How has your spending been affected by the shutdown?

My budget is completely out of balance right now.

My gym membership has paused charges, my car insurance provider is offering me a discount, and all the trips I had planned are postponed indefinitely.

While I’m not spending much at bars and restaurants, which used to be a big weekend expense, I find myself spending more than usual at the grocery store.

If you take a look at my budget, the spreadsheet I’ve meticulously set up and depend on to keep me on track, every category is completely out of order. I’m so off course, it’s almost comical.

Are you going through the same thing? What’s going on with your budget?

The pandemic and the stay-at-home mandates have made us rethink how we manage both our time and our finances. While you might be saving on things like childcare and transportation, you may also notice an uptick in other areas that are typically more predictable.

And we can’t ignore online shopping. A Wallethub survey showed that 43% of people admit to “comfort buying” during the pandemic, spending on everything from alcohol and beauty items to entertainment and exercise gear.

Even with all my pandemic savings, if I’m being honest, I’ve just shifted my spending. I’ve definitely splurged a bit, convincing myself, “Well, I’m not spending anything on coffee shops, malls, or gasoline at the moment.”

That’s how I ended up purchasing an indoor bike (since the gym is closed!) and a new vacuum cleaner (I figured I’d need a better one now that I’m home all the time!).

So, what’s going on with your budget at the moment?

Are you spending more, or less? Are you shopping more, or making do with what you already have at home? Can you already tell if this adjustment period might lead to lasting changes in how you handle your finances?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.