How much has your spending decreased?

[goldengirlz]

I just got my latest Chase Sapphire statement and it was about 1/10th of what it usually is. Our Barclaycard, which we use for groceries and more everyday spending, was about the same as usual.

If I needed proof that travel and entertainment (including restaurant meals) were our biggest spending categories, there it is ...

How about you guys? Anyone else feel like they’ve been on a de facto spending freeze?

I’ve also cut spending on personal care (another big line item) and can’t bring myself to buy anything frivolous like clothes or shoes. Our jobs haven’t been affected (yet?) but the uncertainty is making me feel like now is just not a good time to be splashing out on non-essentials.

[clairebear]

No eating out was our biggest savings (decreased 78%) but our grocery bill increased by 48%, which was a net savings of around $250. So not a whole lot! Out utilities have gone up by about $75 a month. I'm saving around $100/monthly in not being able to do random shopping (thrift stores, TJ Maxx, etc). Our biggest savings is no daycare at $900 a month. Personal care was really low for us anyway as I don't do any hair coloring, waxing, or mani/pedis regularly. So we are up about $1000 a month. But I just put $1400 into my car and we spent $1300 remodeling our laundry room, so I guess at this point it's a wash.

[Mrs.flang]

DH used to buy coffee and lunch at work every day so that is saving us a ton, plus lower gas spending and no daycare costs. In the beginning we spent more on groceries because of stocking up and buying whatever brands were available but that has evened out a bit.

I’m using the savings to pay off debt.

[sillygoosegirl]

No longer paying for daycare, so that's pretty huge.

Doing our best not to buy anything that isn't necessary, so we don't cause unnecessary exposure by going to stores, or supporting companies who may have workers at risk in warehouses.

We are paying somewhat of a premium for imperfect produce and delivery of booze from a local brewery. But still, we weren't really spending a lot in those categories anyway.

We don't have time to work on home improvement projects right now, between work being extra busy and lack of childcare. Which means we aren't spending money on supplies for that like usual.

We really want to get our house earthquake retrofitted (which is $$$$$), but we had to cancel that project because I was sick the day they were going to come. Debating whether we should have them out now or put it off longer. (In our state, the stay at home still allows businesses to operate if social distancing can be maintained, and the work is under the house anyway. Plus, like, we could still die in an earthquake literally any time.)

Not spending any money on travel, entertainment outside the house, etc. We're ordering some from restaurants, but not very much compared with how much we ate out before. I really don't believe that takeout is as safe as they say. Plus our favorite places are mostly near work, not near our house, so the food tends to taste like broken promises anyways.

Still paying the woman who cleans our house, although it's been 2 months since she's actually been here.

I have given more money than usual away, but we need to give more. I wish the government would raise taxes on those of us still working essential jobs (at least essential jobs like mine that pay well), so that more money was available to pay people who shouldn't be working to stay home right now. The idea that I'm going to use a stimulus check to trickle down money right now is insane. I mean, it's pretty insane anytime, but it's especially insane now, when almost anything I can pay someone to do for me involves putting their life or mine or both at risk.

[maloney]

We are saving an insane amount of money. Our biggest expense by far is groceries, I would go sometimes 4x a week. Not being able to go whenever I want/get the stuff we usually get has easier saved us like 600 a month. Our gym and the Y aren't charging us, so that's another 150 a month. The Amazon card has gone up, but not too much.

[dcn]

We are saving on gas and preschool but otherwise it’s about the same. I bought some things to entertain the kids even ha! We didn’t eat out much before, so we’ve been doing the same - takeout a few times a month. H always brought lunch to work. I’m definitely planning meals more and doing a better job shopping from my pantry and freezer, which is probably keeping our grocery costs in line.

I guess we haven’t had any travel expenses either, but those are saved for ahead of time.

[pierogigirl]

We're saving a little on gas, but DH still has to go to work, so not that much since I work less than 2 miles from home and he works about 15 miles away. We don't have to pay for after school care, which is $510/mo. We will save money this summer because I won't feel comfortable with summer day camps even if they happen. We are not buying as much random crap, but constantly being at home has made me want to finish our home improvement projects and decorating. I have only bought 2 framed art pieces and a big glass bottle/vase so far (about $300 total). I do have full carts all over the internet, though.

Our food costs are probably about the same or a little more (no once a week take out, but increase in grocery spending).

In all, we are probably saving $400 a month.

[k3am]

Our biggest savings by far has been daycare and before/aftercare.

Food and restaurants has stayed roughly the same (eating out has shifted to more groceries, but we don’t eat out all that often.)

We have been spending more on activities and things to keep the kids busy, but nothing crazy.

[fernweh]

We spent $10 on gasoline last month!
Our grocery bill went up slightly but we saved not eating out and other entertainment. I think our biggest savings was from not being able to go to Target. The amount of money I normally spend there is mind blowing.

[goldengirlz]

We always prepay for camp because I am SUPER ON TOP OF THINGS and early-bird register in January, but now almost every camp has canceled and said they’re not financially able to give refunds.

So we’re looking at $5-6k just ... in limbo. If we’re lucky, the camps will be in business next year and we’ll be able to apply our credit. We also prepaid aftercare (losing ~$460/month) but not hot lunch.

[sadlebred]

I'm saving money on gas, mainly because it's $1.25 here at Costco. I WFH and at times don't drive much anyway. I'm saving a bit on eating out although my grocery bill has gone up about 20%/week.

There is no bike racing, so I'm not spending that money. No kids in the household, so there is no savings on daycare/camps.

[maloney]

I’m going to spend so much money when we are allowed to get Botox/fillers/waxing/pedi.... again. Like, so much

[brooklyn]

Mine hasn’t. 😬

We’ve had to buy a lot more groceries since we’re all home 24/7 and cooking 3 meals a day plus snacks. Also, we’ve been paying much higher fees to have groceries delivered.

Also ordering more takeout, and tipping much higher, to keep restaurants alive.

I’m still paying my part time nanny even though we haven’t used her in 9 weeks.

I also ordered a new, larger dining set to accommodate all the extra stuff happening on it these days. 😬

I guess I’m saving money by not going to starbucks, and other frivolous purchases but I feel like the groceries situation cancels that out.

[Mushe]

This made me go look! We definitely saved a lot by not being able to take our spring break trip to Vancouver. 😥 AirBNB refunded us completely, although we only got some useless airline credits instead of refunds because Canada. 🙄

I had some pent up demand for summer clothes, but I’m trying to not go crazy. I had just invested $$$ in more work clothes, only to be indefinitely WFH. 🤦‍♀️

[goldengirlz]

May 2, 2020 18:51:09 GMT -5 Mushe said:

This made me go look! We definitely saved a lot by not being able to take our spring break trip to Vancouver. 😥 AirBNB refunded us completely, although we only got some useless airline credits instead of refunds because Canada. 🙄

I had some pent up demand for summer clothes, but I’m trying to not go crazy. I had just invested $$$ in more work clothes, only to be indefinitely WFH. 🤦‍♀️

Same! I spent a few hundred dollars on new spring clothes back in February ... and almost everything is now sitting in my closet with the tags on. Oh well.

[Covergirl82]

Here are my savings estimates:
$200/month - after-school care
$300/month - gas (not driving as much, but may be saving even more because gas is so cheap right now)
$200/month - morning coffee (1x a week for me), lunches at work (DH almost every day, 1-2x a week for me)
We haven't spent as much on random things due to not being able to go many places.

We did take a $1,000 loss on our spring break trip (which we couldn't go on) by cancelling our Disney Vacation Club rental and rebooking directly through Disney for a sale they recently started. We felt the reservation through Disney will be easier to change or cancel if need be. We also booked new flights and haven't received the refund through travel insurance from our original flights. Once we get the insurance payment, we'll break even on the flights.

[melmel48]

Gas for my car, random target trips, eating out.

Groceries have gone way up because SNACKS. I thought my electric bill would go way up with me being home all day, every day ( furloughed, not working from home) but it really wasn't that bad.

My weight has not decreased,that is for sure.

[scout8]

May 2, 2020 18:01:04 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

We always prepay for camp because I am SUPER ON TOP OF THINGS and early-bird register in January, but now almost every camp has canceled and said they’re not financially able to give refunds.

So we’re looking at $5-6k just ... in limbo. If we’re lucky, the camps will be in business next year and we’ll be able to apply our credit. We also prepaid aftercare (losing ~$460/month) but not hot lunch.

I don't understand how they can just refuse to give you your money back if they have cancelled. What are they doing with the money? I assume that a good chunk of it was to pay employees that they will no longer be paying, food for the kids that they will no longer have to provide, etc. For that kind of money, I'd be fighting this hard. 

[goldengirlz]

May 2, 2020 20:35:39 GMT -5 scout8 said:

May 2, 2020 18:01:04 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

We always prepay for camp because I am SUPER ON TOP OF THINGS and early-bird register in January, but now almost every camp has canceled and said they’re not financially able to give refunds.

So we’re looking at $5-6k just ... in limbo. If we’re lucky, the camps will be in business next year and we’ll be able to apply our credit. We also prepaid aftercare (losing ~$460/month) but not hot lunch.

I don't understand how they can just refuse to give you your money back if they have cancelled. What are they doing with the money? I assume that a good chunk of it was to pay employees that they will no longer be paying, food for the kids that they will no longer have to provide, etc. For that kind of money, I'd be fighting this hard. 

Half of that is with one camp and they claim they’ve already spent 75% of the money they brought in from us early birds on things like supplies, overhead, marketing and their full-time staff. They asked everyone who can forgo a refund to accept a credit for next year instead. There’s been a huge uproar and we’re still waiting to hear how it will be resolved. I don’t want to force them into insolvency but, you’re right, it’s a huge chunk of money.

Another 25% went to sleepaway camp, which just canceled this past week. They said they’ll update us on refunds in the coming days — which doesn’t make me feel too optimistic.

The final camp hasn’t canceled yet; it’s part of the same program as public school aftercare and they’ve been caring for the children of essential workers. We’re on the fence about whether to send her so that one is on us, not them.

[chimera]

It has decreased a lot.
Our travel spending has stopped. Our trip in September was cancelled - airline already refunded the airfare- after cancelling the route. DH is waiting on 2 hotel deposit refunds.

Trip at the end of June looks like it will be cancelled. All of the flights suddenly disappeared- waiting on notice from the Diveshopmabout what’s going on.

We stopped making booking for our Christmas break trip. Our flights and the dive boat were booked before this hit. In a holding pattern to see what happens.


Gas spending is down. I am mainly working from home with a few trips in to the lab. I take DHs car those days to top off as Costco’s gas is $0.30 cheaper than the regular stations. DH is still going to work daily- he has a 14 mile RT commute so it is t much.

Entertainment and eating out budgets went to $0

Groceries are up a bit, bit prices are up too.

Spring wardrobe shopping hasn’t happened.

We are in the middle of refinancing our house due to the rate drops. We got to skip the appraisal - saving $550 there and ~$300 a month when we close on it.

I think the Y stopped charging us this month. Have to check with DH if he signed up to do our monthly draft as a donation as they were still doing community food outreach and childcare for essential workers.

[konapoppy]

I was surprised by how much it has decreased! It is several thousand less than normal.

I feel like we are still spending so much money on food, including groceries for my sister and tipping a ton on takeout. But then I remember that we were eating breakfast and lunch out most weekdays, which isn’t the case anymore. Plus I am less likely to waste food than I was in the past.

[krystee]

Maybe a little on eating out, but we are still doing a lot of takeout. We are still paying daycare and preschool, so our biggest expenses are still there. And we have been buying lots of flowers and cards and little treats for friends and family and our work teams to spread cheer.

We also bought a patio dining set to be able to enjoy our yard more.

Oh, we are saving $150 on gym stuff and probably $100 on salon stuff/haircuts too, so maybe a total savings of $350/month.

[tacokick]

I think we will spend less this month than last. We spent less money on entertainment and food but we also had to buy an office chair, a WiFi extender and some other odds and ends to making working from home (and being here all the time) more comfortable. Those were all fairly pricy but rare expenses. We are really only paying the same bills and groceries. We aren’t doing take out or adding anything new to the mix. I’m also shopping in person so no tips or inflated prices.

[sloan]

Not a ton, likely $100-200/month.

Groceries are up with DH eating lunch and snacks at home, plus making substitutions in store based on what’s available (today ground beef was out, though on the whole things have been more available recently), and I’ve bought a few things to entertain the toddler and some new kid’s clothes I would normally buy secondhand.

Utilities and such are about the same since I SAH.

On the flip side DH isn’t eating out for lunch, we have actually found ourselves doing a bit less takeout, and with DH WFH we aren’t spending much of anything on gas*.

*of course, my battery is completely dead so that may even out too... we tried jumping it with H’s car but it is done done.

[farmvillelover]

Daycare, eating out, entertainment gas, kids activities and camps - down.

Up - groceries, online shopping for myself for more workout wear/shoes/lounge clothing, stuff for kids to keep them busy, gifts to people to hopefully brighten their life, advanced charitable contributions to our big charitable org, outfitting our home gym with an OTF strider, new bikes for the kids and H, outschool classes, Spanish tutors.

I know we're spending more now than we did pre quarantine.

[aspentosh]

It hasn't much, unfortunately. It's just been redirected I guess.

We're not big bar/entertainment people, so no change.
We didn't spend anything on hair, nails, coffee out so no change there.
Our normal monthly gas bill is usually $75-100, so that's been $0 for the last 7 weeks so savings there.
Our food has gone up. We're spending more on groceries because I am not going and shopping sales (H is doing all the out of house stuff) but we're still trying to support local restaurants here 1-2x a week and giving big big big tips.
Travel has gone WAY down (we've cancelled two trips so far) but we're planning a home gym for H because it'll likely be months before he feels comfortable going back so that's a wash for sure.

[mccallister84]

We are probably breaking even. The only reason I put gas in H’s car was because we were going to lose gas points and that’s our only fill up since mid March.

No daycare because I SAH but we aren’t paying the $200 in preschool or $179 to the gym. I had been buying a ton of stuff to keep the girls occupied but that has way slowed down recently.

We are getting carry out once a week and tipping big so that is probably down just a little.

But I am spending literally double at the grocery store every week - part of this is only making one stop so I’m buying things like diapers but part of it is that they are out of different things every time I go so if I see it I buy it.

Finally, H’s battery died and I blew out a tire on the way to CVS to pick up a prescription so that was $800 combined.

[kadams767]

I haven’t put a tally on it, but I’d say a fair amount.  I paid my credit card bill yesterday and the only things on it were $110 for a grocery run and my $250 auto debit for a charity contribution.  Apparently I haven’t put gas in my car since February and I haven’t bought anything other than food or drink for myself either.  

[fryjack2]

Our CC bill was half the amount it typically and its usually 5 figures. 

We didn't spend as much on dining out, ubers, drinks, shopping, travel, personal care, etc.

We have started spending more on ordering in, ordering delivery for our friends, and random gifts for friends and donating to more charities.

I spent $$$$$ signing the kids up for spring sports the week before the social distancing started. I was so proud of myself for being proactive in signing up before final note to do so emails like usual. None are being reimbursed. Ugh.

[sandandsea]

We are saving $1800 on daycare for ds2 but I have a temporary paycut of 10% so not as much as we had hoped. We are eating out less and haven’t bought gas in 2 months but are spending more on groceries and utilities. We’ve also started doing takeout twice a week so it all seems to be a wash. We never store shopped before this though and so it really isn’t affecting our spending a ton.

So far all of the races have been cancelled but dh bought a racing simulator and they’re chomping at the bit to make it all up later this year. So that doesn’t feel like true savings.