For million of us, working from home has become the norm. It has officially been over six months since the country went into 'lockdown', and during that time, many office workers have created new office spaces for themselves in their home.
Of course there are many benefits and downsides to working from home, but one of the biggest tangible upsides is the cost savings for commuters.
In key cities in the UK, commuters are on track to make savings of £30 billion by not commuting. And it turns out those money savings could buy you quite a bit. And here's our rundown of what you might like to spend your hard saved cash on.
Londoners. Unsurprisingly, you're set to make the biggest savings. £7,355.67 in your pocket is enough to buy 1132 Pret lunches when you do return to office work to be exact. That's three years and one month of lunches you need not think about. Pass us the Avo toast!
If you prefer to support the local economy, however, you may prefer to head to the West End, where you can treat yourselves and 62 of their nearest and dearest to a West End ticket. Can you feel the love, tonight?
Bristol is famous for being the birth place of Banksy, so fellow Bristolians might like to support their local artist. The Girl with a Balloon, which shredded itself just as the hammer went down at auction may be a little out of your price range, having sold for £1,042,000. However with savings of £3,397.19 over 12 months, you could club together with 306 of your neighbours - or buy 262 knock-off prints online.
If you've got a sweet tooth, you might prefer to make Easter 2021 one to remember; Chocolate Easter Eggs are said to have originated in Bristol, and we can't think of many better things to spend your money on than 1132 chocolate Easter Eggs... that's 188 chocolate trophies each for everyone who made the cut in your rule of 6 egg hunt.
Next we're heading to Edinburgh. A place as famous for the Fringe as it is for being the birthplace of Harry Potter. You could opt to visit everything the Fringe has to offer next year and laugh along to some of the brightest comedians in the world with 95 of your friends, or visit the Elephant House Cafe - the place where J.K. Rowling is said to have written the first pages of the much-loved series - every day for almost three years with a large latte in hand with your savings of £3,372.65.
Nottingham residents are loud and proud in their support of local legend, Robin Hood, so the people of Nottingham could channel their famous legendary outlaw and dress up as him every day for 150 days in a brand new costume each time. That's morning Zoom meetings covered!
If you're looking to spend your £3,307.44 savings more wisely, Centre Parcs is just a short drive away. So if you're looking for a staycation, you can head to Sherwood Forest seven times over and stay in their executive lodge.
We know working from home encourages us to eat more, but if you live in Cardiff and you've got the nibbles, why not chow down on a Welsh Oggie? Your savings of £3,304.38 can get you a mid-morning Oggie snack every day for 826 days.
Remember the days of stadium sport? Us neither. But now you can play pretend with your own Gilbert Wales Replica Rugby Ball - 132 of them to be exact.
What does Liam Gallagher and Eccles cakes have in common? They're both from Manchester. You temporary WFH-ers can tap into your inner Mancunian with Liam's iconic Pretty Green anoraks. You can own 8 in each colour.
If you're a true Mancunian though, you'll be used to the rain, so you may prefer a true taste of the North. Move over viccy sponge, we'll be busy scoffing 1649 of Bury's finest eccles cakes for the foreseeable with our £3,297.63. As you were x
Greggs sausage rolls have kept students alive on all nighters, become a brunch staple after one too many drinks the night before, and pretty much been the only thing we want to spend our loose change on, and with Greggs founded in Tyneside, we can't think of anything more important to attribute our money to. Your yearly savings of £3,255.35 can provide you with an almost limitless supply of the iconic rolls. 2713 to be precise.
Or get ready to don the stripes. You can now afford a seat at the first 83 Newcastle United FC matches when crowds are allowed!
More than 12 years of HD Brow treatments could be paid for with Liverpudlians' extra cash. Yep, the £3,235.67 can help keep your brows on point for years to come. If you're more into mid-night out merch than beauty, you could invest in 647 Raz caps. That's enough Raz caps for you and the rest of Carnatic.
Sheffield may be most famous for being the birthplace of Quidco, but Hendo's Relish comes in a close second. Your cash savings of £3,202.11 can get on the sauce with a lifetime's supply of Sheffield's cherished Henderson's Relish, all 2001 bottles of it.
Sheffield's third most famous export (open to interpretation), the Arctic Monkeys will keep you entertained live, 58 times.
It may have set sail from Southampton, but the Titanic was built in Belfast. You can head to the Titanic museum on 166 separate occasions, or walk in the footsteps of giants up the coast with 242 of your fellow normal sized acquaintances.
Last on our list is Birmingham. You may be pocketing the least amount of cash by not commuting, but you can still embrace the black country culture.
Lockdown ruined your plans for that Venice vacay? The local option is a fierce rival - you could go on 394 waterway tours on Birmingham's famous canals (did you know Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice?). Or by order of the Peaky Blinders, you could deck your crew out in newsboy caps, all 158 of them, with your £3,150.39 extra in your pocket.
References:
All figures were calculated using city population data: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/,
http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/business/investinginbelfast/belfast-facts-figures.aspx
and ONS data on people in work data:https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/regionallabourmarket/latest
References for costs:
https://tickets.titanicbelfast.com/tickets/titanic-experience/20201001/1200/113169
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway
https://peaky-blinders.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk-mpk6L_6wIVkLh3Ch2OIwYTEAAYAiAAEgJThfD_BwE
https://visitbirmingham.com/things-to-see-and-do/sherborne-wharf-heritage-narrowboats-p1323131
https://www.lovell-rugby.co.uk/shop/International/Wales
https://www.whatsonstage.com/edinburgh-theatre/news/edinburgh-fringe-all-you-need-to-know_37491.html
https://elephanthouse.biz/menus/
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/nov/29/most-expensive-west-end-ticket-prices-rise-as-cheapest-fall
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/how-newcastle-tickets-st-james-13841069
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/newcastle-brown-ale-550ml?PPC=*&&src=ppc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg8ikxqz_6wIVBc13Ch1OUAWtEAAYASAAEgKlqfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spooktacular-Creations-Renaissance-Costume-Halloween/dp/B07H47XS65/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3TYBKJ2SL1FW0&dchild=1&keywords=robin+hood+costume&qid=1600864946&sprefix=Robin+Hood+%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVUJGRzNENERHOUxWJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTU1ODYzQjFTTU9VOTAwWUlLJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4MjU0NjRZQjlYS1dWSEQ3TTcmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
https://desenio.co.uk/en/girl-with-love-balloon-grey-30x40cm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_-uQsMCB7AIVzuntCh36mwXWEAYYASABEgKmY_D_BwE
https://groceries.morrisons.com/products/henderson-s-relish-227857011?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyu_-ysCB7AIVkOntCh3Z-wTXEAQYBCABEgI9Y_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.nme.com/news/music/arctic-monkeys-fans-complain-price-tickets-upcoming-uk-tour-2288238
https://www.centerparcs.co.uk/discover-center-parcs/holiday-locations/sherwood-forest.html
https://delivery.pret.co.uk/en-gb/our-menu/
https://www.prettygreen.com/products/mens-zip-through-nylon-hooded-2845/?color=green&size=s
