How COVID-19 Changed My Money Mindset – Part II

As I mentioned from a couple of posts ago, the pandemic has changed my money mindset to a different level. A level where I wonder things such as “What if I suddenly can’t work?” or “What if I get sick?”, among other questions. So I made some changes.

These fears made me not want to spend money…at all. Where I live, we had all non-essential businesses (malls, restaurants, etc.) shut down for awhile, and things were strict with going out, etc. Unless you shopped online, which I didn’t, there weren’t many places to spend money. However, my mindset had shifted, and I didn’t want to spend money anyway.

Now, I’m a single mom of two, so when it comes to my debt payoff, it is a challenge, but when all you’re really doing is sitting at home and going to work, it becomes a tad easier. I realized that I was starting to save money more than before, without struggling. I wasn’t living paycheck to paycheck which was a pretty great feeling.

I then found out about a deal going on with an online bank account, called Tangerine. They were offering a higher interest savings account for several months. My boyfriend has had an account with them for years now, and was able to vouch for them, as I was a bit sketchy about such a good deal. They are also a sister company to a much larger well-known bank, Scotiabank, which helped to instill confidence in them.

So I signed up for both a chequing and savings account with them two months ago, and the interest from the savings account has been great!

Another thing I looked at was my internet bill. Wow, how it had skyrocketed throughout time. I even talked with a couple of friends who agree that that was a high amount. So, I got on the phone with my internet company and asked them to lower it. They gave me a six month deal which is now saving me $35.00 per month. I will call back in six months to see what else they can do for me once that goes back up again.

I also went through my online banking for this year so far, and looked at what I had been spending money on and how much. I realized I could definitely cut back on some things. It’s funny when you take a look at what you’ve been spending and realize how you don’t notice the little things that really add up!

One of the things that I noticed was higher than I thought was my grocery spending. I’ve become more conscious of that now. Also, where I shop, they have this points system where certain food items in the store get you points if you buy them. They differ every week and show you the deals on their app, which I have. Once you get a certain amount, you can use them as “money” to help pay for your groceries. So, I now have really started paying attention to what these deals are each shopping trip and plan my meals around these items. I have definitely noticed a difference on how quickly my points add up now! It’s become somewhat of a game to me to see how many points I can get each week.

I think that about covers the majority of how my mindset has shifted in regards to how I’m spending, or rather not spending, my money these days. Do you find a difference in your mindset with money since COVID-19 has begun? Or maybe it shifted for another reason? I’d love to hear your stories.