How Much Are You Saving during Lockdown?

t2kb123 on 15/10/2020 - 07:57
Last edited 15/10/2020 - 11:48

How much are you saving per week during lockdown?

As Melbourne is still in a hard lockdown one small positive out of all this nonsense is I am saving a little bit more cash. Albeit id much rather have my social life back and see my family and friends as I miss them dearly.

For me the saving are pretty considerable.

My Fixed costs already drop from not having myki (~$30 per week), petrol (~$20 per week) and gym ($15 dollars per week). I would probably spend money eating out as well which is roughly around $50-100 a week which has substantially decreased as I'm doing more home cooking on the weekends.

Would love to see other peoples experiences and thoughts!

Poll Options

  • 27
    Less than $50
  • 18
    100-200
  • 24
    200-300
  • 4
    300-400
  • 51
    More than 500
Financial

Comments

  • SnowDragon on 15/10/2020 - 08:01
    +3

    Nothing really changed except I was WFH for 3 months and probably saved a bit extra on fuel, but I also increased my usage of UberEats and Menulog.

    Overall I was probably a few hundred better off. Was it worth it not being able to go out and have a parmy and a pint with my friends? No.

    • t2kb123 on 15/10/2020 - 08:06

      totally agree, still in a hard lockdown and cant go further than 5km from my place or see family/friends, the small savings is not even close to worth it.

      • Jon Voights Car on 16/10/2020 - 09:57
        +1

        I used to envy a old colleague who was very wealthy for his age. He had several investment properties, a huge home, fishing boat, brand new $100k car, the whole lot. All under 30 years old. Mad respect to him. He saved like a bandit, but the cost of all this was his social life. Didn’t travel, rarely went out for drinks with the rest of us, didn’t go to the footy, etc. It’s only now after this hard lockdown in Melbourne where I’ve effectively lived like him for the past 6mths that I realise life isn’t really life without all those experiences. I’d much rather be out living than being trapped indoors hoarding cash and assets. But hey, he still seemed happy, so each to their own.

        • eclaw on 16/10/2020 - 17:26

          I wouldn't call it a cost - If your colleague could afford $100k cars and a fishing boat - travelling and going to footy or any sort of event for that matter is a just a choice for him to choose from - you've actually knocked it on the head already - each to their own, he probably doesn't attach the same level of importance to the things you desire in life.

    • GG57 on 15/10/2020 - 09:48
      -2

      "Was it worth it…"

      It wasn't a decision you made, and those that made the decision for you were not factoring in your economic windfall. They are focussed on the health management.

      • brendanm on 15/10/2020 - 12:08
        -2

        They are focussed on minimising the damage caused by their poor decision making.

        Fify

  • CrashBeejy on 15/10/2020 - 08:12
    +22

    My spending during lockdown has remained the same. I have just replaced my myki/petrol/gym/eat-out expenses with frivolous items discovered on OzB.

    I have come to enjoy the thrill of opening a package and having no idea what could be inside due to the sheer volume of my online purchases.

  • Luminary on 15/10/2020 - 08:31
    +5

    Somewhere between $50-100 a week… Which doesn't fall under an option in the poll :(

    • dust on 15/10/2020 - 09:21
      +2

      There is also no option for $401 to $500.

  • Davo1111 on 15/10/2020 - 08:58
    +3

    lol poll fail

    • Yummy on 15/10/2020 - 09:41

      Poll too complicated.

      Should be

      Less than $50
      $51-$499
      More than 500

      • iforgotmysocks on 15/10/2020 - 10:43
        +1

        I disagree, it's too imprecise.

        It should be

        Less than $5
        $6-$25
        $26-$50
        $51-$75
        $76-$100
        $101-$125
        $126-$150
        $151-$175
        $176-$200
        $201-$225
        $226-$250
        $251-$275
        $276-$300
        $301-$325
        $326-$350
        $351-$375
        $376-$400
        $401-$425
        $426-$450
        $451-$475
        $476-$499
        More than $500

        • onetwothreefour on 15/10/2020 - 11:55
          +3

          What if I've saved $350.67? Do click $326-$350 or $351-$375?

          • iforgotmysocks on 15/10/2020 - 14:02
            +1

            @onetwothreefour: Hm that's a good point.

            I'll put on a pot of coffee and get some butchers paper and work it all out.

        • Yummy on 15/10/2020 - 12:45

          W
          T
          F

        • 82norm on 16/10/2020 - 14:21

          You got too much time on your hand 👍

  • Vallani on 15/10/2020 - 09:04
    +2

    Saved $50 per week transport, $70 per week after school care, $40 per week incidentals like coffee, drink after work etc. Probably spend an extra $10 per week on electricity. That’s a tax adjusted saving of $10k per year. They will have to drag me kicking and screaming back to the office.

    • Baghern on 15/10/2020 - 10:41

      I reckon much more than $10 on electricity.

      Unless you're one of those weirdos who only does work(laptop) and nothing else that uses electricity

  • CyberMurning on 15/10/2020 - 09:06

    "Albeit id much rather have my social life back and see my family and friends as I miss them dearly."

    they we all are family here at ozb, we meet talk and spend money together every day!

  • Diji1 on 15/10/2020 - 09:06
    -1

    So the usual out-of-control, no idea where the money is going, if it's there I'll spend it thing going on.

  • Choc83 on 15/10/2020 - 09:22

    If you count travel not undertaken? Probably 15k better off….straight to the offset!

  • Muzeeb on 15/10/2020 - 09:34

    I am saving $420 per week. Which box do I tick?

    • SnowDragon on 15/10/2020 - 09:38
      +1

      The hot box.

      • Muzeeb on 15/10/2020 - 10:20

        I see what you did there

  • plmko on 15/10/2020 - 09:54
    +1

    The best thing about the lock down is it helps to put on a price maintaining friends.

  • isthatallyougot on 15/10/2020 - 09:59
    +3

    I'm saving my commute time which gives me more family time which cannot be quantified by $$$$

  • SmiTTy on 15/10/2020 - 10:10

    Not sure which to vote for on 50 - 100 savings

  • ngw3 on 15/10/2020 - 10:16
    +1

    Where is the option for spending more money? I have always been the person in my household that pays for all groceries, and our groceries spending has increased 3x……

  • dasher86 on 15/10/2020 - 10:18
    +1

    Is there i am spending more option?

  • Jugganautx on 15/10/2020 - 10:30

    should be an option for negative savings

  • Baghern on 15/10/2020 - 10:46

    Saved some on travel and buying breakfast/coffee/lunches so around $150 a week

    But this is offset by more goceries (healthier more/better meals), Google play (yeah the apps are loving Covid) around

    Electricity is probably extra $20, with all the things i use/

    Never been a big pub goer, so not much saved there… Though some of my mates are saving a motza, even with home drinking

    I'm up around $80 I think

  • netjock on 15/10/2020 - 10:57
    +1

    $3 a day for the work social coffee.

    $30 a month on fuel because don't have to drive to see the parents.

    Bike to work. Gyms obviously closed but it is part of the building charges I pay for so probably worse off.

  • conan2000 on 15/10/2020 - 11:12
    +1

    My partner and I were saving more than $4k a month in expenses between us! $3k per month on childcare and we have used half a tank of petrol in 6 months, we would be filling up every 7-10 days before, and no trains on commuting either. I never spent much on coffees or lunches at the office, maybe once every 1-2 weeks I'd buy lunch or a coffee. The odd catch-up with people for drinks/dinner etc hasn't happened in months, and we have probably only been having 1-2 home deliveries every month.

    I took the chance to review every expenditure we had though. We reduced our insurances, changed mortgage providers, reviewed all bills (installed solar panels as our power bills were going way up), so not savings as much for these ones, but definitely seemed like an opportune time to review costs while we could and in case there was any impact to our jobs.

    We have put kids back in childcare part-time now. So that's about $2k per month we are now spending again.

  • onetwothreefour on 15/10/2020 - 11:57
    +1

    $50 a week saving on Opal card although I'm going to work one day a week now so only saving $35 a week. Electricity increased by 70% the last quarter compared to the same time last year so I'm probably coming out even.

  • CheapskateQueen on 15/10/2020 - 12:21

    saving on Opal is great, that's like $40-50 a week.

    I BYO lunch/coffee at work (or buy coles ingredients daily) so that's not been a saving. I've definitely eaten more during WFH so groceries have gone up. lol.

    Most my savings came from lack of social life - which is not great.

  • TChalla on 15/10/2020 - 12:34

    $50 Opal
    $70 Lunch
    $35 Coffee

    ~$155 Total give or take the lunch meals

  • Donaldhump on 15/10/2020 - 12:57
    +2

    takeaway coffee ~$30
    food ~$50

    online gambling on greyhounds ~-$120
    chain smoking ~-$100

    -$140

  • Bargain80 on 15/10/2020 - 13:24
    +1

    $3.5 takeaway coffee replaced with grounds coffee from woolies.
    No $50/week petrol
    No $40/week tolls
    $400/year gym replaced with $400 bike
    Less car service maintenance
    Increased electricity is not so much because offset from tax return and we have solar panel.

  • Ghost47 on 15/10/2020 - 17:33

    That explains why people are so for the tax cuts here lol.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 15/10/2020 - 20:32

    Savings

    Spending way less not going out and eating out ($80-150)

    Not paying for my gym membership (~8$ a week)

    Petrol ($25)

    Other social events movies, shows, live sport etc ($100-200)

    Daily Coffee ($4)

    Expenses

    We do get Menulog once a week ($50-60)

    Gambling more ($20-50)

  • MontyMacaw on 16/10/2020 - 08:11
    +1

    I can’t go to the casino. You work it out :-p

    • t2kb123 on 16/10/2020 - 08:15
      +2

      you are now making less money because you're a really good gambler??

      • MontyMacaw on 16/10/2020 - 09:17
        +1

        Yes!! That must be it…

  • Rockets84 on 16/10/2020 - 11:16
    +1

    I'm in WA, was already WFH for the last 3+ years and my wife is a stay at home mum so we've barely noticed any changes to our spending. If anything it increased a bit with buying stuff like puzzles and arts & crafts supplies for the kids to do something that wasn't screen time during our lockdown. We also increased our takeway spending a bit too to try and support some of the local small businesses.

  • nephilim on 16/10/2020 - 14:37
    +1

    Ironically we planned to go to China this year, so about 4-5k between 2 people.

  • Foxtail on 16/10/2020 - 16:58
    +1

    Like many work from home so nothing.

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