't want them to lose out. No idea how much electric and heating bills will be increased by though.

Additional costs are food/supermarket. Seem to be spending crazy amounts on food, since DH is cooking all the time and wants a nice meal for both lunch and dinner.

I’ve saved about £300 but unfortunately have had to pay out that amount partly to a self employed family member so they could stop working and also in donations to local charity and a foodbank

This is the weird thing - people are saving money - and other people are losing money as they aren't getting money.

The money is still there.

It's just not being circulated.

No extra curricular activities are saving about £40 a week, no commuting costs save £60 a week, yes energy will be up but not by a significant amount but the food bill has been slashed, no meals out, no take aways, no lunches out and I'm having to plan and can't just pop out for treats if we feel like it, it's scary how much we were wasting

Interesting question. I'm marginally up on spending but only electricity for countless cups of tea during the working from home day - so teabags and milk as well. Otherwise neither DD nor I have commuting costs - both walk to work - and make our own lunch, so pretty much even.

Saving quite a bit...no nursery fees (700) no gym (40) no petrol (100+) and no popping to the shop for lunch at work or outings with kids (100) but.... food is more expensive as not much choice and been buying all sorts of arts and crafts online to keep my 3 year old occupied. Probably not £1000 of arts and crafts though 😂

I think we're breaking even.
obviously no eating out and less non-essential shopping.
my commute is minimal so only a small amount saved in fuel. No swimming lessons.

But my shopping bill has gone up noticeably, as locally the cheaper brands are selling out, leaving more expensive alternatives. We're going through printer ink and paper like lightening. I feel the cold so now the heating's on all day. We've continued to pay after school club and music lessons even though they're not running, as our wages are unaffected and we worry about job and wage security for sessional staff.

Oh I forgot I am saving £5 a month off middle sons football subs but that won't make a dent in anything

Saving on
afterschool chilcare
swimming lessons
other after school activities
takeaway coffee, I was so bad for this 😳
impulse purchases

spending more on
phone bills as Im calling my family a lot more
heating costs as we are at home all day
food as I kids seem to eat a lot more while at home all day

Myself and my DH are both still working however his job my not last so we are being cautious with our money as there is a lot of uncertainty about the future.

None. My food bills have gone up massively...

Same here.

Especially my dog food bills - I can't get the usual food very easily, and have had to buy more expensive food online - it's costing twice the price.

Ive no wage but not paying nursery fees. Food more. No petrol costs. Im lucky my mum going to help us as leaving on overdraft to buy food. When i say food its bread, milk, fruit, veg, meat no extras. I wont save anything.

I don't know. Haven't been to the pub in a couple of weeks or shopping for anything but food or to the work canteen, so probably quite a bit. HOWEVER, I'm paying for heating almost all day.
Can anyone estimate how much more it is to have heating on for about 16 hours than for about 9 hours a day?

Probably about 100 per week.

I am, however, still paying my cleaner £50 a month and dog walker £35 a month - even though I’ve asked them not to come - as I’m in the VERY fortunate position of being able to work from home and having stable employment.