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Really saving alot more moolah now in lockdown?


shootingstar

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I look at my grocery bills for past few weeks.  Still enough money when already I don't go out snacking at cafes as frequently. So am puzzled by cost. :unsure: Food is a little more expensive but where I shop, not a huge increase.  Yet.

Of course, our European trip...airflights were merely a credit, not refund.  So yea, a lot of other travel we do during the year so far, would be the cost of restaurants, hotel, etc.

Other than the above, I haven't saved a whole lot more money while working from home full-time.  Don't have a car anyway. Use bike, walk or transit pre-pandemic. I never spent much money on clothes fashion annually in past decade. I don't do manicures, pedicures nor spas.  My womanly treatments...are bike rides.  Seriously.

My haircut will just be delayed cost. So am not part of the herd, who suddenly has saved a ton of money.

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8 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

We are spending quite a bit less.  Gasoline cost is way down.  Our major extra expense has been a bit more eating takeout as we try to keep a bit of our small towns economy alive.

'Course you gotta have the occasional lush meal..like that birthday dinner takeout you described for a son's b-day.

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8 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

We are spending quite a bit less.  Gasoline cost is way down.  Our major extra expense has been a bit more eating takeout as we try to keep a bit of our small towns economy alive.

Gas prices are back up by me :wacko: but I'm filling up less. I still work, but there is no extracurricular activities so I can go 5-6 weeks on a  tank, usually its 4.

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We are saving about the same.  

I am spending less on laundry costs.  We didn't dine out much before and when we did it was like $15 at the taco place.  We never dine out for fancy meals.   I make fancy meals.

We did some home projects and it has been expensive for us.  So, this month we will save a lot less than usual.  

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We are not because I am ordering perennials via the mail. Lots of them. Brick mason back to work and has started the front walk. Sounds lime driveway will go in next week.  We are spending differently for sure. Still broke. 

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12 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

We are saving about the same.  

I am spending less on laundry costs.  We didn't dine out much before and when we did it was like $15 at the taco place.  We never dine out for fancy meals.   I make fancy meals.

We did some home projects and it has been expensive for us.  So, this month we will save a lot less than usual.  

We haven't had laundry costs ...well for last several yrs. Ooops I guess I should dry-clean my dress jackets...which I now wear less than 5 times annually. It is business wear normally in office, but I've found ways to look nice and more formal, without business jacket in past few yrs.

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I haven't been stopping at the corner bar the few times a week like I use to so that saving a few bucks. 

The big savings is we haven't been racing or any track days this year. 

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While saving, then there is the sudden out of sight surprise bill. Have web service for web sites through Bluehost for 3 years which expires 5/30/2020. Got the auto-renew notice and they were planning to charge me  full amount rather than the discounted rate they charge new customers. I hate being considered a second class customer paying more! Going to go back to DreamHost I left 3 years ago for the same reason as the have a very competitive new customer rate.  Got it all filled out, saving 60% below what Bluehost was going to charge me, and got the message that me email was already on file blocking the order. GRRRRRR! Looked up my old DreamHost password and logged in. Sure enough, there was my account from 3 years ago with nothing other than my account profile. Saw the renew button, started to, but they also wanted me to pay full retail. GRRRRR. Since the account was based on my email and "primary" I couldn't delete it. Added my ancient AOL email as secondary, then made it primary which flipped gmail to secondary...and I could delete is. Waited a few days allowing it to be scrubbed from Dreamhost's system and will try resigning up today. Otherwise will flip to some other web provider, like HostGator.

It is actually good to do this as I simply reupload the current websites to the new servers when the URL transfers leaving behind all the excessive crap files that remaind on the server after prior updates. Makes it much cleaner. Plus it may resolve an SSL issue that never took when supposedly applied after Google made the industrywide mandate. Also, hopefully will resole a "server certificate error" when Outlook logs onto emails related to the websites.

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I am talking about the amount that my washer runs.  My work clothes are not being worn, so I am doing less laundry here.

7 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

We haven't had laundry costs ...well for last several yrs. Ooops I guess I should dry-clean my dress jackets...which I now wear less than 5 times annually. It is business wear normally in office, but I've found ways to look nice and more formal, without business jacket in past few yrs.

 

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We are saving quite a bit of money lately. I haven't taken any money out of the ATM in about a month. Income is the same but that will change next month when I retire. However when WoJSTL and I are both receiving Social Security in August, things will be similar to now.

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8 minutes ago, Tizeye said:

While saving, then there is the sudden out of sight surprise bill. Have web service for web sites through Bluehost for 3 years which expires 5/30/2020. Got the auto-renew notice and they were planning to charge me  full amount rather than the discounted rate they charge new customers. I hate being considered a second class customer paying more! Going to go back to DreamHost I left 3 years ago for the same reason as the have a very competitive new customer rate.  Got it all filled out, saving 60% below what Bluehost was going to charge me, and got the message that me email was already on file blocking the order. GRRRRRR! Looked up my old DreamHost password and logged in. Sure enough, there was my account from 3 years ago with nothing other than my account profile. Saw the renew button, started to, but they also wanted me to pay full retail. GRRRRR. Since the account was based on my email and "primary" I couldn't delete it. Added my ancient AOL email as secondary, then made it primary which flipped gmail to secondary...and I could delete is. Waited a few days allowing it to be scrubbed from Dreamhost's system and will try resigning up today. Otherwise will flip to some other web provider, like HostGator.

It is actually good to do this as I simply reupload the current websites to the new servers when the URL transfers leaving behind all the excessive crap files that remaind on the server after prior updates. Makes it much cleaner. Plus it may resolve an SSL issue that never took when supposedly applied after Google made the industrywide mandate. Also, hopefully will resole a "server certificate error" when Outlook logs onto emails related to the websites.

I too dislike the second citizenship status that goes this way.  Try threatening to leave and see what they will give you.

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I've been able to track things closely and I'm definitely spending a lot less.

Because of 2% to 5% cash-back, I try to charge as much of my budgeted spending as I can.  I've arranged so my statements are all due on the 15th of the month, just after the latest monthly date for my Soc.Sec. check.

Being a spreadsheet budget nut, I know my May 15th and June 15th credit card statements are an avg. $229.07 per month less than my avg. 2019 statements.  The utility costs that are lower for my apartment vs my house don't figure in that since they're paid directly from my checking account.

Additionally, about $200/month of spending is for replacement stuff (Instant Pot in place of burnt-house crock pot and pressure cooker) that State Farm will eventually pay me.

I'm not doing things like buying 3-4 dozen steamed crabs ($100-$150) for parties, taking my nephews to amusement parks, museums, or baseball games, going to sit-down restaurants, etc.

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Saving a lot? No. Saving some? Yes. Restricted hours and access have made my afternoon coffee less of a thing. I’m buying 6 packs from local breweries to go with our take out which is definitely cheaper than buying the same drink in the restaurant. We are using less gas but not a lot as we still drive to work (when I can’t bike commute). Many rides and running races have been cancelled so I have saved a lot there. Our patio was basically funded with the spending part or our stimulus checks. 

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I have been putting little $$$ aside under the title plague :D using it as a buffer...I have spent a few Amazon dollars..but not much... But overall spending is down..no day trips on the weekend. Way fewer restaurant purchases..less gas...less quick stops for groceries...

Oh wait..I ordered a chair and ottoman..1 year no interest...

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1 minute ago, petitepedal said:

I have been putting little $$$ aside under the title plague :D using it as a buffer...I have spent a few Amazon dollars..but not much... But overall spending is down..no day trips on the weekend. Way fewer restaurant purchases..less gas...less quick stops for groceries...

Oh wait..I ordered a chair and ottoman..1 year no interest...

Purchased from the big girl store.  :cheerleader:

We are shopping for a patio set.  Goodwill, craigs or other local second hand.

Interestingly, I used to shop at the big girl stores. After the Kauai trip, I thought about money in a different way.  We started saving like mad and thinking about our purchases.

Pro level bikes have always been a priority.  That is one place where we splurge I guess.

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2 hours ago, Airehead said:

We are not because I am ordering perennials via the mail. Lots of them. Brick mason back to work and has started the front walk. Sounds lime driveway will go in next week.  We are spending differently for sure. Still broke. 

I absolutely loved the perennial garden we started when we moved in. It was gorgeous, but alas they die oot after a while, at least ours did. But money well spent, IMO. 

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I’m probably spending a little less.  We still get food out about the same as we ate in but it’s a bit cheaper to get it to go.  Gas is much less, food a bit more.  

My wife is buying more stuff for the house since she’s home like paint, curtains & such.

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Gas, restaurant, and ez pass costs way down, but groceries took up a lot of that slack. My wife has been keeping us very well fed. So much so that I just can’t loose weight, specially because my cycling mojo is way down lately, but the yard work and gardening keeps me somewhat active, and the 7000 steps per day for 20 days in May thingy at work keeps me concentrating on getting enough movement. I haven’t really looked at the costs in detail. 

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2 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

I too dislike the second citizenship status that goes this way.  Try threatening to leave and see what they will give you.

Yeah, I call it marketing stupidity, creating two classes of cash paying customers. Sometimes I will do the threatening to leave, but that is only as a last resort where they have the best intro deal. Otherwise, I quietly take action and then their "save" employees call me and I am in a power position. But basically, it is "too late, you snooze, you lose"  as I am already set up with your competitor. I usually will do this with internet service between Comcast and Spectrum as I have the rare advantage where I am wired with both companies service distribution posts in my back yard. Actually, last time I saved more with a self install, opening the two boxes and disconnecting the wires servicing my house from the Comcast box and attaching it to an open post in the Spectrum box.

One thing I have found with the call in groveling/threatening to leave approach is that the front line customer service rep that you would dial into  is NOT empowered by the company to make the adjustments that the "Save Department" rep is. Another business failure. In this case though, I did call Bluehost yesterday as I though they ignored my 'manual renewal' when received a $79 (as opposed to $400) billing success notification. Turns out that was a secondary charge for SiteLock (free at Dreamweaver) which they reversed and as I mentioned I was leaving, made a halfhearted attempt to keep me with no real discount of $1 off/mo not even approaching what they offer their own new customers. Since I am sales trained, I am their worst nightmare as I can read their counters.

In this case, going anywhere is the best option as I start clean with nothing old on the server. While might be out for a day or two with the transition, how hard is it to re-upload the website that is sitting in Dreamweaver (or any other web development program) on your computer? That is also a good reason why not to use WIX or other online program as they hold you hostage. With a couple websites it is even easier when the url transfers, simply set up the C-Name redirection/connection to the 3rd party resource (Tourbuzz or the portfolio/shop website at Fine Arts America) that reflects it as my domain in the link rather than their generic domain reflecting them. 

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I was saving a bit but not a lot, because in normal times my wife and I meet friends at a local pub for dinner on Friday evenings, and we do the occasional brunch on Sunday or a dine out once every few weeks.

But any saving are gone when we bought our son a bike for his Uni grad present and replaced our Barbecue.  

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3 hours ago, shootingstar said:

Of course, our European trip...airflights were merely a credit, not refund.

I wonder why?  We had the option of getting a 125% credit OR a full refund.  We went with the refund as 1) we don't really trust/like credits and 2) we may choose a different airline for the next trip, so why tie ourselves up in having to use the credit.

Maybe you took the credit too early and it would be a refund now had you waited?  It will likely be fine, so your vacation in 2021 or 2022 will be great!

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30 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I wonder why?  We had the option of getting a 125% credit OR a full refund.  We went with the refund as 1) we don't really trust/like credits and 2) we may choose a different airline for the next trip, so why tie ourselves up in having to use the credit.

Maybe you took the credit too early and it would be a refund now had you waited?  It will likely be fine, so your vacation in 2021 or 2022 will be great!

No Air CAnada didn't do refunds a lot of folks who were cancelled by covid. I'm not confident it will be fine in 2021.  Until yes, there is a vaccine.

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1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

No Air CAnada didn't do refunds a lot of folks who were cancelled by covid. I'm not confident it will be fine in 2021.  Until yes, there is a vaccine.

That's pretty big BS move. Cancelled flight ought to mean a REFUND, not a credit :(

You're tied to them for the next flight, but I would "untie" myself for future flights.  Look at what other airlines did/are doing for their passengers as a guide.

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32 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

That's pretty big BS move. Cancelled flight out to mean a REFUND, not a credit :(

You're tied to them for the next flight, but I would "untie" myself for future flights.  Look at what other airlines did/are doing for their passengers as a guide.

If they cancelled the flight due to Covid, refunds are available.  If you cancel a reservation and unless you pay the full economy fare, you get travel credits.  That is what the government, not airline, mandates.

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58 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

If they cancelled the flight due to Covid, refunds are available.

Yep. That's our rule, and the one we applied when choosing refund instead of a pretty nice credit.  We patiently waited as our flight went from still on to eventually cancelled, and once that hit, it was a simple on-line set of options to change, get credit, or get full refund.  Couldn't have been easier or more pleasant, actually, which can be rare these days. We were on American, and I have heard grumblings about United, but not sure if it is folks mistiming things or they have gotten worse in the past month.

6 hours ago, shootingstar said:

Really saving alot more moolah now in lockdown?

Probably a wash for us.  I would definitely say that general day-to-day expenses are down, but we still have to eat the same amount :) so that's not really changing.  I also ramped up some donations (tax deductible, though), and recently spent some big bucks on other stuff I had been dilly-dallying on getting, but finally said WTF and did it.  My commuting costs are gone, but so is the monthly stipend I get for that, so there's no "extra" $$$ coming in for that, but our overall gas consumption which is normally low is currently super low.  A shame as that corresponded to super low gas prices, but who really can complain about that?

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7 hours ago, bikeman564™ said:

I'm saving more because I'm not going out to eat as much. I've gotten a few carry oots, but as compared to eat at the restaurant having a few beers, its cheaper.

This. 

And I'm not spending $5-$10 on coffees, etc outside of lunches on work days.

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1 hour ago, Dottles said:

And I'm not spending $5-$10 on coffees, etc outside of lunches on work days.

I can't resist the lattes ...approx. 3 times /wk. or so.  It's nice break from self-isolation all day at home in front of computer for work.  Within the last 4 days, clocked in $101.00 on groceries for this upcoming  wk., plus 2 weekend snack lunches. That's just for myself.  I only buy need to buy groceries on weekend.

Oh well. I don't burn any vehicle gas nor have car insurance/maintenance. And I never did manicures, pedicures, etc.

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4 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

I can't resist the lattes ...approx. 3 times /wk. or so.  It's nice break from self-isolation all day at home in front of computer for work.  Within the last 4 days, clocked in $101.00 on groceries for this upcoming  wk., plus 2 weekend snack lunches. That's just for myself.  I only guy need to buy groceries on weekend.

Oh well. I don't burn any vehicle gas nor have car insurance/maintenance. And I never did manicures, pedicures, etc.

Treat yourself!  Life is short.

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Probably saving about the same.  I spend a bit more on groceries, especially when i stocked up when this all started.  Ordering more takeout so that I don't go to the bigger grocery stores as often.  Spending less on gas, but that wasn't a big expense.  Probably less on clothes, but I have purchsed a few extra lounge/comfy clothes.

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Not leaving the house my money accumulates a lot more than I ever imagined it would. My term life insurance policy’s term is up next month. Who knew I would live this long? I have plenty of money to cover funerals and stuff so I really don’t need life insurance anymore. 

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We cancelled three vacations this spring/summer. We're saving a tank or two of gas each week. And I've been carrying the same twenty dollar bill in my pockets since mid March.

On another note, I talked to my ex coworker yesterday. In past years in preparation for the big weekend, last week should have been their busiest week/weekend of the season. They should have had two trucks running nonstop, delivering mulch and landscape supplies and barely keeping up. But probably due to the virus thing, they only had a handful of deliveries leading up to the weekend. And no deliveries on Saturday (the busiest day of the year). And almost no activity for the small engine sales/repairs. It almost makes me feel bad for ordering my mulch from someone else. Almost. 

I guess I picked a good time to change employers. I start my new job next week. 

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54 minutes ago, team scooter said:

We cancelled three vacations this spring/summer. We're saving a tank or two of gas each week. And I've been carrying the same twenty dollar bill in my pockets since mid March.

On another note, I talked to my ex coworker yesterday. In past years in preparation for the big weekend, last week should have been their busiest week/weekend of the season. They should have had two trucks running nonstop, delivering mulch and landscape supplies and barely keeping up. But probably due to the virus thing, they only had a handful of deliveries leading up to the weekend. And no deliveries on Saturday (the busiest day of the year). And almost no activity for the small engine sales/repairs. It almost makes me feel bad for ordering my mulch from someone else. Almost. 

I guess I picked a good time to change employers. I start my new job next week. 

A brother-in-law stood in line for 45 min. and bought the last of the tomato plants at gardening centre.  People clearly are trying to use their time well..

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8 hours ago, roadsue said:

More in the bank doesn’t even come close to replacing what retirement accounts lost when stock market dropped. 

It has recovered a ton already. If you kept investing on the down slide, that turned into gains.  I guess it depends on what people had their money in.

Our asset allocation is super conservative.  45% equities.  I kept buying large amounts when the blood started running. 

You only really lose when you sell.  

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1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

It has recovered a ton already. If you kept investing on the down slide, that turned into gains

We are in it for the long term. 

And we'll be debt free as of December of this year when the mortgage is paid off.

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