How much extra per month are people saving during the pandemic?

jmlad2020

I know a few people who have managed to leave their rented accommodation in Dublin to work remotely at their parents, So right there they are saving an extra €1000 per month on top of reduced socialising costs.

I'd love to hear how much others are generally saving than before the pandemic. Which seems mad considering people are out of work.

HartsHat

During the proper lockdown, March/April/May and even early June I probably saved an extra 2k overall (no coffee, no lunches, no pints, no travel) but since then back to normal.

OMM 0000

I had to take a 50% pay cut, and just had a baby, so right now my only monthly savings is EUR 400 I'm sticking in a managed fund.

I do still have money left over in my current account each month, but I don't really see that as savings but rather rainy day sort of stuff.

Rikand

I have less money now than I had before the lockdown. The wife found lots of wonderful ways to blow through our savings

LimeFruitGum

Off the top of my head, about 300/month on tolls and petrol. I wasn’t going out every weekend, but let’s say 100-150 a month on social stuff like coffees, pub, snacks, eating out. I may bung what I saved into an AVC or against the mortgage later in the year, will see.

wally1990

Me and my wife got ourselves out of about 4k debt just before covid in march and by April, now saving circa 2.5k a month between us since May so have 7.5k saved,


it's amazing how much absolute rubbish we spent money on before lock down, holidays, eating out, pints, holidays, retail spending when out during the week, you name it


. My wife in particular was awful, constantly tapping the card but lock down forced her to change her habits and its for the better for us.

I'll take the positives,

However I feel really bad for those out of employment with high rents children, bills etcs

It's not all good

lawrencesummers

Rikand wrote: »

I have less money now than I had before the lockdown. The wife found lots of wonderful ways to blow through our savings

I think we might be married to the same person.

wally1990

lawrencesummers wrote: »

I think we might be married to the same person.

Online spending??

One More Toy

Rikand wrote: »

I have less money now than I had before the lockdown. The wife found lots of wonderful ways to blow through our savings

That is why I'll never have a joint account

Mr_Muffin

I try to save 1k a month. During lock down I've been able in increase that by about 400 euro, mostly due to not eating out as often and not having to commute.

beertons

Saved nothing extra. Down 150 a week. And the mortgage was paused for 6 months too.

One More Toy

I'll be down the cost of broadband 35 then 65va month, hoping if I ring them I can haggle

We just hotspotted off our phones but not fast or reliable enough for work unfortunately

antix80

€1500 in commuting and god knows what in travel time. 3 or 4 hours a day.

I never had time to even think about the finishing touches to my house.. Had my front lawn covered in stones to reduce maintenance and now I've planted a few shrubs, 30 flowers,.hung hanging baskets. Out back got the lawn sorted. Inside got nice lamps and frames and ornaments.

I don't know how I'd go back to a commute. It's not all about money. My quality of life is better.
I reckon a day in the office a week would do (just to nab people who are abusing wfh) but all my tasks can be done from home.

Mrs OBumble

About 800 a month extra in savings. And that's with me consciously buying coffees / lunches etc (that I'd never normally buy) to support local businesses that I know are struggling. Savings is mostly because of travel and because MrO was on the PUP so had regular income.

wally1990

antix80 wrote: »

€1500 in commuting and god knows what in travel time. 3 or 4 hours a day.

I never had time to even think about the finishing touches to my house.. Had my front lawn covered in stones to reduce maintenance and now I've planted a few shrubs, 30 flowers,.hung hanging baskets. Out back got the lawn sorted. Inside got nice lamps and frames and ornaments.

I don't know how I'd go back to a commute. It's not all about money. My quality of life is better.
I reckon a day in the office a week would do (just to nab people who are abusing wfh) but all my tasks can be done from home.

1,500 in commuting cost and upward of 60 hours a month in the commute

Christ almighty!!


Your quality of life must have improved ten fold!!

fits

We didnt really save any more. Commuting costs were low anyway and we didnt buy lunch at work pre covid.
We spent any extra on the house/garden (recently built and needs finishing)

Cakerbaker

Didn’t save anything as we were in the middle of building an extension when Covid started. However, the money we saved on Creche / commuting / holidays allowed us to include a bit extra in the building work / get a nicer kitchen etc.

Probably spent the same if not more on take aways etc. Partly out of lazyness and partly out of wanting to support local businesses.

screamer

After the initial few weeks where almost everything was shut, about 3ka month. Again savings on commuting, cooking and taking food to work rather than buying out and childcare savings. Combined with no spending on clothes or general discretionary stuff. But, as life reverts to normal levels, spending is too.....

Smee_Again

I've probably topped up the savings by about €1K more than planned since march but I did also spend about €2.5K doing up the garden, and that definitely wouldn't have been done this year except for covid.

So a little extra but not a huge amount, but I have gotten better value for my money than pissing it away in pubs and take aways.

FaganJr

Between the 2 of us about 15k saved.
Both commuted
Both eat out during week
No holiday
No weekend shopping, just essentials
Less online spending

So by Xmas hope to have close to 25k

As both of us have no intention on commuting again.
Bosses have been informed, just make an appearance once a fortnight.

jmlad2020

FaganJr wrote: »

Between the 2 of us about 15k saved.
Both commuted
Both eat out during week
No holiday
No weekend shopping, just essentials
Less online spending

So by Xmas hope to have close to 25k

As both of us have no intention on commuting again.
Bosses have been informed, just make an appearance once a fortnight.

Oh mer gahd

Didn't really save anything, wife was on unpaid maternity leave for most of it so were just keeping our heads above water. Ah well.

T.V Eye

Moved back home and worked remotely with no pay cut. I’ve saved a few thousand.

I’d usually blow cash on gigs and travel. So that’s been my biggest saving.

I used to walk to work and bring lunches, so those costs don’t factor in.

Uriel.

I probably saved the same.
I drove to work instead of taking bus (but still have annual tax Saver pass, which I've now only cancelled as I can't see me being back on a bus this side of Spring for daily commute).

I ate more at work and had coffees more at work due to longer hours . Both heavily subsidised but still probably costing 8euro a day.

We did have more money to spend though mostly as a result of not going out as much. But we used any reduced expenditure there to get things done in the house. Think we spend near 2k on house improvements.

C19 has coincided with wife's maternity leave so we'd be worse off without the virus from a financial perspective which is weird.
In truth though it has all changed my attitudes towards the pub