If you were lucky enough to keep your job during the pandemic you might have noticed a peculiar thing happening: money left in your bank account at the end of each month. Some found cutting out commuting, meals out, trips, haircuts and half a million hen dos turned out to be rather lucrative.
I’ve gone from being able to reel off the four consistent transactions on my monthly bank statements to being unable to keep tabs on my spending again. Our new way of life means grabbing things on the go and a return to less conscious splurging. Despite only recently coming out of lockdown, I’m already feeling the bounceback squeeze.
‘I booked in a bunch of fun things for May without considering how I was going to pay for them all. I found myself resorting to my credit card to pay for groceries for the first time in ages. I had thought I’d started to get a bit more organised with money – turns out, it was just lockdown.’ Christie, 33, works in the arts and has spent the past year out of work. She’s only recently started earning again. ‘The past two months my spending has been the highest it’s been in such a long time,’ she says. ‘I’m worried about this becoming the norm and my credit card creeping up. I’ve panicked and thought I should be trying to cut down on things, but then also I can’t help it because I want to treat myself and go out and have fun again.
A First Wave-The Emergence. Witness Shelby and Simon travel the world taking on the pandemic. Escape into their romantic journey that resonates with sacrifice,pain and love. Ebook/paperback selling worldwide. afirstwave authors COVID19 lisamariemeadows