how would you cope (financially) alone?

aridjis

It's a bit of a depressing subject, maybe, but I've been thinking about finances and being reliant on a partner, and wondering how other people feel.

Suppose something happened and you were suddenly on your own. (say your partner left or was suddenly no longer around for whatever reason, bereavement, etc). Would you be ok financially, or would you go into panic mode, because you're dependent on their income in order to pay the mortgage/rent, bills, etc.

Is it something you worry about?

(I've introduced a male/female thing into the poll because I think it might be relevant, even in this day and age, - we are not equal in terms of earning capacity.)

Just interested to see what people's views are. Obviously few people are going to be completely self reliant and self financing, unless they've inherited money from their old auntie or won the lottery :rotfl: You're always going to be dependent on someone, be it your employer or your partner or whoever..

thriftylass

To be honest, although I earn less than hubby and would have to pay child care, mortgage etc on my own I'd probably be better off (financially at least) as I can manage my money better on my own. Could feed us on value range (wouldn't get away with that now), less unexpected spends, less booze in the house and the list goes on. I'm more stingy than hubby but a relation ship means compromise so usually pay more for things as when it would be solely my decision.

Tiglath

I'd manage - my salary is enough to cover all our joint outgoings, assuming insurance wouldn't pay off the mortgage for whatever reason. It would be quite tight though - I'd have maybe £100/month leftover. If insurance paid off the mortgage, I'd be fine. So no it's not something I worry about in a financial sense.

Dimey

I was massively better off when I parted from my husband. I didn't have to fund his booze and prostitutes.

Dumbe

I earn more ( roughly double) what my husband earns, so I am confident ( we save more then his salary every month now) it would be no problem at all.

DigForVictory

I'd be financially in about the same place but with less negotiating to do.
That said, no matter how come I was alone, I'd still have 3 sons & would miss the man I married something wicked. He's my best mate & has been for decades.

FBaby

I was brought to consider this to always be a possibility and therefore to always assure that I could be financially dependent. My parents were not money obsessed, but raised me that money WAS important if only to have a decent lifestyle. I supposed I never thought different. I am realistic that you can never know what tomorrow will be made off, partners leave for an other without any warnings at all, and of course, there are illnesses and accidents.

My partner wouldn't want me to be dependent on him, unless it couldn't be helped, not because he doesn't want to support me but because he is amongst those men who have more respect for women who work (his mum raised him alone working full-time all her life).

ceh209

I'd be ok, but then we don't have children yet, and we earn the same. (Actually I earn £100 more a year, which I regularly remind him of :A)

If he died or became critically ill there's money due from his employment which would help paying a lump sum off the mortgage.

If we split, the house would be sold anyway so I could buy something smaller.

thorsoak

Yes, I manage - but we'd paid off the mortgage when we downsized. But the one point that should be emphasised is that if a couple are in receipt of DWP pensions - with no other benefits - it can take up to SIX MONTHS before you are informed of the actual amount of pension that you will receive after the death of one partner.

When this happened to me, I thought it was a one off - obviously OH's pension stopped immediately - but mine dropped to a figure that I could not reconcile in any way shape or form. And then I'd receive dribs and drabs at varying times until I was actually informed of how much it would be (I received a revised pension, taking into account OH's contributions).

But it has been the experience or three other people that I know - one man and two women. When you phone up, you are told "sorry - but we are dealing with people who have real emergencies" - which doesn't help when someone is feeling raw with grief. But its hard to move on, when one doesn't know just how much one has to budget with - when the costs will remain the same despite only one income.

PasturesNew

I'm female - I've always been alone.

It's not easy affording anything, so I mostly do nothing except sit home alone. I can go weeks/months without speaking to anybody... but it costs money to leave the house.

Toto

If he died then I'd be ok financially because the life insurance should cover everything. If he left, I'd probably struggle right now, he is the main income earner here as I only work part time due to a disabled child. I'd better be nice to him eh

So, I can't really answer the poll because it depends on why I'm alone.