Have any of your habits changed b/c of Coronavirus?

[core]

@AverageJoesCreditI haven't heard anything about 2018 filers getting their payment any later than 2019 filers.  If you're waiting for a paper check in the mail, then perhaps I can see a delay there.  But no excuse for that as anyone could have submitted their direct deposit info starting last month.

I have not filed 2019 and won't be doing so until October, same as every year.  I mailed in my TY 2018 return (paper) right after the bill passed but that return of course is now sitting in storage until the IRS decides to go back to work.  So I simply submitted the non-filer thing online and got my $1200 direct deposited several weeks ago.  Because it was true:  At the time I submitted that form online I had not officially filed a 2018 return.  And my taxable income is well below the threshhold for it to make any difference anyway.

P.S.  Before anyone makes fun of me for filing paper returns, I don't really have a choice.  I will NOT pay a company $30-50 or whatever just for the privilege of filing my taxes.  I tried the free filing services but it's like:  Oh, you need to file a Schedule C or two?  Not free.  Schedule F?  Also not free.  Got an HSA or gambling income?  And tiny income from a couple of S corps, you're definitely outta there.  It's very discouraging.

[AverageJoesCredit]

---

@M_Smart007 wrote:

@AverageJoesCredit, You could'nt file through Turbo Tax?

---

Never tried, dont think so since i have to do local (PR) and do a Fed one for my small selfemployed one.

@core , not to go political but google Puerto Rico and you'll  understand the mess im in. We dont get the money same as US,  we are last ones to get anything  and those of us who hadnt done taxes in 2019  are still waiting, including those of us who did file 2018. IRS should have my bank info but who knows, im waiting for a local portal to allow me to share my bank info. If not looks like ill get a check . The unemployment  system here is so bad nobody knows when we will see our money. #NoFaith

[bizarrocreditworld]

---

@iced wrote:

My SO and I haven't had any major changes to habits nor long-term effects come from the pandemic. We were prepared for any financial hardship prior to the pandemic so no adjustments were required when it did come.

We're saving a few grand per month on daycare costs and fuel from SO's commute, but otherwise spend's about the same. We're still eating out as much as we did before, it's just now all takeout and going to a park or back home instead of in a restaurant. Our emergency savings was flush before this began, so what we do save is just going into the stock market or additional rainy day savings.

I worked from home before the pandemic so there was no major changes to my work habits. SO is now working from home, which admittedly is a bit of an adjustment for her.

---

I'm in a similar position to @iced . I didn't have to change anything (I also work from home), but my wife is working from home, but she anticipates going back to her office (she's a mental health therapist in private practice), but she knows at best half of her clients will see her in person, while the other half will have sessions over the phone. Her groups are pretty much virtual until 2021 due to the lack of space in her office for social distancing. The weird thing is that I was expecting to be furloughed in March, but my department (as well as most of my company) is as busy as it usually is. My wife's practice has held steady and is starting to go up after a slight drop at the beginning of the NYC shutdown. 

The spend is somewhat lower since my wife doesn't use gas to go to and from her office and our commuting expenses are zero. Food costs are the same, and we have enough in savings to cover most significant emergencies.

[Tonya-E]

---

@Cindy_FICO wrote:

We are looking to write a blog post about the financial habits you've changed to save money or if you learned any new skills that you'll continue to hone and use to save money after this is all over.

Please share below - thanks!

---

I have reduced spending via eating out less and just not buying unnecessary items. I have also used some savings to pay off outstanding debt to reduce any payments that have to go out of the household monthly. I figure the less we have to spend monthly the better. It can only help down the road. Edited to add that financially nothing has changed in the household. My position is virtual for the company I work for and my husband works for the power company. He has to go in. I am still home (as usual). I am trying to make sure we have no debts aside from the house. You never know what could happen. Next year we can start aggressively paying that down.

[Anonymous]

---

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:

---

@M_Smart007 wrote:

@AverageJoesCredit, You could'nt file through Turbo Tax?

---

Never tried, dont think so since i have to do local (PR) and do a Fed one for my small selfemployed one.

@core , not to go political but google Puerto Rico and you'll  understand the mess im in. We dont get the money same as US,  we are last ones to get anything  and those of us who hadnt done taxes in 2019  are still waiting, including those of us who did file 2018. IRS should have my bank info but who knows, im waiting for a local portal to allow me to share my bank info. If not looks like ill get a check . The unemployment  system here is so bad nobody knows when we will see our money. #NoFaith

---

I'm so sorry you're in this situation! I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and my heart truly goes out to you and our other compatriotas that are suffering. How's your job search? let me know if there is anything I can do to help

[AverageJoesCredit]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:

---

@M_Smart007 wrote:

@AverageJoesCredit, You could'nt file through Turbo Tax?

---

Never tried, dont think so since i have to do local (PR) and do a Fed one for my small selfemployed one.

@core , not to go political but google Puerto Rico and you'll  understand the mess im in. We dont get the money same as US,  we are last ones to get anything  and those of us who hadnt done taxes in 2019  are still waiting, including those of us who did file 2018. IRS should have my bank info but who knows, im waiting for a local portal to allow me to share my bank info. If not looks like ill get a check . The unemployment  system here is so bad nobody knows when we will see our money. #NoFaith

---

I'm so sorry you're in this situation! I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and my heart truly goes out to you and our other compatriotas that are suffering. How's your job search? let me know if there is anything I can do to help

---

Thank you @Anonymous  .  Its tuff .  My job hasnt officially closed 100% so theres a little hope as things open up  it may reopen but for now not really looking yet as you can imagine not alot of jobs available. 

Whats so frustrating is the money is there but theres so many problems with unemployment system almost no one is getting their money, me included. I know ill get it eventually, probably a big check but that doesnt solve the now where we need to eat and pay bills. This upcoming Saturday  will be my fourth ( 2 week each claim)  claim  and   i still have  my controversial point.  Im just going to wait for their call, it really is a mess. 

Thankfully my credit habits i learned here allowed me to be mostly up to date on my bills  but as anyone knows eventually  money needs to flow.  On a Positve note, i did get my Stimulus yesterday. Just paid my next months Penfed loan so gives me another month to figure out July.  Appreciate your kind words, they mean alot

[Anonymous]

---

@Cindy_FICO wrote:

We are looking to write a blog post about the financial habits you've changed to save money or if you learned any new skills that you'll continue to hone and use to save money after this is all over.

Please share below - thanks!

---

Our habits have changed tremendously at our household. For a long time, I've been worried that while we were not incurring any new debt, we did not know where our money was really going. I went ahead and subscribed to YNAB and now track every single transaction. We created our first working budget and have been sticking to it. 

In addition to creating a budget and tracking our spending, we have also been cooking at home and only eating out a handful of times per week. This has allowed us to save hundreds of dollars per month and I've lost 20 pounds as well. I went through our spending and got rid of wasteful spending - credit cards with annual fees that we were not really using much, gym membership that had not been used in months and was costing $90/month. We sold a car that was sitting there and we were having to pay insurance and car payments for, despite not using it. 

Lastly, all these changes have put us on a plan to save money, invest money and pay off debt. if we stick to the plan I created, we could pay off every debt we have, including our mortgage in the next five years.

These changes will ensure that if we have some sort of financial crisis in the future, we will be prepared, with sufficient savings to weather the storm, without having to borrow money.

[Anonymous]

 I have been budgeting for many years so no issues there. I've just gotten more aggressive with savings.
With all the cash we have, I am still going to be a tightwad. Covid19 just reaffirms that I was on the right track. I'm frugal/cheap but I don't care. Cash is so important now with everything going on. We didn't have a worry when all of this first started. We are back on track again, I thank God every day for my blessings.  

[Roarmeister]

I'm still working full-time unlike a lot of people; still getting the same paycheck 2x a month.  I'm Canadian and haven't received 1 red cent of any kind of handout or stimulus money.

Reduced eating out.

Reduced travel.

Watching ***less*** TV, if that makes any sense. (Think about, no sports, no need to watch anything!)

More online shopping.

More gazing at nature.

Going to bed 1/2 hr earlier. (not sure why but I am at my home office 1/2 earlier too! and quit 1/2 earlier.)

Doing a LOT of video conferencing.

I put more thought into what food do I need before shopping instead of just picking up what I wanted in the aisle.

-- Broke my habit of vehicle payments!  (Paid out!!!)

-- Buying more precious metals.

[SweetCreditObsession]

I'm purchasing groceries almost entirely online now. As a result, I'm paying attention to my rewards and making multiple payments on my CCs. 

I got a personal loan to pay off my card balances and contacted my auto insurance company  to get a reduced premium since I am working from home. My insurance bill was reduced by $150 per month. I am saving at least $200 per month on CCs.