Do you have new saving habits developed at home due to the virus

[dsmrp]

My parents were from large families during WWII, and my MIL was a Russian immigrant who also lost all her family in WWII too. So they rarely wasted food, and DH & I learned the same habits. But I have another habit of letting unopened food really go past out date, and I try to be creative to use it in baking. Funny but DD said to me in December, "Mom, it's okay to throw it away. It's not like we have a wide spread emergency and have to conserve food"....Uh huh, wide-spread emergency, check.
DD has always said tho' in a natural disaster, she's coming to my pantry & freezer for food.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Eating all meals at home. Kind of crazy for us. That is really saving a lot of money right now. Not driving anywhere so saving a lot in gas. We are definitely home bodies lately.

Not traveling because of the virus is a savings. Not a great way to save money, when you have a lot of timeshares you hope to use each year.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I notice my college kids are not hitting the credit cards so hard on Ubers, coffee, restaurants, etc. We would spend $300 a month on Uber especially in the winter. (Still cheaper than owning and parking a car at school.)

Not traveling will save a bundle (but boring)

 

[mdurette]

I actually think I am spending more money right now, my credit card was no less this past month. I am a "do not pay retail" for just about anything. I typically shop sales, use coupons and savings apps. Now....if I need/want it and I can find it, I buy it. My grocery bill is insane, but I also have stockpiles up enough frozen meat to last me to summer.

I do however agree with less waste. Early on I went through the freezer and actually cooked stuff that has been in there way to long anyway, normally it would have been thrown away. I made garlic bread the other night with left over hot dog rolls. My freezer has frozen loaves of bread that were too stale for sandwiches, but will be used for French toast. I cook and eat items in order of expiration. Even hubby, when he looks in the fridge for leftovers or lunch, he picks the item that has been in there the longest instead of what he wants.

 

[DaveNV]

I made garlic bread the other night with left over hot dog rolls. My freezer has frozen loaves of bread that were too stale for sandwiches, but will be used for French toast.

How about bread pudding? I'm not much of a cook, but I remember my Mom making bread pudding with stale bread.

Dave

 

[Chrispee]

We eat really well at home but mostly buy sale items. We have chosen to not shop in-store since the middle of March, so I've found it a bit limiting finding variety in good sale items from our grocery delivery and curb side pickup vendors. As a result, if bacon's on sale we end up with 5 packs... asparagus on sale last week, so I bought enough for 4 meals. I can't see those habits lasting after the crisis is over. We have always maintained a 1 month stock of dry goods and non perishables for disaster planning, but I think we're up to 2 months stored now and that will probably be the new normal.

One change that I can see sticking for me; in mid-March when it became evident that this was going to be a serious issue I splurged on a nicer espresso machine and grinder for the house. I used to go to my neighbourhood cafe daily and have a drink and read the paper, but I think that routine may have been replaced for good now.

 

[AnnaS]

The only items that we are being stingy with is napkins and tp.

We do not order out much - my husband is not a fan of Chinese food and he makes his own pizza. Very, very rarely we would pick something up or have something delivered. Now - Zero.

We do go out to eat here and there - now - Zero.

Saving on gas - as is everyone.

Everything else, like everyone here has mentioned, we are not wasteful with our cooked meals, I always use the last drop of dish detergent, conditioner, lotion.