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Impact of Coronavirus on Personal Spending – July Update

You’re Welcome La-Z-Boy

I updated my personal spending analysis for July. Interested to see how trends are evolving as my family settles into life after COVID.

  • Lifestyle changes reflect categories that were down or up from increased time spent at home quarantining.
  • Substitutions reflect categories were spending in one category increased, it could take place at home. Where-as the decreased activity could not.
  • Replacements reflect categories that were minimally impacted. Because spending could easily shift on-line or in-store purchases remained essential.

Introduction

Check out June’s Analysis

Lifestyle changes 

Less

  • Gas
  • Uber/Taxis
  • Tolls Parking
  • Travel

More

  • Utilities
  • Home Maintenance
  • Furniture

Spending on transportation continued to be the category most impacted by the Coronavirus. Prior to the outbreak, we were spending around 0.75% of our income on transportation. 

Since the pandemic started and movement restrictions were put into place it’s hovered around 0.25%. A 67% reduction. 

Travel completely reversed from June and was actually negative for the month. Reflecting a refund for a planned trip we were no longer comfortable taking. 

Utilities declined slightly from June due to the timing of our water payment. The overall trend remains up from spending more time at home. 

Home maintenance expenses spiked back up with us returning from our June trip. Noticing additional improvements worth investing in. 

We purchased new couches for both inside and outside the house. Freshening up our living space up as we expect to be home more for the foreseeable future.

Substitutions 

  • The gap further narrows between groceries and meals
  • TV and Internet remain elevated versus pre-coronavirus trend

The gap continued to narrow between groceries and meals outside the home in June. With spending on both reduced for the month since we weren’t traveling.

Big Box store spending is a factor as well, with some grocery spending shifting to Costco’s. Buying in bulk reduces the number of trips to stores.

TV and Internet spending remain elevated versus the pre-virus trend. Owing to a continued reluctance to engage in activities outside the house. Plus, no miniature golf this month as cases spiked back up.

Replacement 

  • Clothing
  • Big Box Stores
  • Gifts/Holiday Spending

Clothing returned to trend. No pre-vacation spending to juice the numbers in July.

Reduction of spending on gifts and holiday’s reflects no holidays requiring an exchange of gifts occurring July. 

Savings

Savings rebounded. While still not returning all the way to their pre-summer level. 

The decrease in travel expenses was somewhat offset by our furniture purchases. You’re welcome La-Z-Boy.

Thank you for Reading

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Steven Miller

Is a CFA® Charterholder and writer focused on providing people with insight on surviving and thriving in a volatile world.

He's published three books. Most recently The World After Covid 19: Coexisting with the Novel Coronavirus.

His musings can be found at stevenlmiller.me. Subscribe to The Pompatus Times for updates.

The CFA designation is globally recognized and attests to a charterholder’s success in a rigorous and comprehensive study program in the field of investment management and research analysis.

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