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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.

Covid

Have you spent more or less (or the same)since this started?

30 replies

Holdmenow · 21/03/2020 13:34

I am trying to work it out for us because we’re not travelling so much (petrol etc)...however I have bought
School supplies for home including a new printer - 100
Art and crafts supplies - 50
Toys and entertainment (including a trampoline) - 300
Extra food - 150ish

I thought staying home would save us money but obviously not 😩

And the food will still need to be topped up, and I think We’ll need more paper and ink.

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IceKitten · 21/03/2020 13:49

A lot less because we were due to go on holiday in a couple of weeks and have got a refund for the accommodation and train fare. Also less socialising.

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ChrissieKeller61 · 21/03/2020 13:50

£500 extra on food alone

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EightNineTen · 21/03/2020 13:54

A lot more, all sorts of garden stuff, trying to think ahead five months! More shopping, not going crazy but when I went into isolation I bought more online.

I'm going to be spending a lot less now.

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Marilynmansonsothereye · 21/03/2020 13:56

About the same i think. Bought a big shop but nothing excessive. But I usually go to the pub a few times a week and to gym classes. I've spent more in petrol but saved on meals out.

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Holdmenow · 21/03/2020 13:56

Yes I think I’ll rein it in now for sure!! We are very lucky to still both be getting paid whilst at home however we cannot be 100% that will carry on forever as such

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PleaseStopCrying · 21/03/2020 13:56

I've spent loads less than normal. We have spent more on stocking up on nappies and baby milk but we would have brought it all anyway, just not all at the same time. Other than that the only thing I can think of is that we are using more electricity as we are inside all day.

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DrMadelineMaxwell · 21/03/2020 13:57

Bit of both.

Spent less on going out and am due to get a refund on my holiday and have had refunds on theatre tickets. I won't be spending the Euros I bought for Italy in a fortnight.

But shopping has cost more. Not because I have bought more, but because people who can get to the shops when I can't have bought all the own brand and reasonably priced stuff and I've been stuck buying the expensive leftovers.

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Heismyopendoor · 21/03/2020 13:57

A little extra on food and snacks but less because all clubs have been cancelled and are not taking fees and less because of fuel and I tend to buy crap quite often. So I’ve probably saved and will save a fair bit. Signing up for Disney plus though

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Glittercandle · 21/03/2020 14:00

A lot less
No travel costs
We’ve been self isolating since Tuesday so haven’t done any top up shops

We already have a printer, plenty of paper but did buy a new chrome book last week as I expected schools to be cancelled. Not really needed now as DD2 is year 11 so has no work to do.

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DareToEatAPeach · 21/03/2020 14:02

Less on petrol
Less on food and supplies because I already had enough so have stayed away from shops
Less on birthday and other even cards and presents

A LOT more on gardening supplies so I have somewhere nice to sit outside and veggies to grow.

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Janemarpling · 21/03/2020 14:02

More! I have bought bed desks and work books for dd.


I am also doing the shopping for my parents and uncle and I haven't asked for money.

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YappityYapYap · 21/03/2020 14:04

We've spent more. We've had to use local shops for the basics as we can't get them in the supermarket so food is costing more, bought garden stuff including a trampoline, have had to buy things to create a home office for me and DH to work in, including ink but I may be able to put that as an expense for work. We probably will spend less day to day from now on though as we won't have to spend on fuel and we won't have meals out, softplay etc to pay for. Both me and DH won't be getting paid as much as we've had to reduce our hours due to DS's nursery closing so we opted to take the 3 month holiday break on our mortgage. We can't both be working at the same time as DS is only 3 and with being stuck at home, is a lot of work and needs constant entertainment! So DH works 6-2 and I work 2-5:30. This is losing us about 40 hours a month. I'm hourly paid and DH is on a salary with overtime but he is getting no overtime now

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CryHavoc · 21/03/2020 14:04

Less. No commuting costs for my husband, no bus fare or dinner money for my daughter. No meal out for Mother's Day tomorrow. The washing machine has been on less. We've cancelled Sky sports.

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SinkGirl · 21/03/2020 14:11

Much the same. We did our weekly shop a few days early in person and we still have a collection booked tomorrow so using that to get bits for friends who are in need of items but it will mostly balance out.

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june2007 · 21/03/2020 14:13

The same why would I have spent more?

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ChikiTIKI · 21/03/2020 14:14

We have spent less because we can't get the stuff we need in the shops. Mainly milk, bread flour, eggs we cannot get. I can't go to the shops really anymore because I am pregnant. Husband became ill today so won't be going either. Did manage to get two pints of milk yesterday thankfully. I would love a hot chocolate but can't have any milk as DD drinks a pint a day. Oh well not complaining at least I am not poorly yet.

When we have been able to get some food, it has been more expensive. Also nappies- never knew the branded ones were so expensive. If we could shop normally though we would have spent more overall.

People spending hundreds extra on food. This is why others cannot get the food they need 😢

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CloudsCanLookLikeSheep · 21/03/2020 14:18

More. I had a bit of an oh fuck it week and spent a ton on takeaways. Also bought some posh vodka to see me through. And some clothes for the kids now that they will not be able to wear their school uniforms 5 days out of 7.

I will start to rein it in now. I'll be on full pay but with no travel costs, and not buying at pret and starbucks will save me a ton.

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PlywoodPlank · 21/03/2020 14:18

More on food as we are all now home for every meal. But this is more than balanced out by 0 spend on socialising/meals out/petrol/entertainment/public transport.

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Holdmenow · 21/03/2020 14:22

@june2007 some ppl have spent money on items that they wouldn’t have normally bought! I have bought extra crafts, a trampoline (extra entertainment for the dc) and a printer so I can print sheets for home schooling.

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Fuzzybumblebee · 21/03/2020 14:38

I'm self isolating so am unable to get out to shop I've been lucky in that I've had a good delivery and have got some food in the cupboards, I have had a couple of take aways as I've felt to ill to cook at times but it's been left on my doorstep so no one else is at risk and this has been an extra cost but not much compared to what was left off my shopping delivery x

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Fuzzybumblebee · 21/03/2020 14:41

Food delivery not good delivery

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BlueCowWonders · 21/03/2020 14:44

Same I think

  • season ticket refund

+ takeaways to support local independent restaurants
+ fancier mother's day presents from independent shop
+ gardening magazines with free seeds
+ local veg delivery service
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IHadADreamWhichWasNotAllADream · 21/03/2020 14:56

New monitor and cables for extended home working setup. New dressing gown for DS to slob around in. Bulk dry cleaning of all my work clothes before I put them into storage.
About 200 quid in total, but those are one off costs which will be offset fairly swiftly by not eating out (although offset again by increased gas and leccy bills for daytime use).

DH and I have annual travel cards and DS travels by free bus, but we’ll save some money on DD’s tube commute.

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YDYtrue · 21/03/2020 15:29

More so far as have either had to buy more expensive versions of everyday items or 2x smaller packs (which costs more than one larger pack) to get enough to feed us all.

We only eat out on special occasions and rarely get takeaways. Don’t go to cafes/bars or buy sandwiches out for lunch etc so we’re not going to save money by them being closed. My friend who eats out 3-4 times a week and buys lunches is going to save loads!

Also don’t do day trips out with the dc very often, we do free stuff like go to the beach or walk in the woods etc but nothing we’d pay for. Again that would be a big treat/occasion type thing not every week.

I suppose I’ll save money by not getting my hair/ eyebrows done over the next couple of months. Maybe we’ll all stop getting dressed and then I can run the washing machine less frequently Grin

We have lots of board games and craft stuff and I’m quite looking forward to getting through some of that over the next few weeks.

Hopefully the supermarket situation will calm down soon so we can get back to normal food shopping.

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Teabaseddiet · 21/03/2020 15:41

I've had to buy a desk & computer chair (can't use regular one as I have a back problem), more printer ink & paper, craft supplies, couple of games, kids books, some garden supplies so we can spend more time out there as it gets warmer.

Plus heating & food.

It's expensive business

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