Sara Mak, 49, an artist from Cheshire, rediscovered her passion for painting in March 2020 after she was furloughed and she began to take commissions from friends and family.

But demand has now dwindled because of the cost-of-living crisis, Ms Mak said, as fewer people had the money for luxury or bespoke items.

She said she had been expecting several commissions for Mothering Sunday that did not come through. “People are struggling, and buying a painting seems like folly when your priorities are feeding your children and heating your home”, she said.

Among those to take on new activities as a result of the pandemic, home improvers have increased their outgoings the most: they spend an average of £178 a month on DIY projects around the house, Tesco Bank said.

Meanwhile, the health conscious have spent an additional £101 a month on average to establish a new at-home gym routine.

Around 8pc of households bought a new pet during the pandemic, spending an extra £100 a month on average, the bank said. The cost of buying an animal soared during the first lockdown as people forced to stay indoors sought companionship. The average cost of a dog doubled over the course of a year to £1,400.

Emma Bull, 48, from Leeds, went one step further and used time working from home as an opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream of buying and caring for a horse.

Ms Bull had owned a pony growing up but then left for university, travelled and worked in London, all of which meant she didn’t have the time or money to look after a horse. She started riding again in her spare time after moving to West Yorkshire before the first lockdown.