AIBU to not understand how people are saving money during this pandemic?

[squishedblueberry]

I know commuting costs have cut and buying lunch and dinner out etc but we seem to be spending more and more.
I appreciate we are lucky to be able to do this before anyone jumps on me but am baffled as to how people are saying they are so much better off.

Signed up to Disney Plus and Netflix to keep ourselves sane. Spending more on takeaway because eating is one of the few things we can still do that feels like a treat.

I’ve ended up having to buy equipment so I can work from home as has DH. Bought countless entertainment for DS as he’s getting so bored so toys, books, games etc that we can play together, crafts and things. We had to replace the deck as it was unusable and we are spending so much time at home we wanted to make the most of it (didn’t have to I know, but it was dangerous so DS couldn’t go out on it).

We’ve also ended up having to do some jobs to the house because things have finally given up due to us being in it loads.

And that’s before the books and things we’ve ordered for ourselves to try and keep ourselves sane, supplies for hobbies, having to buy more expensive clothes from DS as can’t nip to Primark and pick up vests etc cheaply and he’s growing like a weed.

I know this is all very privileged and we are lucky to be able to afford it but it amazes me when people say they are so much better off. We’ve also lost money on a couple of auks holidays so that adds to it and I’ve lost work so am down on income to what we usually have.

I think my reasons have all been mentioned by other but they are;
Mainly the commute- saves me about £900 a month.
No lunches out - not loads but maybe £30 a month.
No cimema trips - saves me about £80 a month.

Just those few things and I've saved a grand already. Add in no holidays, concerts... things I would spend a few hundred a month on at least and it's loads.

We always had one take away a week, that hasn't changed. We had Netflix, Prime etc already so doesn't cost us more. Work has paid for my WFH equipment so new chair etc. on them.
The only exta costs are our grocery increase and a bit more on utilities as we don't go out. Nothing near the amount we are saving though.

I realise we are lucky to be able to save. I also don't think it's hard to think why some people won't be able to. I find threads like this a bit odd. Like when anyone on here earning more than NMW and not feeding a family of 6 is accused of making it all up. People have vastly different circumstances.

We were pretty surprised last year when we went through our finances and spending for March-May period and they were not nearly as low as I expected! I still don't really understand why as at that point we were living with my parents and the only things we were spending money on was food.
This time around we've bought a new house and need to furnish it, our heating bills are through the roof too as it is 300 years old. Also having more takeaway and spending more on food.

Socialising - pubs / meals out.
Holidays / weekends away - we had a UK break but spent way less than we would on foreign holidays / weekends away.
Weekend / evening activities for us and the DCs.
Lunch costs.
I'm buying far less clothes than I usually would.

So, lots of reasons. Which is good because DH has now been made redundant . It's going to feel less painful because we've built up a chunk of savings that we wouldn't have had if "normal" life had continued.

I've saved. Commuting and the occasional bought lunches and coffee. I also seem to apend much less on stuff for some reason. Oh and not bought any new clothes in like a year except pj bottoms😂

Oh and yes, the going out and holidays. That's few grand

Saving a fortune here as the clothes shops aren’t open. ! I know you can buy online but it’s not the same as browsing in a shop

Same as a lot of PPd

No commuting costs - like £60 of fuel each week and £9 city centre parking each day!

No fancy coffees at work, no fancy lunches when I can't be bothered taking anything in.

No pub visits, meals out and minimal takeaways.

No holidays, days out, weekends away.

Only one big shop per fortnight. DH used to do daily top up shops while he waited for me outside work and buy loads of unnecessary shizzle.

We've managed to boost our savings account to the equivalent of 3 months of my salary despite needing a brand new oven this week and spending money on the garden.

We don't buy takeaway. Can't go out for lunch or snacks at the weekend as we used to. No visiting family or anywhere else: no transport costs. No holidays (the big saving.) No new clothes because why would you..

Higher heating bills is all I can think of on the other side.

Saving on commute, lunches, takeaway coffees, hair and nail appointments, work drinks, eating out, cinema, weekends away, fuel, clothes.

Have spent more on grocery shopping, heating , electric, books, gifts for people we can't see at the minute, subscriptions,
and have spent more on making the house and garden have much more home comforts as we are here more and trying to make the best of it.

Just realised to my shame that not buying a meal deal every day might have saved me £750!! I reduced the number a bit to account for holidays too

We’re saving £500 on commute a month,plus another £100 or so on all the lunches, Coffees etc. And about £100 on kids sports lessons, another £200 on childcare and that’s not even factoring in money saved on going out, work clothes, and we spend a lot on travel for hols and to see family.

but pretty much all the things you have mentioned (apart from the necessary house things) are completely optional.
e.g. I sometimes have netflix but I don't need it - there is loads of free stuff on all4/youtube/iplayer etc.
Books you can get for free from the library (and have done since the lockdowns)
takeaways are always going to be more expensive than cooking, but are still much cheaper than eating out would be

on the other hand I've saved on petrol, socialising, make up, new clothes, holidays and spending, gym fees and clubs, occasional coffees and meal deals...everything that makes life fun tbh!
and that's not including 'big' things some people have like childcare etc. Find it hard to see how people haven't saved tbh! (obviously not those who have lost their jobs etc!)

My only increased costs have been heating. However in fairness my employer has paid for any equipment I need (to a set budget).

Oh I'd invest in a lunch box before if you go back!

Saving in hairdressing, grooming, activities, cinema going...
Spending more on food for the household and books and tv subs

I've saved quite a lot throughout lockdown since March

• No nursery costs from April-August
• Forced to only shop once a week/fortnight and cook at home (saved loads, I realised how much I was grabbing food on the go!)
• No days out or holidays
• Even little spends, like £5-£10 here and there for coffees or lunch has added up
• Only one tank of petrol every few months instead of every couple of weeks because I have nowhere to go

I also had to cut back because of loss of income, so was kind of forced to tighten my belt and have continued that even after my income picked up

No holidays
No home improvements (we're not risking having workmen in the house)
No haircuts
No non-essential shopping (just groceries really)
No meals out
No day trips

We've saved thousands

I get that, and as I said repeatedly I know some of these things are choices but after a year you look for things to try to keep you sane.

Maybe other people are looking to things other than consumption to help them stay sane? Personally, I'm finding things like meditation, exercise, spending time in nature all help - none of them cost anything. We're also making more of the stuff that we already have, like old board games, books that have sat on the shelves for years. And because we have more time, we are cooking and baking lots - no need for expensive takeaways.

I've saved loads of money over the last year, which is a bloody goof thing as I've lost my job! If you have found yourself spending more, then that's fair enough, but recognise that it's a choice you're making and be thankful that you're in a position to make it.

No days out, no extra takeaways or subscriptions, not redecorated. Moneys only going on essentials such as food. I've got debt though so it's a good incentive. Paid off credit card now paying off car early.

Well until I went on maternity leave we were both still working full time, well after the first lockdown anyway. Dp wasn't earning much at all during that becausenhis main job was shit down.
Funny enough both my kids have massively sprouted throughout this. We did buy some new lpthes when the shops were open again, but didn't go mad because whats the point, we hardly go anywhere for any length of time so they kick about the house in old comfy clothes or jammies.
We used to spend quite a lot on days out, earing out and takeaways but we can't go anywhere now really that costs money. As for takeaways I can't really eat them because I feel like shit while pregnant and the kids were never that fussed on them anyway (I'm sure once this baby comes the local takeaways will take a hammering from us though 😂) and we didn't buy any of the main things for the baby because family wanted to buy useful things so we just let them buy the important stuff.

The kids got plenty of new games bookes, technology at Christmas so didn't need anything else ( we spent a lot on them this year).
Even with me now not working and only getting maternity allowance (self employed) we aren't much worse off than we were before. If inwas still bringing in what I was making after the first lockdown, we would have a lot more money than usual because we have nowhere near as much to fritter it away on.

No travel. No after school club. That's a saving of £400 already. Work paid for my chair and desk and gave me a laptop.
We don't go out! So no day trips, lunches out, entry fees, train fares. No swimming lessons, drum lessons, gym membership. No cinema tickets. I am at home so more time to cook nice dinners so less take aways. (I finish work at 4.30. usually it would be past 6 by the time I've picked kids up from after school club and got home. Now I finish work at 4.30, chill for half hour and then start dinner).
No shops to go to. No point buying myself any new clothes because I don't go anywhere and I'm losing weight so will hopefully be a dress size or two down by the time we are back out and about.

That's how I am saving money. Different for everyone if course. But not difficult to understand I don't think.

We didn’t have commuting costs, so no saving there, we have an older house that is expensive to heat. So overall we are spending more

Yabu
You don't understand how not everyone is in the same position as you ? Most people are saving on travel and holidays eating out and socialising how do you not understand that

It’s all relative though. I do wonder whether the pandemic is going to make people realise just how much money they’ve spent needlessly while at work etc. E.g. the amount of people who buy 2/3 coffees a day, every day, for £3 or so each plus buying lunch out etc.

During lockdown many of those costs have been offset by others e.g. repairs to the house etc, and obviously once people go back they will have commuting costs and childcare to consider which will push some of their spending back the other way. But I do think that a lot of people will realise just how much money they’ve spent needlessly and coul save if they wanted to.

personally I am always at the amount of takeaway people seem to have. Of course those kinds of things are their business but they are a luxury so if someone can’t afford to live on the money they have then a takeaway once a week isn’t really something they can afford and can easily be reduced.

In essence, there’s a difference between choice and necessity.

Clothing is necessary, as might be house repairs. Netflix/Disney plus are choices as are loads of new toys.

You’ve chosen to spend that kind of money. Others haven’t, so it stands to reason that they will be in more of a position to save.

We're saving money too. No commute, which is making a huge difference in petrol costs. I worked from home pre-pandemic anyway, so there are no increased heating costs. No days out, meals in restaurants, cinema trips, anything else we'd do as a family. Can't even go for coffee and cake with a friend. Not spending any more on food shopping, or takeaways. DD's singing lessons cancelled, dancing charging less as they're not renting the hall and it;s all on Zoom.