Image copyright
Bex Young
My Money is a series looking at how people spend their money – and the sometimes tough decisions they have to make. Here Bex Young takes us through a week in her life in lockdown.
Bex, 32, works for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), at the Jobcentre in Dundee. The centre is closed to the public but she is still going into work in the office, which has introduced social distancing measures.
She loves running and has done several 10ks and half marathons. Her next challenge is the full marathon – she isn’t sure she has the patience for it but is definitely going to try.
She usually spends a lot of time with friends – going for cocktails at weekends, pub crawls and trips to different cities. She also loves fashion and is known for her bright and sparkly outfits and shoes. She is gutted there’s no reason to get properly dressed up just now, with pubs and bars closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Image copyright
Bex Young
Over to Bex….
06:15 – Wake up feeling fed up, another week of lockdown. At least the sun is shining and it’s a bank holiday on Friday so feel a lot better once I’m up and about.
13:20 – Doing different food shops as and when I need to. Head to Lidl on my lunch break and get a pack of Cup a Soups, hash browns, red peppers, onion dip and Mexican rice all for only £3.90.
Total spend: £3.90
13:30 – Go to Tesco on my lunch break today and buy Quorn cocktail sausages and mini cucumbers to snack on. Another nice day so I walk near the City Quay for 20 minutes and enjoy the view.
16.30 – Waiting to move into my new house on 19 June and I’m so glad B&Q has reopened. I go in for paint and, after deciding I need more time, I come out with just three colour charts to study.
Total spend: £2.80
Image copyright
Bex Young
12:30 – M&S here is usually fairly quiet with no queue to get in but there is today. Can’t be bothered but persevere as I want their giant stuffed tortellini and espresso martini bottled cocktail mix, which I find reduced to £5.50, yay! Also buy a box of cherry tomatoes and avocados for a sunny day salad. Grand total £9.50.
15:00 – Arrive home to find my retro games console has arrived from Amazon. It was an impulse buy the other day as it had good reviews and 400 games. After an hour on Tetris and Aladdin I finally switch it off. Pretty good but a bit gutted no Sonic or Super Mario included, though for the price really can’t complain – £15.99.
Total spend: £25.49
Last day of work this week as bank holiday tomorrow and feeling happy after 10k run as it’s super sunny.
Don’t really need any supplies but use my lunchtime exercise to buy some cocktail ingredients as due to the abroad-style sun, decide I am making some at home this weekend – crème de menthe, vanilla ice cream, gin and soya milk from Lidl and Tesco, comes to £27.59.
Total spend: £27.59
Due to my daily food shops on work breaks, I am well stocked with food so don’t need anything today. Go for a run in the local park then start on packing for my house move, starting with shoes and winter jumpers.
As I can’t go for my usual pub time this Friday, I stay in with some gin and my iPad and make my Grasshopper cocktails which taste amazing. After a few drinks I end up online shopping and order a few bodysuits, sandals and a playsuit. 25% off everything so the total is only £60.20.
Total spend: £60.20
Image copyright
Bex Young
My Money
More blogs from the BBC’s My Money Series:
Wake up early and go for a run, then feeling a bit bored, sit around watching documentaries and have a few vodkas before falling asleep really early. No expenditure at all today!
Total spend: £0
Another sunny day, decide to be productive so start with more packing – DVDs and all my jewellery and beauty sets this time.
Drive to Morrisons and Lidl for a few things, feel like a cooked breakfast (veggie style) as girl at work has been selling duck eggs and I have a few left. Get beans, veggie sausages and potato scones and pleased with the result, so good.
Total spend: £3.00
Image copyright
Bex Young
Total spent this week: £122.98
How does Bex feel about her week?
Image copyright
Bex Young
Not too bad, probably more than I’ve spent most weeks in lockdown so far as I bought the online clothes shop which makes up almost half the expenditure. I would usually spend about £150-£200 a week so still a decent saving. I think I’m spending more on food as there is nowhere else to go shop-wise.
We’re looking for more people to share what they spend their money on. If you’re interested, please email my.money@bbc.co.uk or get in touch via our My Money (World) Facebook group, or if you live in the UK, please join our My Money (UK) Facebook group and we’ll aim to contact you.
