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

MissMoneypenny

The_White_Horse wrote: »

single people should offer their services, in a slave like manner, to the couples. they can look after the kids and pay the tv licence, happy in the knowledge it is not 130per person, but merely 26 instead.

Singles are already looking after the children: where did you think the money comes from for all the welfare payments that many with children claim? Nine out of ten familes can claim welfare. Plus singles also pay for schools, NHS (giving birth and any treatment the children need), universities.

PN has a point. A single will have worked most of their life, have a good pension and will have spent most of their lives giving money instead of taking money.

PasturesNew

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.

Well, you can put me in that group probably ... never lived with anybody yet. Statistically, unlikely to.

PasturesNew

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.

This happens in drinks too. I went out with a couple for an evening drink and this is how it went:

Me: My round. [drinks purchased]
Him: My round [drinks purchased]
Me: YOUR round ... at her
Her: Me? I never buy drinks, it's your round again
Me: No, I bought, he bought, now you buy
Her: But the men buy the drinks
Me: No .... we take it in turns
Him: My round [drinks bought]

They weren't skint either. Individually they both earnt double what I do, they'd been in work solidly forever at high wages. So it wasn't a monetary thing.... they just were used to being in couples where the men bought the drinks and hadn't ever thought it through before.

MissMoneypenny

Chaos_A.D. wrote: »

Bottom line is 40% of marriages don't make it, out of the other 60% how many have had affairs ?, how many are unhappy ?, how many wished they were single again but are or feel trapped ?

The assistant at our gym told me that in the morning, the wives come in, talk about all the affairs they have had and moan about how unhappy they are with their husband. In the evening the husbands come in, talk about the affairs they are having and moan about how unhappy they are with their wife.

She said that it had put her off marriage.

lemonjelly

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.

PasturesNew wrote: »

This happens in drinks too. I went out with a couple for an evening drink and this is how it went:

Me: My round. [drinks purchased]
Him: My round [drinks purchased]
Me: YOUR round ... at her
Her: Me? I never buy drinks, it's your round again
Me: No, I bought, he bought, now you buy
Her: But the men buy the drinks
Me: No .... we take it in turns
Him: My round [drinks bought]

They weren't skint either. Individually they both earnt double what I do, they'd been in work solidly forever at high wages. So it wasn't a monetary thing.... they just were used to being in couples where the men bought the drinks and hadn't ever thought it through before.

I see both of these. It can be difficult to deal with sometimes.

Brother is married. They have 2 kids. I'm not & don't have kids.

So I'm buying 4 people birthday presents through the year, 4 people easter gifts, they get an anniversary present, plus I'm buying for 4 people presents at christmas.

On my birthday/christmas I get 1 present with love from the 4 of them.

Growing up, it was an unwritten rule in the house as to roughly what we'd spend on each other. It is still the same, only I have to buy an additional 3 gifts...

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Weddings annoy me; much cheaper for a couple to pay travel costs, gift and room share. Can be a massively expensive day out if you're single, plus you have to spend the day surrounded by smug marrieds with tactless relatives demanding when it's going to be your turn. I console myself with thoughts of the current divorce statistics.

I wanted to invoice my cousin for the costs of outfit, trainfare, gift etc when she ran off with another man 6 months after a big fat in your face wedding.

On the plus side, my flat is clean and tidy and there's nobody to comment if I choose to spend a Sunday in an ancient dressing gown eating crisps and watching DVD box sets. Also don't have to have the annual argument about where to spend Christmas.

silvercar

lemonjelly wrote: »

I see both of these. It can be difficult to deal with sometimes.

Brother is married. They have 2 kids. I'm not & don't have kids.

So I'm buying 4 people birthday presents through the year, 4 people easter gifts, they get an anniversary present, plus I'm buying for 4 people presents at christmas.

On my birthday/christmas I get 1 present with love from the 4 of them.

Growing up, it was an unwritten rule in the house as to roughly what we'd spend on each other. It is still the same, only I have to buy an additional 3 gifts...

It's called having family. I would never think to add up how much it costs for individuals.

When we had our children, our siblings were either still studying or just starting earning. So their presents to our children were cheap. Now they have their own kids, but I would never think of giving presents of similar value to what they gave ours years ago. Similarly our siblings never really entertained our kids or had them to stay as they were living at home; now we entertain their children and offer them sleepovers.

StevieJ

phil_b wrote: »

Thems the words of someone who hasn't been In a proper relationship (not a decent one anyway). Being in a good relationship beats the hell out of being single every day of the week. The fact it's enabled me to own a nice house by halving lifes costs is a bonus.

Chin up, you'll find the right girl/boy.

Wait until she finds someone else and that nice house has to be split minus the astronomical legal fees etc, oh and the pension :eek:

StevieJ

lemonjelly wrote: »

I see both of these. It can be difficult to deal with sometimes.

Brother is married. They have 2 kids. I'm not & don't have kids.

So I'm buying 4 people birthday presents through the year, 4 people easter gifts, they get an anniversary present, plus I'm buying for 4 people presents at christmas.

On my birthday/christmas I get 1 present with love from the 4 of them.

Growing up, it was an unwritten rule in the house as to roughly what we'd spend on each other. It is still the same, only I have to buy an additional 3 gifts...

I bet you buy them a Wolves kit or does that exceed the spend?

PasturesNew

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Singles are already looking after the children: where did you think the money comes from for all the welfare payments that many with children claim? Nine out of ten familes can claim welfare. Plus singles also pay for schools, NHS (giving birth and any treatment the children need), universities.

hear hear

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

PN has a point. A single will have worked most of their life, have a good pension and will have spent most of their lives giving money instead of taking money.

I have no pension, because I gave all the time - leaving nothing.