Do other 'Singletons' find it easier or harder to become Debt Free?

msmicawber

A_Nice_Englishman wrote:

I'm single, no debts and mortgage paid off. However I haven't had those expensive things called 'children'. I bet you parents wouldn't swap!

True, but I would share the cost of 'running' them with someone ... their father, for instance!

smilermonkey

I am single with a teenage daughter and in the past she has cost me a fortune. I realise now that most of the cost was of my own doing, compensating for a missing parent. When I sat down with her and spoke it plainly she was wonderful! She comes up with budgeting ideas, contributes to her music lessons etc (it's her career choice, so not just an expensive hobby). I made sure she was not doing it through guilt, but she genuinely enjoys feeling useful and a contributing member of the household.

smilermonkey

...mind you, she can still eat me out of house and home on somedays!

asharon

I'm single but wouldn't mind sharing the rent and bills lol it would make it easier.

Verbatim

It must be a nightmare having a partner whose ideas on money are different. It's really important not to argue about money, I think. I'm fortunate in that we're both pretty cautious around money (how come your signature shows so much debt then I hear you ask, but that's another story) and don't argue about money. Everything else, all the time, but not money.

kathfisch

My overspending was partly a reaction to a very difficult relationship and problems I was going through... I got out of that situation and my spending was much easier to control, because I could see it for the emotional crutch it was.

So for me, its much easier to control my money now that i'm not in that relationship. But that doesn't necessarily go for any relationship . I'm a bit of a control freak though so it would be hard if my other half didn't have a similar attitude to mine when it came to money!

benbenandme

Much easier as a singleton - oh left me and our 2 year old son last year and at first I was petrified as well as devastated. We never really agreed on money, I was brought up to save for things you wanted, he was always happy to max the overdraft and would go on a mega shopping spree every payday.

Even though the household income has halved I am actually probably better off ... he earned good money but frittered it constantly and at least now I dont have to keep checking the joint account we had for mortgage/bills as he had a naughty habit of dipping into it when his money had gone.

Its tough watching the pennies now but so much more rewarding that I can manage on half of what we had before ... and he is struggling to get by even though his household income (him and new girlfriend that he left us for) is 3 times mine!!!

La_Tristesse_Durera

I'd be a good partner if I had a girlfriend and she had debts... we could get through it together and help encourage eachother

Poor lil me

QueenB.

I completely believe it is easier for a single person to become debt free, but when i say single i mean as in no commitments as in OH and children who are at home.

We are a family of five and due to our family situation we only have one wage coming in. There is no real oppertunity for us to find another worthwhile wage at the moment and then there are the time restraints children bring, my OH works hard, 6 days a week, or more, and alot of the holidays but he also has to juggle being a good father with his full time job. This summer the children have barely seen him as he goes to work before they get up and comes home way after they go to bed, plus he has had only one day every 14 or so off. The children miss him, he misses them, i have often felt like a single parent and the summer has not been much fun at all. Yes a single person can find it difficult to socialise on a budget but its very different to the difficulties facing a parent torn between their children and their debt.

Also being single you can really cut back, having a OH and children that is so much harder, there are always more demands than money to meet them.

Would i swap them, no, but that doesn't mean it isn't hell to juggle and family and debt alot of the time.

MinnieSpender

My last BF left me in debt as a result of him losing his job and me doing the "looking after" - add to that a period of illness and not being able to work and here I am.

It's hard being single on a low wage with no one to help out. When I say single, I mean completely alone. No family to help either and I wouldn't dream of asking friends (that's got to be a big no no, hasn't it?).

I'd love a relationship but a) I'm too busy, b) I'm too broke, c) I've got absolutely no confidence in myself in that area whatsoever.

I dream of the day that I can afford a cat.