‘SINCE BEING TOLD TO STAY INDOORS, I HAVE MORE SPARE CASH THAN EVER …AND I CAN’T HELP FEELING GUILTY ABOUT IT’

There are any number of things guaranteed to cause offence in the current climate: coughing in public and leaving your house more than once a day among them. But the thing no one has yet dared admit? Having more money to spare than ever.

With thousands facing job insecurity and struggling to pay rent, and food banks increasingly stretched, it’s hardly surprising that people like me aren’t rushing to reveal our dirty little secret.

I’m lucky enough to be working as normal, for a business that shows no signs of going under. It was inevitable that I’d be saving money on my commute, but it’s come as a shock just how much I used to fritter away. Those little things add up: the oat milk latte every morning, the salad

(OK, Pret macaroni cheese…) at lunch, the office vending machine, Waitrose on the way home.

It’s not as though I had a diary packed with dinners in Michelin-starred restaurants. But not being able to pop for a quick pizza at the local restaurant has left me with disposable income. With the weather so nice, I’d usually be spending weekends in a pub beer garden. Instead, I’m sitting on my lawn, sipping whatever I’ve found in the fridge. I’d also failed to appreciate the ease with which I was shopping for clothes. Now, when at home, oscillating between work and trying not to think about work, it seems silly to buy what you can’t wear. I’ve freed myself from the tyranny of mailing lists, unsubscribing as they land in my inbox. In these times of increased email contact, I’d recommend that for sanity and savings.

I haven’t spent anything for four days. Other than when in hospital with appendicitis in my 20s, it might be the longest I’ve gone without reaching for my card. The side effect is that I’m caught in a guilt spiral. I feel bad for buying anything that could be seen as too frivolous, but guilty for failing to support small businesses… then even more guilty for having the extra money to consider spending in the first place.

The answer lies in trying to be mindful. When I do spend, I’m going to local restaurants that have reinvented themselves as grocery shops. Today, I donated to Capt Tom Moore, the Second World War veteran walking laps of his garden to raise money for the NHS. It feels good to be able to support others in a small way. Just don’t expect me to admit it any time soon. Anonymous