How are you going to spend the money saved during lockdown?

In the country where we live there isnt a total lock down,I have saved a bit even so, as there are restrictions, however I am helping two of my Grandsons who are at university and need extra money,I dont need much for myself, except more money for the extra electricity used during this freezing weather,all money well spent.

I don't think we have saved any money really. We have shopped pretty much the same as we always have except that everything has been delivered, and that of course incurred delivery charges. We have probably bought fewer clothes but any saving from that has been spent on the garden or hobbies. We discovered several local food suppliers so have been enjoying delicious meat, veg, dairy and bread products produced just a few miles away and supporting the local economy at the same time. They tend to be more expensive than the big supermarkets but better quality and flavour. I think our theory was if we're likely to be wiped out by a virus we might as well eat well in the meantime!

I bought an electric bike. With a lung condition I'm not fit enough to go far/ uphill on my normal bike, though I love getting exercise outdoors. Can't wait for warmer days, lifting of restrictions, to cycle to a canalside pub (16 miles away, near my daughter's) to meet up

My first reaction was "What money?"

Prices here have gone up for groceries and the like since the first lockdown started. I doubt we have saved anything at all.

Do tell: how have you all managed to save?

We have lost not saved. Lucky we are low spenders anyway so can still float.

I haven’t saved anything as my OH lost his job and, because I have a good pension , he can’t get any benefits. He’a 64 so not much hope of a job when this situation ends and he won’t get his state pension for a couple of years.

Have no idea where they get their figures from!
In my case, haven't saved anything ! The grocery bill has gone up, mainly because I am having to shop at Asda rather than Aldi or Lidl because neither of those do either click and collect or deliveries in my area.
Any pet food or items or in fact the majority of the things I need may well have had to come by mail order, but then I have had to pay anything up to £7 or at least £4 sometimes per item when, if doing normal shopping from a shop, I would be able to get several items all in one trip !

We have ordered a new base and shed for our allotment. We have had new blinds fitted in the lounge plus new oak handrails and a glass staircase . It has transformed the hallway. Just waiting for the decorator to do the wallpaper as it is 2 huge drops. Other half constructed a great canopy over the patio ( similar to a car port) but is wonderful as we can now sit out in all weathers. We would not have done any of this without lockdown but we have missed a lot of holidays plus all my 70th celebrations did not happen except seeing my daughter . Could be worse couldn’t it? We are wondering why we are saving given our age but it has been instilled to save fir a rainy day and always have a financial cushion just fir emergencies.
Don’t need shoes/ clothes but bought new walking coat which has been a godsend plus plenty of books as well as used the library.

I’ve already been buying things for my children & grandchildren that they wouldn’t afford to buy for themselves: new felted wool Haflinger slippers, faux fur jackets or dressing gowns for the girls, smoking jackets for the chaps, books galore. They need cheering up. I’m not virtue signalling but I also find myself giving more than usual to charity.

Well I guess people have saved money they would otherwise have spent on foreign holidays (although some people did get away last summer), meals out and shopping generally.
I am not a fan of online clothes shopping so I have bought very little for over a year now.

We have managed to save but I agree that the figure quoted for the country as a whole does seem extraordinarily high.

We must have spent a lot less on petrol, but we don't seem to have a surplus..!!
Our grocery bill is much higher as we've had Ocado deliveries,
( instead of going into Aldi & Tesco).
We've also spent more on our children & 5 grandchildren.
The TV licence charging came just as DH was 75, so no change there.

We live well, but are quite frugal & careful.

Peasblossom
Good luck with buying a shed. We had difficulty finding any available (needed special specifications to suit space where an old one was being replaced) but finding a suitable one put in an order mid September. Possible delivery due in 10-12 weeks. Finally had it delivered yesterday - in the snow!!

I’m worse off now than I was before lockdown. I am self-employed so not eligible for furlough, so am watching my savings dwindle.

I have bought new white goods for the kitchen .

Good grief! I'm amazed so many have saved money. It cost me much more as I still need to keep my car insured, maintained and taxed, having to shop online means I need to pay far more than I normally would. I usually use an Asian food shop and bulk buy rice, lentils, Yoghurt, so now buying pricier food, not being able to look in the reduced stuff, £4.50 for delivery etc. More heating & lighting costs yet I'm one of the lucky ones.

I feel really sorry for those who have lost their livelihood and are struggling to feed their children (or themselves) and have been donating a bit to local appeals as well as my usual MVAWG organisation so a wee bit into my overdraft at the moment.

The Garden Centres are open around here so I think I'll invest in some new gardening tools and maybe a new wheelbarrow.
I'm really looking forward to spring.

Money? What money? My husband is self employed and hasn't had a day's work since last March Lockdown began. We can't claim any Universal Credit as my state pension and very small private pension are deemed to be 'enough for two people to live on' Ha! I know there are people far worse off than us and at least we can cut down and down where as families can't.
Our only pat on the back is that we have never been in any debt so we congratulate ourselves and are trying hard to be glad we have a roof over our heads, food in the cupboards and the heating is on!

I’ve recently spent the equivalent of a holiday on a puppy following the loss of a much loved 12 year old dog. Worth every penny!

I'm retired so I didn't lose my income. I will have saved some money on petrol but I think I spent more extra than I saved on groceries because of having to buy more expensive brands in the shortages. Who saved those billions? The government perhaps?

We haven't saved much nor have we had to spend much extra so we have been very fortunate.

I'm hoping to get the bathroom refitted but can't face the upheaval in the cold weather. The sink is held together underneath with Araldite so I can't put it off for much longer

Other than that we'd like a special meal out with the family and couple of nights in the UK and meeting up with friends so nothing extravagant.

We have bought some things while in lockdown most have been replacements, a new kettle last week - not very exciting.

I've spent about £20 extra on seeds and bulbs to add more colour in the garden as I think we'll be spending most of the summer at home this year.

Having written this we seem very dull.

We have saved quite a lot due to not going out for lunch with friends, going to the hairdresser, no new clothes or shoes bought, hardly any mileage on the car, no holidays ( we had lots planned as both DC finally in their own homes), no kennel fees for said holidays. The heating costs have not changed because we would have been at home anyway, but we probably spend a bit more on food at home, extra wine etc., just to make life more enjoyable. Would like to have a couple of rooms decorated, but can't bear the thought of doing it ourselves with the ensuing mess.

Saved! You’re joking. Both my daughter and granddaughter became self employed 5 months before the first lockdown so never had figures for 2018/19 as they hadn’t been self employed for a year. So no help at all from the government. My ‘savings’ and much more have been going to help them with their day to day living. Things have been very tough for some people, not only them. They were both working hard to build up a business each and this has been disastrous for them. I’m glad I can help them but feel so sorry for anyone else who hasn’t had family to help them out in these very difficult times.

I envy those who saved money by not going on holiday. We normally have three timeshare weeks in the Lake District and the summer in our static caravan in France. We still have to pay the management fees and site fees without actually being able to take a holiday!

I have taken up sewing again after a long break and turned a spare bedroom into a dedicated sewing room. I have spent money on a shelving/cupboard unit and also invested in an overlocker which I now wish I had bought years ago.Tomorrow an electrician is coming to put extra sockets in there for me.

I have spent money on fabrics and other necessities. I am now learning to sew bags so have spent money on fasteners, clips etc.

Because we both work very close to home (when not locked down) and have little or nothing to spend on clothes or entertainment under normal circumstances, the 20% salary lost in furlough and the extra spent on heating and lighting has more than outstripped the saving in petrol (we always take packed lunches and both our employers supply free tea and coffee for workers) so the pandemic has cost us rather than saved us, sadly. Seen £1500 disappear from savings in the year gone past.