The Cost of Being Single (not single mums, proper single)

ceridwen

silvercar wrote: »

Being only single from the age of 22 to 75 is sad in itself. I would also reckon that it is extremely unlikely that one person never lives as a couple (or group) for the whole of their life.

Oh well - I'm the exception that proves the rule then I guess:rotfl:. I've lived as a single person since 21. I've always been single and assume I still will be when I eventually "pop my clogs". That makes 21 - 85 to 90 presumably. In other words - at least 64 years I suppose. So, at approx £5,000pa to be single, that actually brings me nearer to £300,000 over the course of my lifetime as the extra costs of being single.:eek::(

I wonder also if they include the "dreaded Single Supplement" on holiday costs? If they don't - then that would add thousands of £s to the cost of being single as well...

PasturesNew

pop_gun wrote: »

don't be shy

kissy kissy

I'm probably old enough to be his mum ... and 300-400 miles away.
Go read some Mills & Boon if you need a fix.

ceridwen

ringo_24601 wrote: »

This is crazy.. I'd have waaay more spare cash if i was single rather than married + baby

* wouldn't need as big a place to live (and could live closer to work, so less transport costs)
* wouldn't be invited to twice as many weddings (inc. stag-dos, birthdays ect)
* wouldn't need to buy partner birthday, anniversary or valentines presents

The only state handout we get is our child benefit money. Stop whinging your single people, enjoy your freedom to do what you want, when you want instead

Au contraire - you CHOSE to be married - you CHOSE to have a baby.

If thats what you wanted to do - fair 'nuff - your choice, so up to YOU to pay for it:D

If you feel upset at not being able to "do what you want when you want" - then you only have yourself to blame...

ceridwen

carolt wrote: »

No, child benefit isn't welfare. Or if so, every single person in this country has been on welfare - except for recent immigrants.

I don't get child tax credits. So what some would describe them as is a bit immaterial.

Actually - child benefit IS welfare. Welfare isnt just something the unemployed get - its any money the State gives people in income.

Whilst I am thinking about "gifts" from the State - I heard just how many thousands of £s per child per year the State is giving parents towards their education (assuming they are State-educated):eek:. No-one seems to take into account that parents are getting that money, as well as whatever other monies they can claim for being parents...:cool:

Single people have NOTHING whatsoever we can claim - other than to pay 75% of the Council Tax bill a couple or family would pay. As stated - WE have to be on very low salary indeed to get any Tax Credit (less than about £13,000pa) - whereas (even after allowing for the cuts the new Government are going to bring in) couples will still be able to get Tax Credits even on quite a reasonable income level..

I guess the fact that singles have to pay so much more for everything than someone who is in a couple is probably something that is quite deliberate "social engineering" - to try to incentivise people into getting married/otherwise coupling up. The level of financial penalty attached to being single has got to be either thoughtlessness or deliberately penalising us.

The only consolation is that - when I was unemployed some time back - that I had to be given the full benefit due to me (because of being single). Also - should any man I am involved with become unemployed - then I wouldnt be expected to subsidise/support him financially - because he wouldnt be living with me:D. I would still prefer to be £300,000 better off over the course of my lifetime though - as I doubt subsiding/supporting someone else for a few weeks or months would cost anything like as much as that...

PasturesNew

ceridwen wrote: »

Au contraire - you CHOSE to be married - you CHOSE to have a baby.

If thats what you wanted to do - fair 'nuff - your choice, so up to YOU to pay for it:D

If you feel upset at not being able to "do what you want when you want" - then you only have yourself to blame...

That's what I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to put it in the right words so it said what I meant

StevieJ

ceridwen wrote: »

Single people have NOTHING whatsoever we can claim - other than to pay 75% of the Council Tax bill a couple or family would pay. As stated - WE have to be on very low salary indeed to get any Tax Credit (less than about £13,000pa) - whereas (even after allowing for the cuts the new Government are going to bring in) couples will still be able to get Tax Credits even on quite a reasonable income level..

It doesn't seem to work that way with those unemployed single mums, it seems to pay more for the partner to stay away.

StevieJ

PasturesNew wrote: »

That's what I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to put it in the right words so it said what I meant

Looks like you have a new pal Pastures

PasturesNew

StevieJ wrote: »

Looks like you have a new pal Pastures

I've always liked Ceridwen... she knows when to type: It's a spade.

silvercar

ceridwen wrote: »

Au contraire - you CHOSE to be married - you CHOSE to have a baby.

If thats what you wanted to do - fair 'nuff - your choice, so up to YOU to pay for it:D

If you feel upset at not being able to "do what you want when you want" - then you only have yourself to blame...

You've chosen to be single. Knowing it costs more.

I accept that chosing to be in a couple is not your sole choice, but I can't beleive that someone who goes through life with the attitude that they want to be part of a couple will never find a mate in 70 years.

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

You've chosen to be single. Knowing it costs more.

I accept that chosing to be in a couple is not your sole choice, but I can't beleive that someone who goes through life with the attitude that they want to be part of a couple will never find a mate in 70 years.

You don't choose to be single ... you are simply not picked.

I've never been picked.

There are more women than men - in every age group. Therefore, even if all men hooked up tomorrow, there'd still be a load of women rattling about and buying cats.

Somebody said to me once: Men do the picking, women do the choosing.

Men pick a woman ... and the women choose whether to accept. It's definitely a male-driven situation....