Anything positive from the virus

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chris
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Interested to hear if any of you have managed to find any positives that have come out of this last few months.

I was more than happy queuing at the supermarket if it meant less people in store, unfortunately this has now stopped. Shame I liked it[emoji23]

Working from home, for me it works a treat.

Went to hospital appointment recently for regular checkups, car parks virtually empty. Waiting rooms empty.[emoji122]

Stamp duty[emoji106]


Anyone else found any positives from this nightmare.
 
More family time. Quite happy not to lose 3-4 hours a day to commuting and no longer shelling out £400 a month on trains.

Also because of the social and travel restrictions early on we now spend much less time running around to make sure we see other people that wouldn't put the effort in themselves.

There was also about three months where my car was getting 3 weeks to the gallon whuch was nice!
 
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The garden is looking great and I know my camera functions, capabilities and menus much better. (Even the bits I will never use) :)
 
Sky said:
Less people about - horrible creatures. (y)

Now it's worse than normal, it's like an infestation. :mad:
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That reminds me of one of my fathers day cards.

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Saved some money, I last filled the car up on 19th April!
Getting up at 0630 and doing a 4 mile walk every morning since lockdown first came in. Exercising every day.
We have a Whats App group for our road, we used to know 3 or 4 other households, we now know almost all 47. Sharing jokes, plants, diy stuff, menus etc.
 
Most of the above. Working at home has saved me about £250 a week as I had to stay away during the week in my previous job, and £800/month for commuting in the current one. Filling up the cars about once every 2-3 months. Been growing some veg this year which has meant eating better and cheaper. However, people around here have been hopeless about the precautions against the virus, so I have an even lower opinion of them, and the town centre has seen even more shop closures, so the area is really in the doldrums.
 
No longer feel like I'm sitting on someone else's lap when eating out or having to cuddle a stranger at the cinema. Work colleagues are now far enough away they no longer perch on my desk when they want something, but still close enough I can throw things at them. Still idiots everywhere but now I feel like I have a valid reason to avoid people instead of it just being me giving people space for my own personal comfort. Social distancing isn't sustainable and I wouldn't expect this to last once it's under control.
 
Mostly the positives have been financial. Although I was furloughed for 4 months, the loss in wages was more that offset by the savings in petrol and the missus working from home, saving just shy of £400 per month in train fair and £90 per month to park her car at the station
 
Marc said:
Mostly the positives have been financial. Although I was furloughed for 4 months, the loss in wages was more that offset by the savings in petrol and the missus working from home, saving just shy of £400 per month in train fair and £90 per month to park her car at the station
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I think you're amongst many who have had it highlighted how much it actually costs to get to work. My lads included.
 
Cockney said:
I think you're amongst many who have had it highlighted how much it actually costs to get to work. My lads included.
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It's a huge chunk of wages. She was working in West Brompton but has moved offices to near Euston Station (we live in Bedfordshire) so the annual season ticket was £5.5k. Then add to that another £1k for the privilege of parking in a poorly maintained station car park run by a ticket happy company.
 
Marc said:
It's a huge chunk of wages. She was working in West Brompton but has moved offices to near Euston Station (we live in Bedfordshire) so the annual season ticket was £5.5k. Then add to that another £1k for the privilege of parking in a poorly maintained station car park run by a ticket happy company.
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It's not a laugh. I assume she parks at Cockfosters. I used to live North London and worked south, then moved South London and worked north. Crossed the river every day. Moved to Sheffield 30 years ago. Bliss.
Transport charges on London commute routes are ridiculous. Parking, even worse.
My wifes first day back in the office tomorrow following lockdown and cancer treatment. Im driving her for first week but park and ride ( tram) is reasonable cost up here.
 
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Marc said:
No, Leighton Buzzard. The only good thing is that she can get a fast train into Euston in less than half an hour.
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My bad. I was wrongly assuming tube.
 
I enjoyed the quietness of the lock down. Now it appears there has been more than a bounce back to normal - lots of noisy people out and about.

We put the first petrol in the car last since early March and I have been in only one shop since March 16th.

Dave
 
I built myself an outdoor table for my bonsai trees.

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working from home now and the company has made it known they are happy with people doing that once / should the world return to normal. So no more being fleeced by our amazing rail companies :) instant £400 a month pay rise. Also means i can sell up and move further north and get twice the house for the money. Thank you corona :)

One quite large downside is ive put a tonne of weight on. No more long walks to the train station / office , so ive been sat around piling it on. All my own fault but needs dealing with!
 
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I'm retired, but have still benefited financially.
For a start, pre-lockdown I spent every second week working at our farm, but because I'm old, knackered and an insulin-dependent diabetic I've had to stay away for safety reasons, which has saved a few hundred in fuel.

My hobbies are clay pigeon shooting and playing pool, the lack of which has saved a few hundred more. And because I haven't needed my car I put it into a garage to get some long-overdue faults fixed, then spent a few weeks improving it generally.

When bad things happen we have to concentrate our minds on the positive, and take advantage of the new situation.
 
AshleyC said:
working from home now and the company has made it known they are happy with people doing that once / should the world return to normal. So no more being fleeced by our amazing rail companies :) instant £400 a month pay rise. Also means i can sell up and move further north and get twice the house for the money. Thank you corona :)

One quite large downside is ive put a tonne of weight on. No more long walks to the train station / office , so ive been sat around piling it on. All my own fault but needs dealing with!
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Snap. On both counts!
My wife was doing her bit to help small local businesses, so we have had many brownie deliveries!
 
Always been a keen mountain biker but had to travel to the forest/mountain. I decided to buy a road bike so I can carry on cycling door - door and i have to say i love it. Clocked my first 40 miler the other week and felt that was a huge achievement for me as an asthmatic with poor lung function. Since April I have covered over 600 miles on the road which I would not have done otherwise. Still mountain biking too.
 
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The OH and I have both lost around 5 kilos in weight, probably because I have been baking bread again since March, We have been going on 2 hour walks three or four times a week. The last time I put any fuel in either of the cars was early March. Went for an 80 mile round trip yesterday to Hythe and had a nice, quiet walk along the Military Canal and then the front. The garden is looking good, growing basil and tomatoes this year. Definitely save a shedload of money from not going on holiday.
 
I've not put petrol in the car since late February (although it needs topping up now), my wheelchair has needed around 80% less charge each night, but my biggest saving has been by not going to the pub. Although, I only used to go once or twice a week and have two or three drinks, it certainly adds up when you don't spend it.

I imagine some of the other regulars have saved thousands of pounds as most were in every night and they drink a LOT more than just two or three drinks. :beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

I've not had a pint since the first week in March and I'm certainly in no hurry to resume those old habits now . . .
 
I think the only positive has been that Mrs WW got into planting seeds and we now have tomato, carrot, pepper and many other plants in a cold frame and in pots, troughs and just about any conceivable container covering just about every space outside the back door.
 
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