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

neverdespairgirl

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Quite a few people get most of their childcare costs paid by the state.

You worked too hard when you were at school NDG, so you don't get rewarded by the government.

that must have been it. Perhaps I should sit on my !!!! more?

carolt

Harry_Powell wrote: »

I've heard it all now. carolt arguing that Child Benefit is not a benefit but some sort of deferred tax relief that her kids will pay back when they're working. Priceless!! :rotfl:

The silly cow doesn't realise that the same argument can be used by all the single mum's she hates in their council houses and benefits... "All this money is jus diferd tax, guvnor. Me kids will pay all back when they get jobs. Honest guvnor". :rotfl:

Just saving that one. So you can't delete it with the others.

Badger_Lady

Jacey53 wrote: »

Does anyone else find that being single is more time-consuming?

I have to do all the cooking, cleaning, housework, shopping stuff and all the gardening, car and house maintenance stuff too. My married sisters share the jobs with their husbands. They also have someone handy to help with flat-packs etc - I end up balancing things precariously on a pile of books etc

I carried a deep-freeze down the stairs on my own. Lots of balancing it, climbing underneath and heaving it up on my shoulders. Fun!

ninky_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

If you take a fictitious scenario of a single living in a 1-bed flat, on about £15k, they take home £1000/month.

£500 Rent on a small 1-bed flat, !!!!!! neighbours
£ 75 Council tax
£150 Bills
£100 Food
£100 Transport to work
====
£925
Leaving £75/month for everything else in life: clothes, holidays, social life, learning, Xmas, stuff

Now a couple, both on £15k - takehome £2000/month

£700 Rent - fabulous 2-bed, modern shiny place with a lovely balcony, or a 2-3 bed house in some areas
£100 Council tax
£200 Bills
£200 Food
£200 Transport to work
====
£1400
Leaving them £600/month for everything else in life - and - somebody to do it with.

On this "back of a fag packet" calculation, the couple will have 8x the disposable income of the single.

If they all work at the same place, then they probably won't even be friends with the single person because they're boring and never want to do things, like going out/eating out, etc... and they don't want to visit their tiny flat as it's a bit shabby and their place is so much more fabulous. In fact, if they are all working in the same place they probably just saved another £100/month as they're sharing their lift with each other to get to work

It's money - and - lifestyle that's better.

but you are assuming they are both working. this is not always the case. and 15k doesn't go very far if shared. being in a couple where one is earning effects your benefits. so you can actually be worse off. that's why a lot of people lie about co-habiting.

Harry_Powell

carolt wrote: »

Just saving that one. So you can't delete it with the others.

What others?

I saw a report today where bank robbers got off with a warning when they used the 'carolt defence'. It consisted of stating that they weren't stealing the money, they were just borrowing future deposits back!

Lol, what a joke you are ct. :rotfl:

MissMoneypenny

Really2 wrote: »

Sorry that is wrong, my parents have just both retired (my mom 4 years earlier than my farther) so I know it is not double a single pension.

Here are the figures
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3197943.stm


So single people living a house (EG mom and sister like my wife has) get more money than a couple (couple works out at £78.08 each)

It sounds like one of your parents didn't make their full NI contributions to get a full state pension and is making a claim on their married partners pension? They can claim up to 60% of the full state pension, based on the contributions paid by their married partner (or civil partner).

If you have paid your full NI contributions, you don't lose your full state pension because you are married. Both of the couple can claim their full state pension in their own right, if they have enough contributions.

From the government's site (my bold) :-
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_183784

You may be able to get a basic State Pension, or increase your basic State Pension, based on your spouse or partner's National Insurance record. You could qualify to do this if all of the following apply:

• you are married or in a civil partnership
• you are not already entitled to a full basic State Pension
• your spouse or civil partner was born on or after 6 April 1950
• your spouse or civil partner qualifies for some basic State Pension
• you have both reached State Pension age

Plus, for married men or civil partners only, you could qualify if:

• your wife or civil partner was born on or after 6 April 1950.

How much you get will depend on your spouse or partner's National Insurance record. You could get up to about 60 per cent of the full basic State Pension, even if you do not qualify for any State Pension based on your own National Insurance record. In 2010-11, 60 per cent of the full basic State Pension is £58.50 a week.

You don't have to live with your spouse or civil partner to get the increase. And you don't have to wait for them to start claiming their State Pension.

Badger_Lady

Sharing a car would be nice. I'm constantly switching from being a car owner and back again... it's much easier/cheaper to commute into work by train or bike, but I could use a car big shopping trips or holidays. The tax, MOT and insurance on my own is just too harsh to justify it! Just imagine if I could be the named driver on someone else's car and use it when needed... even better if he'll come and help me carry the Tesco bags! And share my holiday.

I have thought about proposing a car share with one of my single neighbours... but that's pretty weird.

pop_gun

Badger_Lady wrote: »

I have thought about proposing a car share with one of my single neighbours... but that's pretty weird.

i did propose this with someone renting a room in the same house as me. he rubbished the idea.

there are schemes like this set up online, where you can carpool.
it's a really good idea especially if you live far from work and someone is going in the same direction everyday.

Really2

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

It sounds like one of your parents didn't make their full NI contributions to get a full state pension and is making a claim on their married partners pension?

You may be able to get a basic State Pension, or increase your basic State Pension, based on your spouse or partner's National Insurance record. You could qualify to do this if all of the following apply:

your spouse or civil partner was born on or after 6 April 1950

As I said they are both recently retired (my mom 4 years earlier at 60, my father is only now 65 ) so were both born in the 1940's. That means neither qualify for the above.
This can only come in for some women this year.http://www.mycompanypension.co.uk/Table-of-female-State-Pension-Age-Factsheets
For men this wont kick in until 2015.

She may not have a full stamp, she did have some years of to have children. But that kind of loops back to the thread a bit:) But AFIK she has a full stamp and was claiming a full pension before my father retired, I will ask this weekend.

Badger_Lady

pop_gun wrote: »

there are schemes like this set up online, where you can carpool.
it's a really good idea especially if you live far from work and someone is going in the same direction everyday.

Yeah - there aren't many people wanting to carpool to Tesco or the beach though

There's the car club scheme that they run in some big cities - three years ago they promised me it was about to launch in Cardiff, well there's no sign yet...