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

I am the same as Blossoming. I have spent a fortune on family and donated lots more to charities/zoos etc.
I have nothing saved. Quite down on earnings too from shorter hours etc.

Commuting costs an enormous amount so the figures dont surprise me. I was saving £50 per week on fuel alone during first lockdown.

Savings, what savings? ? Both my husband and I had to retire early due to ill health and in 2012, after the money ran out, we had to declare ourselves bankrupt! We lost everything we worked over 35 years for!
These days, we exist on a quarter of our former income, and there's nothing left for extras once the bills are paid! As I was born in 1957, I don't get my state pension until I am 66, in August 2023! Both my husband I were in senior positions, with good salaries, our own beautiful house and our children wanted for nothing! Overnight - all gone! ?. These days, I find it impossible not to be bitter! My mental health has suffered seriously, and that's something you can't put a price on! ???

I haven't saved any. My outgoings are no less than before. Not sure where people have been saving all this money...

Hopefully We will be spending all last years credits carried forward from last year. Return ferry to France, flights to Budapest, competition wins overnight stay in a pub with b, b and evening meal. Cinema tickets and a weeks holiday in Gozo

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

We're getting ready for retirement, so anything we've saved will come in handy. I'm sure that we'll have a nice holiday once we're allowed as well.

I'm getting my gardens sorted. I have designed my back garden, that the sun is on all day, and hope the guys will be here the end of March to do it. So I'm going to buy rattan sofas, a firepit, etc so my friends can come round in the Spring/Summer when we are hopefully allowed people even in the garden again. I'll have my summer holidays in my back garden this year lol

Scottydog I feel for you. I'm in the same boat and it's hard. I'm more or less reconciled to being happy with what I have and enjoying the moment.

Maybe Rishi Sunak is reading this thread and gets some ideas about he he could pay for all the people whose finances have been devastated by the pandemic.

Myself also support local shops. But my daughter told me she has bought some Premium Bonds (on-line now apparently) and can cash them in anytime and get back same amount.

Saved a bit due to not having the various pubs pensioners deal meals out. But been very concerned about my brother who works in theatre doing UK + abroad Tours who also lives abroad with his finances. Have sent him over 2 x 25 pounds via on-line banking, but just wish could do more as he has 2 young children to bring up + was self-employed, whereas my children now have left home.

Plus our daily heating cost that's shown on our small smart meter going through the roof. Had to increase our monthly direct debit payments plus make a one-off payment top-up in January.

I've certainly saved quite a bit as no hairdresser, theatre, eating out, and two cancelled overseas trips.

The savings will be spent on home improvements - having spent a lot of time at home I can see my place is looking quite tired and my bathroom definitely needs a complete re-do.

It is interesting that very few intend to actually 'squirrel away' the money, it is all being spent on goods and services so going back into the economy. I understand that good tradesmen are very busy as people have rooms redecorated, gardens redesigned and sorted out, new kitchens fitted. This has to be a good thing surely?

I have worked from home since last March. Saved on commuting but increased household costs. Also helped daughter and partner when she was furloughed and he was out of work. They were still living with me until September with my grandsons so added costs there with extra washing, dryer and hot water.

Probably spending my saved petrol money on the gas bill these first months of the year. Never seem to have the heating off! Same as everyone else on house repairs and upgrades, spent so much time inside must never had noticed for years how shabby some areas have got.

Well darn it, as my ancient, but much loved car, failed the MOT today, and it is not cost effective to spend the money on it to bring it up to standard, it looks like I'm going to have to spend it on a new(er) car

Husband got a new electric car at the end of last year, so as we now have a charging point at home, I may look at getting an electric one. Cheaper to run than petrol cars, especially as we have "free" electricity from the solar panels.

But I'm sad to have to say goodbye to my old jalopy

With no holiday at all last year, no weekend trips, no meals out since October, no activities for foster son and no travel to work for DH as he now has to wfh every day I have saved a lot over last year. I want holiday badly, want weekends away again, want meals out and want foster son to resume his activities.

Like a previous poster, we have a timeshare and have not been able to use it for a years. Luckily we are allowed to roll the weeks forward as long as we pay the maintenance charges so are looking forward to a much longer holiday abroad when I eventually retire in a few years time. I have saved a lot of money not commuting and, luckily, have been able to work from home bar two short furlough periods. It has made me rethink my priorities.. I have given some of my savings to charity and have not bought any new clothes.

I think I’ll hire a skip-possibly two!

I've just given some to my two DS telling them to treat their families. Whether it's a holiday when permitted or items they would like, I don't care. Life has been so restrictive for them.

No savings here, the cost of living went up a lot for us as we've not been able to secure shopping slots at the only supermarket who delivers here. So we've had to shop locally for our groceries and the mini market we're stuck with is really expensive, plus we've bought our meat at online butchers too because there is not much of a selection here it's all packet crap .Sounds ridiculous but it's a massive difference !

Have not saved one penny because things keep going wrong in the house. I am actually worse off by £"1,000

Some of us haven't saved anything, in fact, with all the prove increases since the start of the pandemic, Normal life has cost us a lot more than normal.

Personally, my kids are grown up so there's no home schooling or saving of childcare fees but ido have to live on benefits due to a disability.

I live alone, so my grocery bill isn't massive but since March 2020 my grocery bill has been steadily increasing and not because I'm buying/eating more. I use an app where I scan my shopping receipts and last week's groceries compared with an almost identical week from last April is £6.38 more expensive!

The simple, basic everyday things have increased in price over the past year, 10p increase in a load of bread, 10-15p on 4pints of milk and 20-25p on a dozen eggs, and that's only 3 items.

On top of food items, petrol has gone up by 14p/litre since xmas.

I've just had my annual benefits increase (if you can call it that) letter, it says that from mid-April I'll receive a massive 70p (yes, seventy pence) per week increase.

Just those 3 food-related increases I've mentioned above eat up most of the 70p increase, and I've still got 2 months to wait for it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that some people have been able to save money over the past year but does no-one stop to think about those millions of people who have been worse off since this all started? We see you lucky people who've been better off bragging about your savings and what luxuries you'll be treating yourselves to, is rubbing out noses in it?

Harmonypuss I don’t think posters are ‘ bragging or rubbing others noses in it’ but answering the OP’s question, which referred to a news item and answering honestly. Most of us are very aware we are fortunate and others are in a difficult and different position,