Is it just me . . . . lockdown $$s

[Pat-inCO]

Is it just me or have you been spending perceptibly less money for the last two months?

This month included six month car insurance AND Fire Protection District (quarterly),
yet my check book is in better condition than it was without the car insurance the
last time around. :shock:

I just got one of the credit card bills and adding in the total on the other one, it is
about HALF of what I normally run. :shock: . :shock: . :shock:

Boring as all billy blue, but sure spending a LOT less money. :wink:

Let's hope the "reopening" will get spending back to normal (LOTSA mo fun).

 

[Captain America]

My wife and I have noticed the same thing. My local ECHL team should be costing me a a bunch of money right now because I think they could have gone all the way this year, I also would have been spending money on some Flyers playoff tickets. Those two items alone would have easily been $1500. My gasoline costs were never super high($200 a month for both of us) but I’ve spent about $30 in the last 5 weeks.

 

[Bob Wright]

Yes, that goes for Nita and me also. Less travel=less gas+gas is $1.49 gallon.

No eating out, saves a pretty nice sum, as we always ate out after church on Sunday, plus a drive during the week to some little out of the way place.

We get take out, but that involves a less generous tip. Also,while I haven't spent it and keeping it in reserve, the money for our Sunday School class fund, which was maybe $2.00~$3.00 per week. As to tithes and offerings, I have mailed that in each week, so we're up to date on our tithes and other offerings.

Bob Wright

 

[JFB]

the same, maybe more!
carry out meals are the same price as if being served, still giving same tip if not more

 

[loaded round]

My saving and checking accounts were in excellent shape since we couldn't go anywhere to spend money plus my stimulus check showed up 3 days ago. Was very happy until yesterday when my water heater gave up the ghost after about 20 years. Spending 1125.00 for a new Bradford White Hot Water Heater tomorrow. There goes my stimulus check!

 

[bogus bill]

No, yes, no. Dont know. Just before the pandemic the wife had me spring for over $5,000 in furniture. I have spent to me, a fortune in doctor bills that insurance didn't cover in the last year. Finally THOUGHT I had paid everything but got blind sided with a over $1,600 hospital bill a week or two ago. So no, we would be wearing barrels if I didn't have a 401K. The real problem is it`s the worst time ever to be selling stock! We are retired.

 

[Fox Mike]

Glad to hear what I was thinking. I haven't spent nearly as much lately. Eating 'home cooked' more and not eating out does save. I did buy a pistol but that had been 'preplanned'

 

[Sturgis270]

S.E. Wisconsin and our gas is now $1.09. Not doing much driving as most things are shut down. Did go to a hardware store and Walmart to pickup a prescription. Being retired this virus has not affected me personally and I also seem to be saving $$. We have been doing some carryout dinners from local restaurants. I feel pretty bad for these small business people trying to hang on. Until you see it you cannot believe the smiles and thanks they give you when you drop a $20 bill on top of a $20 payment for a pizza or a couple of burgers.

 

[bogus bill]

Well, it does keep you out of the casino`s etc etc.

 

[Pat-inCO]

There goes my stimulus check!

Look on the plus side . .
brandie-new water heater and you are a few dollars ahead.

 

[SamV]

We are certainly spending less on gasoline. My college age sons are definitely spending much less, no meals out, less entertainment spending. Basically they have nothing to spend money on right now. My oldest son, still at home, now works from home, has nothing to spend money on right now either. No lunches, dinners or happy hour with co-workers. No commuting costs, he hasn't started his car in a month. No sporting events to attend.
On the other hand, our food bill has gone up, because my kids probably ate at least a third of their meals out before this. No complaints though, I am just happy everyone is here and healthy.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Spending more on TP, less on just about everything else. especially food. I'd eat out several days a week and not think about the cost. Then I put pencil to paper, figured it out, and allocated that much to the supermarket fund (which normally just covered coffee and cat food.) I'd forgotten how much one could take home in groceries for the cost of just a couple of meals in a restaurant. But there's no socialization now, and I dunno how to put a value on that.

Rick C

 

[blume357]

Spending more.. on food and take out. Also; sugar, yeast and propane......

But you are right about gas... of all the times for the price to drop... now no work (work van gets 10mph) ... no place to go

 

[Bull Barrel]

My saving and checking accounts were in excellent shape since we couldn't go anywhere to spend money plus my stimulus check showed up 3 days ago. Was very happy until yesterday when my water heater gave up the ghost after about 20 years. Spending 1125.00 for a new Bradford White Hot Water Heater tomorrow. There goes my stimulus check!

Talk about spending unselfishly!
You paid those nice people to install a device to heat hot water!
That's luxury! :mrgreen:

 

[Gator89]

The cost of groceries has gone up, especially meat and poultry.

 

[tinman]

Gas is $1.20 and Mama's car hasn't moved since this started (she's working from home). I have not seen grocery prices rise, but have noticed a drastic decrease in the number of "sale" stickers. And yes, my spending has been way less during this time...... but I am getting tons of stuff accomplished around the casa. 8)

 

[Mega Twin]

No, yes, no. Dont know. Just before the pandemic the wife had me spring for over $5,000 in furniture. I have spent to me, a fortune in doctor bills that insurance didn't cover in the last year. Finally THOUGHT I had paid everything but got blind sided with a over $1,600 hospital bill a week or two ago. So no, we would be wearing barrels if I didn't have a 401K. The real problem is it`s the worst time ever to be selling stock! We are retired.

I had a bypass last August,and still receiving bills from the hospital.

 

[contender]

It's simple economics. Change your habits & your expenses either go up or down.

Due to those who have had to give up certain pleasures,, their expenses have decreased.

 

[Fox Mike]

Well, it does keep you out of the casino`s etc etc.

They are closed as well.

 

[vito]

My wife and I are spending less overall. She is ordering more online stuff to satisfy her quilting and other crafts needs (and if anyone tells you that quilting is just piecing together old scraps of fabric, they don't know much about quilters today. Its not uncommon for my wife to spend $300 to $500 on materials, spend weeks or more on a quilt, then gives it away to a friend or relative!). For us the two big savings are in not eating out at restaurants, and using a tiny fraction of the gas that we normally burn up. Several of our grown kids and our grandkids live about 90 minutes driving from us, plus my wife and I end up driving to either Milwaukee or less often Chicago for shopping and museums, and all of that driving has been eliminated. About the only increase in spending for me has been that out of boredom I am more likely than in the past to just order something from Amazon that catches my fancy, whether I need it or not.

But the reality is that the loss in my 401k in the stock market more than dwarfs whatever gains I am making by spending less. I am trying to be optimistic that when normalcy returns, so will the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

 

[bogus bill]

Well, we are getting a dose of how our parents lived in the 1920`s and 1930`s.

 

[Rook]

still giving same tip if not more

Why would you do that? The waiters and waitresses have been laid off. You just like giving your money away?

 

[Kevin]

still giving same tip if not more

Why would you do that? The waiters and waitresses have been laid off. You just like giving your money away?

It’s helping those less fortunate. We had a cleaning woman come once a week. She isn’t coming into our house this past month but we are still paying her.

Why? She needs it, I’m sure she doesn’t have much work these days, but still has kids to feed.

 

[Cooperhawk]

We had gas at .99 cents last week. Now up to $1.09. My storage tank is full or I would order more.
We eat carry out at least once a day trying to help our favorite places stay afloat.
Just prior to this we got a quarter of beef from a farmer neighbor so we are well supplied with everything we need. My retirement still come as usual. No worries.

So we got a stimulus check. Don't need it so we gave it to our ex daughter in law who is raising our grand kids. She needed it more than us.

Got local carpenters doing work on the house. They need the work.

Times are really tough out there, but we are blessed.

 

[JFB]

still giving same tip if not more

Why would you do that? The waiters and waitresses have been laid off. You just like giving your money away?

Nope, small independantly own places so it is still the same people working.
the same persons that would have waited on me at a table now takes the phone order (most time they know what I want without ordering)

when I don't want to tip, I go to the chain places

 

[Jeepnik]

Yea, you are probably right except I'm going to be buying a new truck this week. I'll pay cash so I can't say I've saved anything during this fiasco.

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I seem to be spending less. We are not eating out except for fast food now and then.
I am retired so my income had not been affected...my wife is still working,as she is considered essential, as is my son.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Spending more at the grocery store but it seems to last longer. Really glad to see those folks doing their jobs. New American Heroes.

 

[mishtub]

My car is getting about 2 weeks to the gallon, now.

 

[RSIno1]

far less gas, eating out, entertainment adds up pretty fast. Maybe America will wake up and start putting a little aside for when it comes back next winter.