Single people living alone - how do you do it?

brian_723

I know how you feel moving back but take this opportunity,so maybe give yourself 2 years or 3 at most and save save save for a big deposit on your own place .After you will have a more affordable place and have money to save or spare ,and if you are struggling maybe get a lodger in ,but at least you will be your own boss .Do not squander this chance for what you need right now, as you will need the same later on but it will be more of a struggle .

SailorSam

I live alone and love it.
Love it even more since Feb, 'cos the mortgage is finished,

ViolaLass

Tete_en_l'Air wrote: »

£30 per month = £360 per year - is to cover two dental checkups per year and the possiility of needing fillngs both times then enough for a haircut and colour every couple of months - this is probably an overestimate but I'd rather that than come up short.

Budgeting in case you need work on your teeth can't hurt but fillings twice a year?? Brush your teeth more often!

And you could colour your hair at home to save money.

pickledonionspaceraider

I don't know if anyone has already said this, but you get 25% council tax reduction for living alone
hth

Hoopylass

ViolaLass wrote: »

Budgeting in case you need work on your teeth can't hurt but fillings twice a year?? Brush your teeth more often!

And you could colour your hair at home to save money.

Im with an NHS dentist and never pay for checkups!

Tete_en_l'Air

brian_723 wrote: »

I know how you feel moving back but take this opportunity,so maybe give yourself 2 years or 3 at most and save save save for a big deposit on your own place .After you will have a more affordable place and have money to save or spare ,and if you are struggling maybe get a lodger in ,but at least you will be your own boss .Do not squander this chance for what you need right now, as you will need the same later on but it will be more of a struggle .

I wondered how long it would be before someone came along telling me about how I don't want to be paying someone else's mortgage! Thanks for your input but buying property is just not something that's right for me at the moment.

ViolaLass wrote: »

Budgeting in case you need work on your teeth can't hurt but fillings twice a year?? Brush your teeth more often!

And you could colour your hair at home to save money.

OK, so I missed the 'b' out (:o) but I did say the POSSIBILITY of needing a filling each time I went for a checkup, and it's not unheard of for old ones to fall out either, so yes I would like to budget for these things. If I don't need them - great, that money can go in the Holiday Pot!

As for my hair, yes I COULD do it at home but it wouldn't look as good and I don't want to - this is why I'm looking hard at my finances before I start flathunting - I want to know what I can realistically afford.

Hoopylass wrote: »

Im with an NHS dentist and never pay for checkups!

How is this?? I'm NHS but pay about £16 for a checkup - I thought only people on benefits got free dental care?

Yes I was aware of the single occupant council tax thank you, but the low usage water rates? - I'd have thought the only way to get a reduction in water would be with a meter? And obviously in a rented property that wouldn't always be possible.

And yes, I know I'll have to plan food really carefully, but I know there are loads of resources on the OS board so as long as I have a freezer I should be ok!

Thanks again everyone for all your input - it's been really useful seeing what other people pay and still manage to have left over, this coupled with an extra £30 in my pay this month is making me feel very optimistic.

curlygirl1971

Tete_en_l'Air wrote: »

OK, so I missed the 'b' out (:o) but I did say the POSSIBILITY of needing a filling each time I went for a checkup, and it's not unheard of for old ones to fall out either, so yes I would like to budget for these things. If I don't need them - great, that money can go in the Holiday Pot!

How is this?? I'm NHS but pay about £16 for a checkup - I thought only people on benefits got free dental care?

optimistic.

I do exactly the same - I put money away every month for a number of annual expenses including some money that I might not need to use - car repairs, opticians, dentist.....just in case. It's always a relief to have the funds there.

I pay for my NHS checkups too and as far as I am aware that is the norm

Kate78

If you can get a rental property that's on a water meter you will save quids. When I rented, it was standard rates and I couldn't get it changed. :mad:

Also, I'm paying £35 a month gas/elec combined (make sure you opt for online tariff).

Oh and have you thought about paying into a cash benefit health scheme like BHSF or HSA? When I had a filling last month it covered 75% of the cost. Worth looking into.

The first year I moved into my house, I was totally skint, this is mainly where my credit card debt came from - I had to start all over again as my ex ended up with all my furniture etc... but that's another story!

There's nothing wrong with renting - not everyone is in a position to buy whether it is due to finance or other factors.

RosaBernicia

I flatshare and so do almost all my friends that aren't living with a relationship partner instead (I'm 35). That is partly due to housing costs as if I lived elsewhere in the country I could afford my own place - but I also quite like having company so long as it's someone you can get on with. Smaller numbers are better though - one other person is great but I don't think I could do households of 4 again. There are plenty of other people who also like cats but you might be limited where you can rent with them as most places I have lived say no pets in the contract.

Oh and well done for standing up to Must Buy House brainwashing :j

(I am very, very glad to be renting at present as I can be completely flexible if I need to move for work or any other reason. I would feel much more restricted and scared by a huge mortgage than I do by my landlord.)

Good luck

Rosa xx

eco

I live alone and love it, have done ever since my ex moved out and I bought him out of the mortgage, this was quite a few years ago and houses were cheaper so i know how lucky I am, but there are times I wished I rented and someone else could worry about the maintenance of the house.

I didn't know about this site till about a year after living alone and it got me back on track and enabled me to manage my money better, at least your well a head there, so good luck and it isn't boring and lonely living on your own like some people try telling me.