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

Badger_Lady

PasturesNew wrote: »

Also, that advice you often get about going out, "don't go home alone" ... so, what, pick up a stranger while I'm out to bring back until the morning...? How does that work then?

If you're out, even with friends, somebody has to be the last one home ... alone.

So that's another cost as you're more likely to be in a situation where a taxi is your safest option (rather than walking home alone), whereas a couple either take the risk of walking home together, or share a taxi/cost.

That one's a biggy! I'm constantly worrying about getting home. Even just having a non-live-in boyfriend used to help because you could stay over for the odd night. But the aforementioned boyfriends are extremely rare, so it's a taxi a day to keep the rapists away

ceridwen

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.

No - actually I didn't.

Some people doubtless choose to be single - but a lot of single people are single because they couldnt find Mr or Miss Right.

I am one of them.

There were various men that wanted to marry me - but, as none of them was right for me, I didn't do so. If I got married - then I would want to STAY married - not get divorced later, because I had chosen the wrong man, as so many people do.

Castigating someone because they haven't been lucky enough to find Mr or Miss Right is a bit "unworthy" don't you think?

Since I AM single - then I don't sit bemoaning my fate - been there, done that. Now I take the view "Since this is the case - then I might as well get on and make the best of it and appreciate the advantages of being single (none of which are financial:(:cool:)".

I've always been of the School of Thought - "If life gives you lemons then make lemonade".:)

ceridwen

PasturesNew wrote: »

That wouldn't actually give the singles any personal space, any quality of life - unless they were both people people, who shared lifestyles and interests.

Imagine being doomed to renting with strangers for your entire life.

People often think single means "young, carefree, fun". But after there are the Knitting Years, when you want to keep a cat.

No privacy, can't have your stuff around, other people using your stuff maybe if you leave it out, can't enjoy a living room when you want, to watch TV you want there, because the other person likes other things, so you spend your time in your room watching your own TV. It's not quality.

Single is for life, not just for awhile.

I call them the "Gardening Years" - when you want a decent size garden - but they come with more expensive houses - ie the ones you can't afford on your own as a single person.:(. The years when you look longingly at all the things you want to put in a garden - but yours is already looking much like a Tardis, with all the plants you have crammed in and there simply isnt a spare inch of space left...:)

I try not to think too often about how nice a house I would have as a married person - instead of the tiny little place I actually have now (and remind myself that many people havent even managed to get a house like mine.....).

gubdlog

You are less well off being single if you are not working and on benefits. You only get about 50 wk JSA and not much housing ben. If you are a couple or have kids you really are quite well off on benefits these days.

Not too mention the cost of cooking for 2 or more is only a little bit more than cooking for one. Also heating the place and electricity is about the same for 2 as it is for one.

Lesson you may as well get married if you are still single:)

Really2

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

It will be interesting to know what your mother says.

A lot usually ( I lover though)

SandC

Any threads about single people and living costs always seems to end up with the singles being picked on for daring to have the slightest whinge when obviously they could all be living in flatshares all their lives enjoying all their cash that they are apparently not contributing to society anyway. We're a selfish lot aren't we?

See even when it's down there in black and white that it does actually cost more to live as a single over the long term nobody believes it and comes along with the 'yeah but no but yeah but no but'.

Chris2685

Generali wrote: »

The thing that used to annoy me most in my single days (a very long time ago now) was that if I shared a taxi with a couple, the assumption was that the cost would be split 50/50 as if they were one person.

I'm always very aware of that when I go out with single people.. I actually have to remind them that when it is my round, I should get 2 rounds lol.

It puts me off going out!

chucky

PasturesNew wrote: »

So that's another cost as you're more likely to be in a situation where a taxi is your safest option (rather than walking home alone), whereas a couple either take the risk of walking home together, or share a taxi/cost.

a sort of related point - i have a couple of friends in relationships who pay absolutely everything when they're out with their g/friends.

that means every round of drinks is their responsibility, every meal out is paid by them, every cab home is paid by them. when they're together it's the b/friend that pays, the girls do have decent jobs btw.

it's not a bad way to be or a judgement in any way but it's an example of being in a relationship that can be double as expensive.

MissMoneypenny

PasturesNew wrote: »

No privacy, can't have your stuff around, other people using your stuff maybe if you leave it out, can't enjoy a living room when you want, to watch TV you want there, because the other person likes other things, so you spend your time in your room watching your own TV.

Just add ..men f@rting on the sofa, to that list and it sounds like married life.

MissMoneypenny

ceridwen wrote: »

I call them the "Gardening Years" - when you want a decent size garden - but they come with more expensive houses - ie the ones you can't afford on your own as a single person.:(. The years when you look longingly at all the things you want to put in a garden - but yours is already looking much like a Tardis, with all the plants you have crammed in and there simply isnt a spare inch of space left...:)

I thought I had the dream when I moved from London to the north and got a big house and 1 acre. I was a slave to that house and garden! I couldn't wait to sell that place, so I could have my life back.

Plus each time there was a nice day where I could get in the garden, the farmer sprayed his field next door. I didn't realise how much farmers sprayed their fields! It was pesticides in the spring and summer, and manure spreading in the winter. If I was really lucky, the farmer used that field to create a massive muck heap and then distrubed the muck heap again when he used it for muck spreading.:D

Moral of the story: be careful what you wish for, because it may come true.