how would you cope (financially) alone?

seven-day-weekend

The household income income would go down drastically, but I could manage, as I am a pensioner and have no rent/mortgage to pay.

As someone else has said, however, I'd be bereft without my best friend.

Fosterdog

I just worked out all the outgoings I would have if I found myself single again. I'd be left with £550 a month after all utility bills, I'd have to find somewhere cheap to rent as the £550 will have to cover rent and food, anything leftover would be an emergency fund. If I'm left with both dogs I'd lose another £50 a month of that.

I managed fine living on my own before I met OH, I can get some overtime sometimes giving my income a boost for a month. I didn't have the dogs then though and they are not cheap to run.

First thing I'd get rid of is sky. I'd possibly get rid if the TV altogether, I managed fine without one for several years before I met OH, I'd also lose the expense of running a car.

How comfortable I'd be would be completely reliant on how cheaply I could rent, I'd be able to claim tax credits, plus council tax discount, plus possibly some help towards rent.

Kynthia

It was always important for me to earn well and be financially independent. My dad thought it was amusing that I was a feminist as a child, although I don't see what's amusing about equality for both sexes. I adore my husband and it would be scary now that we're expecting. However I earn nearly 50% more than him and am qualified in my profession so should always be able to find employment. He earns decent money too so we would both cope, but if anything happened to his current job I think he would struggle to earn the same elsewhere do to its specialist nature. However he's a grafter and can probably live on less than me to I reckon we'd both be reasonably comfortable, which is reassuring.

alias*alibi

I said I'm female and think I'd cope ok; however, my caveat to that would be all the time my DD is under 18. Then I'd struggle big time.

eschaton

Not a problem.

I came out of a 7 year relationship at the start of the year.

I have always budgeted and ensured that my salary covered my costs whether single or in a relationship.

Being single means I don't have as much spare cash as I used to have but it didn't stop me picking my new car up on Friday.

determined_new_ms

I would cope. I earn a devent enough wage and could cover all of our current outgoings. There would also be reduced costs for a lot of things - food, energy, council tax, not so many holiday (a necessity for my oh!) going out for meals. Although I would probably need to increase my budget for socialising. I've lived on my own before and think it's really important to socialise when living alone so as not to become isolated.

I'm much more ruthless with being frugal than my oh so don't worry how I would manage financially. I'd be devasted to lose him though, he means the world to me

LittleMissAspie

stir_crazy wrote: »

I earn less than DH just now, so we arranged our mortgage and household bills to be low enough that if he couldn't work or contribute to the bills for some reason then I could cover all the costs on my wage.

Ditto, when we bought our house I made sure that we didn't borrow more than I could afford on my own, even though he earns twice as much as me. We are only in trouble if both of us lose our jobs at the same time.

We have nominated each other for our workplace death benefits so I would get 4x his salary if he died. That would pay off the mortgage plus lots to spare, which is just as well because I wouldn't be able to get out of bed let alone work.