Anyone else spending way less money?

[kdonnel]

We are (were? will one day again?) a big eat out family. Eating out 50-60% of our meals a week on average. Since the great lock down we have been exclusively eating at home. Sure we have spent more on groceries and on natural gas and electricity cooking but no where near as much as we have saved by not eating out $50-$75 once or twice a day.

We have also not made any trips to the store where we end up buying stuff just to buy stuff.

No impulse buys when we do get groceries.

No Amazon purchases.

We were not ones that had a lot of activities and thus far I have continued to pay the gym since I figure they need the money to pay their employees so not a lot of savings that way.

I wonder if we will be smart enough to continue our eat out home routine months from now when this all ends? Nah.

 

[L&Lfan]

We’re spending much more. Take out is expensive.
But we’re not complaining if it helps to keep local businesses open and people employed.

 

[firefly_ris]

We were not big spenders to begin with.

We spent more on groceries last month but the gas savings offset it.

 

[RamblingMad]

I’m still spending more. I’m saving on gas.

I received a charcoal grill yesterday. I have a coffee maker coming this week. I still need some more stuff for baking. And I’ve spent more on groceries. I’m still trying to figure out good lunch ideas. I’m fine for dinners.

 

[CdnCarrie]

We have never ate out that much. Maybe couple times a month
We are ordering in once a week right now as a treat.

But we are saving money on gas, transportation, cancelled spring break vacation that will not be rescheduled and other shopping.

Our water bill probably going up as we seem to be using more dishes and running the dishwasher more. Telling everyone to reuse their glasses!

 

[kdonnel]

Our water bill probably going up as we seem to be using more dishes and running the dishwasher more.

Our worst day we ran the dishwasher three times. Did some baking that day.

 

[RamblingMad]

Our worst day we ran the dishwasher three times. Did some baking that day.

I’m about once a day. I had to order more detergent.

 

[StageTek]

I, too, am spending more on food. Take-out specifically.

I live in a "studio district". The local restaurants rely on the employees of all the production offices and rental houses heading out for lunch. Few of those employees live in the area. I've been getting take-out at least three times a week.

But I'm saving by not buying items on line - impulse buying. And on gas. I walk to the stores now.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

We are spending more actually, even though I'm cooking at home more. We are both still going to work, so no changes there. Biggest change for us is that one of our adult sons decided to come to stay with us and ride this thing out. He can work remotely and didn't want to be pent up in his apartment all alone. So we are spending more on the groceries. He has more than once volunteered money for groceries and we decline it. The mom in me kinda likes having him home, lol.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Definitely saving. Cancelled trips, no spending money on lunch at work each day, eating at home 100% of the time(we aren't doing carry out).

 

[DLgal]

Yeah, our spending is WAY down. We used to eat out at least 3-4 times per week, plus spend a day at Disneyland every weekend (easily $100 each time on food and drinks), plus gas money. We are down to getting takeout once a week ($50 max). I haven't bought gas in over a month.

Our spending is down so much that I was easily able to buy my son a $600 bike for his birthday 2 weeks ago AND just bought a bunch of new kitchen things I've been needingd plus a new convection toaster oven (total $325) and I am STILL going to be able to put an extra $1000 into our savings account this month (bringing the monthly total to $4000 into savings being transferred tomorrow).

Also, we got a refund of $1200 on a plane ticket that my husband wasn't able to use (he was supposed to fly home from Japan last Friday to visit) due to military travel restrictions and American airlines was kind enough to refund it without issue.

And now the $3400 we will get soon from the government stimulus will go straight into savings as well.

We are now about 3/4 of the way to our annual savings goal. It's crazy.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Yup, spending way less. I've always been something of a stockpiler; when a staple is on sale, i buy a ton of it. I feel secure having plenty of provisions (I think I must have lived through--or not?!-- a famine in another life, haha). When this thing hit I made a comprehensive list of everything in my fridge, freezer, both food pantries, and my toiletry closet. It was kind of eye-opening. We probably could've gone a month without buying anything additional. Meals would've gotten a little weird by the end of the month, but we wouldn't have starved. I did make a list and went out and bought a few more things, but no more than a normal weekly shopping. Two weeks later we're still well-stocked and I haven't been back to the store once. DH has picked up milk and some fresh fruit and salad greens, but that's it. I can probably go another two weeks without doing a real shopping trip. I never realized how much I spent on food.

 

[Searc]

We've saved probably around $1000 from what we normally would have spent on dinners out and weekend activities, as well as wandering around the grocery store picking up random products. Now, it is in and get out asap.

 

[Colleen27]

I think I will be, in the long run, but right now anything I'm saving by going out less was balanced out by the larger-than-usual grocery trips and the things we've bought for the house to try to accommodate having the kids home and doing school from here. Oh, and the craft supplies. We couldn't be stuck at home without those. But in normal times, we go out to eat 2-3x a week and I have a weekly ritual of fancy coffee and a scone at the local coffeehouse, so it would be hard not to save money under the current circumstances.

 

[jo-jo]

We are spending more with groceries. We are the type to hunt for sales on stuff and stock up ahead. Now it's we're happy to pay full price plus shopping fees just to get the groceries brought to the house.

 

[Meriweather]

Not spending more.
We hardly ever eat out. We never do food deliver or pick up.
We are retired, so no gas savings.
I am still ordering things online, but just things I would be doing anyway.

We did cancel one trip......and 2 more cancellations are coming, so guess we are saving money,......but I would rather be going on vacations. We like to travel

 

[mikehn]

OMG, my spending has been cut in half. Im used to spending half my income eating and drinking out

 

[Kitty 34]

Let's just put it this way.......I am now sending DH to the stores with my list of needed items. I love him dearly but he just shops like we won't be going back in weeks. And he adds many things to the list. Honey I didn't need three bags of Cheese Balls, really; not even one bag.

 

[easyas123]

I think we are coming out ahead - mostly because this time of year we are usually at Lowes every weekend ha ha!
I'm making due with what is in the house vs. big grocery shops (and I'm amazed at how much food I actually had and how it's stretched) .
Oddly enough we've done more take away than usual because we feel more aware of the few small local businesses in our area now and are making an effort to pick something up there once or twice a week.
But yeah, barring any major catastrophes I think our vacation account will come out of this quite a bit more padded.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Spending a little less, but I am still online shopping here and there. I also just got my WDW trip quote so that’s a chunk of change! Was supposed to be going to Dallas next week, so that’s money not spent.