To ask who else just isn't spending AT ALL!?

[junebug21]

Just that really... is anyone else noticing their bank account numbers rising!!? Due to being home on full pay and not spending on childcare, petrol, kids clubs, coffees etc etc all my pay is stacking up and I'm mind blown by how much I normally would be spending!! We are very lucky to not have many bills (no mortgage) we literally only pay insurances (life, house etc), electricity, Netflix and phones! I feel like I have been wasting A LOT of money beforehand! (I am aware that there are many not in this position etc and we are v lucky) but I also feel like I'm missing something and I owe someone/something a lot of money!!?? Anyone else??

Spending loads here. Crafts/toys etc to keep the DC amused, clothes for us to sit in the garden here, bought a trampoline and a hot tub, have bought paint, bedding, curtains and new furniture for our bedroom.
Luckily saving on loads of other stuff like DC’s piano lessons, gymnastics and ballet classes, swimming lessons, eating out, day trips, weekends away etc so breaking even.

Yes I have! I have pretty much reduced my overdraft to zero which I have been trying to do for years. I can’t believe what I normally fritter away on coffees, lunches, random clothes purchases etc. I am so happy to have got myself to this position. Hopefully I can now carry on and actually start to save some money!!

I'm well up this month, and I thought I watched the pennies anyway! Finally almost at payday and no overdraft for the first time in ages.

Fortunate to be able to wfh, no school/work meals, no takeaways, meal planning (zzzzzzz so bored of this now) no nipping to the supermarket every day after work. No new clothes, shoes, makeup etc. Gym memberships cancelled, no haircuts (all overdue) car got a 6m extension on its MOT. No eating out and the odd drinks after work.

Looking forward to the same in June!

Also buying loads of nice wines/good food etc.

I've been doing a fair bit of online shopping, mostly clothes and shoes for DD who has had a growth spurt recently, and a new seating set for in the garden. I'm saving money on gym membership, petrol, dinner money and being able to have a mooch round Primark etc on the weekends though so its probably swings and roundabouts.

I'm spending an absolute fortune on food with two beasts teenagers at home 24/7 😱

Saving, on the weekly coffee/wine with mates, meals out, hair dressers, didnt buy my usual plants by post, in case deliveries were a problem.Saving on fuel for the cars, DH not going to work, me not going out, taking the dogs to the beach, usual woods. Ar its light, and warm, no more money spent there,on fuel,DH would be buying lunch at work anyway.

My bank account looks healthier than usual as commuting and eating out costs money.

But sue someone will be along any moment to tell you to stop bragging, don’t you know most people have nothing.

MN doesn’t like people doing well financially.

Posts like your OP, @junebug21, are among the reasons that I feel very, very seriously depressed and might have to abandon MN for a while.

I lost my job thanks to lockdown. My teenagers are at home full time, so my food bill and utility bills have gone up massively, at a time when I am bringing in precisely nothing. I am a single parent.

I am still paying for absolutely sodding everything, and even more than usual. I don't normally spend money other than on essentials, and the essentials have increased.

So, no, I am not sitting at home on full pay, watching my bank balance increase. I'm sitting at home with no pay, watching my overdraft increase.

Lucky, lucky me.

We are probably spending a bit less but lower spending is being balanced by lower income as DH's business has been a bit slower and we've given our tenants a three-month rent holiday.

Spending differently rather than less - DIY and wine rather than petrol and coffee.

Lockdown has made me realise that DH spends a lot more than me on eating out at lunch, coffees etc whereas I take a packed lunch. He is saving loads, my spending is more or less the same.

Very little spending happening here. Saving everything I can incase further down the line I lose my job I have enough to keep going. It was my aim fo do that this year anyway but this has just accelerated how much I'm putting aside.

I'm on furlough on 80% but my tax credits have gone up, I'm now in receipt of housing benefit and council tax support due to my wages going down and my local council have taken £150 off my bill - they're doing this for everyone in receipt of council tax support. Not spending anything at all on leisure activities. I'm not well off (obviously) but I've managed to save £350 this month which is way more than what I normally would. Hoping to save that every month as my job isn't secure and when furlough ends I might face redundancy.

And this is a big contribution to the economy being fucked. Less spending will lead to job cuts.

I am spending it all on stuff for the garden, have managed to get myself stuff which were definite luxuries :)

It is amazing isn't it. It does make me think of a thread I was on sometime ago. Discussion about how much harder it is for young people to save/buy a house now than it used to be. I was saying nearly 50 years ago when I bought my first house the house was very basic compared to what my kids would consider buying, rotten floor boards, no double glazing, no central heating plus we had less to spend money on e.g. no laptops, mobile phones (well we couldn't even get a landline without going on a long waiting list) very unusual for a family to have two cars (we didn't have one for ten years) much less eating out and no one would have thought of buying a fancy takeaway coffee. I was attacked left right and centre which I thought was harsh as I wasn't criticising anyone just saying what I saw. Of course also had 15% mortgage rate soon after.

So look at what some people are saving with far less to spend on, it does show how it can all add up. I'm not saying, as I was accused of, that not having a Costa would buy you a house but adding up all the things that lots of us, me included, spend money on it a bit eye watering. It has certainly made me think. I'm retired and I've saved nearly £200 on petrol, now I'd say I don't really go anywhere much so where the hell is that petrol going? We've had one take away, well delivery, of fish and chips but we'd normally do that every week plus a meal out and you know what, most of the time I prefer what I cook at home although the fish and chips were fantastic. I've probably saved another £200 at the supermarket and yet we've had some lovely meals and plenty of food in.

I really intend to be more careful when lockdown ends, I look forward to going shopping, having the odd meal out etc but this has made me realise I waste money. I actually feel ashamed at how careless I've been with money, I want to put some money away to help GC with uni, the eldest will be going in a couple of years and I'd love to be able to give him a couple of hundred a month but thought I couldn't afford it but now I think I could easy just by cutting out stuff that I haven't even missed.

Does anyone else have plans for continuing to cut back and something they'd like the money for?

I've just had a look using my banking app.

In Jan I spent a total of £1,400 on eating out and food shopping.

In the last month (14th April - 14th May) I've spent £0 on take away and £800 on food shopping.

Spending money on ridiculous things; a hot tub, a bar, a hat for Ascot despite knowing full well it's not happening. I'm singlehandedly keeping the economy going and ruining my own life at the same time.

I've just spent £140 on f.ing kitten food. This is our first litter and they have the appetite of horses. I'm still in shock...

Saving on...

• petrol (probably not a huge amount because we don’t drive a huge amount but enough to make a small difference)
• clubs/activites (3x drama, 2x trampolining, 1x athletic club, 2x brownies, 1x guides - not a massive amount for 4 DC as a lot of what they go to is free through school, but again it adds up)
• bus pass for DD (usually costs about £15 a week)
• food (only shopping once a week so actually meal planning and not wasting money nipping into the shops every other day and buying extra crap)
• mortgage (our house purchase has been delayed so still living in our short term rental house where rent is less than half what our mortgage will be)

Spending more on...

• electricity (everyone’s home all day every day and appliances, lights etc are on a lot more)
• stationery (spending a small fortune on paper, printer ink, exercise books, pens etc)
• coffee (DH has changed his Pact subscription to every week instead of every 3 weeks!)

Overall definitely saving a lot more than we are spending

@Mistigri we've given our tenants a three-month rent holiday. That is so lovely of you, I hope they appreciate such kind landlords.

I saw an increase as I don’t usually have time to spend money on anything except for a foodshop usually, but a new baby and being at home on maternity has meant I am spending lots (Amazon is my weakness). I still save though, thank goodness, but going back to work will help me save money.

Dare I say it, this is how us baby boomers saved up for a house, no holidays, no eating out , no beauty treatments no buying endless useless crap.

(Dons tin hat and runs for the hills)