how are single people supposed to afford the price of rent/housing is increasing?

principlecounts

missbiggles1 wrote: »

So what - that's what many of us have done at some point in our lives, some several times.

Don't be such a wuss!

Ditto. Then you know who your real friends and family are. I've moved around on my own for the best of ten years, I'm a bit more stable now, but hadn't I made those moves (even to places in Europe), I wouldn't be where I am today. No regrets.

WatermelonHead

I feel your pain fitnessguy1.

I graduated in 2012 with a 2:1 and have been living at home ever since. I simply cannot afford my own place and I live in the North West. Probably if I stayed in Manchester I would house share which is what I did in my final year of uni - it was awesome I only paid £300 pcm inc all bills and wifi. My housemates I'd never met before (I used spareroom.co.uk) but they were lovely professional people! We didn't even have locks on our doors (bit dodge) but it was fine and they were incredibly trustworthy.

Now I'm back in Cumbria there aren't any places to share that are near the town I work in. Cumbria doesn't have a large proportion of young professionals in their twenties so this option is nullified. I feel frustrated at times that I don't have a place of my own, and I feel somewhat like a child still sharing a room with my younger brother and sister who are both still in school.

On the plus side I am able to save a very large portion of my measly income. My rent at home is very modest (thanks mum!). Otherwise if I rented a place in my hometown or where I work it would cost me £500 pcm excluding bills and council tax and wifi and food etc. I'd literally have nothing leftover. Even if I moved to a nearby town in the Lakes the lowest I can find is £325 pcm ex bills and council tax. Add on bus travel and food bill per month and it's just ridiculous.

Even on my 'graduate' wage I earn the EXACT same as I did as a part-time waitress! All I'm saying is even with a degree it's very difficult financially. Even if you live up North. It seems nobody escapes this conundrum!! (Perhaps except those that have a wonderful other half to share with which not everyone has...)

P.S. My original ambition was to head to London or somewhere in the South asap but realising now how expensive it is I think I may aim for Carlisle instead :undecided

bristol_pilot

Living alone is a very expensive luxury. The normal thing for young professionals, even up to mid- 30s, is to house share - with strangers if necessary - until such time as you pair up with someone nice or climb far enough up the career ladder that you can afford to live alone. 'Twas ever thus, this is not a new phenomenon caused by the latest housing boom, it was the same in the 80s, 90s etc.

pcgtron

I flat and house shared in London for the best part of 10 years. Nothing wrong with it at all. Now I own my house and a flat I rent out. Your life changes as you get older and things happen you were never expecting. Get a house share, make some new friends and get on with your life

kingslayer

I know the feeling OP; this is the way things are now. I am in the same situation; living with my father and unemployed. I know once i have found a job that i will be on a low wage, unless i got into something like sales where you're paid on commission and can earn well if you're good.

I also live in the South, Essex to be exact, and around this area it's quite pricey if you are on a low budget. The flats around here to rent are not the nicest, yet they're charging crazy prices.

If your take home per month is around £2000, then it's very doable, but if it's less than that, you're spending almost £1000 on bills and rent, not factoring in other costs.

My friend's mum actually rents rooms in a house she owns just a couple streets up from her. I went round to help out with some decorating of the spare room and one of her tenants is a surgeon! On a surgeon's wage, you would expect him to have his own home, but instead he's renting a room. I think the fact that he's single could be the reason, as it's probably lonely being on your own in a place with no one to share it with.

I can imagine it would be a surprise at the amount of financially stable people house sharing out there. The only issue i have with house sharing, is that you have to abide by rules and take others into consideration, whereas living on your own, you are answering to nobody.

Running_Horse

Learn a trade. If you can't learn a trade, learn some new skills of use to an employer. They won't come to you, you have to make this happen or accept your current lot.

Learn to drive a lorry, use Microsoft Office, fit widgets into thingumajigs. Anything that might be useful to someone who will pay you to do it.

Best of luck. I've been there and it's hard, but it can get much better if you make it happen.

stu12345_2

yes drive a bus, good wages for semi skilled, drive in glasgow,southampton, leeds, and you have money in ur pocket at end of week.

fitnessguy1

Running_Horse wrote: »

Learn a trade. If you can't learn a trade, learn some new skills of use to an employer. They won't come to you, you have to make this happen or accept your current lot.

Learn to drive a lorry, use Microsoft Office, fit widgets into thingumajigs. Anything that might be useful to someone who will pay you to do it.

Best of luck. I've been there and it's hard, but it can get much better if you make it happen.

good advice. i am going to try find some courses available. i don't know about free courses but anything that doesn't cost a lot. i don't want to pay out too much gain new qualifications if possible.

i was thinking about personal training, but although i enjoy training myself i think it would be harder to train someone else. :eek:

BigAunty

fitnessguy1 wrote: »

i was thinking about personal training, but although i enjoy training myself i think it would be harder to train someone else. :eek:

Will this give you a 20 to 25k income? If not,forget it.

fitnessguy1

BigAunty wrote: »

Will this give you a 20 to 25k income? If not,forget it.

i don't believe so. that is the problem. also, there's a saturation of pt's out there at the moment because it's a relatively stable & flexible career choice amongst many people.

i was looking into training for qualifications for other things, but not really sure what there is. i wouldn't mind working in marketing/sales to earn some money and save up. starting a business is another option but it would take a few years for me to save up the money due to my low salary and also make sure i have a good idea.

i don't know really. university is an option but like i said - my education is quite poor and i am not sure how i would cope with it. it is quite frustrating really. like i said it's putting a bit of strain on me and my gf as i am always moaning to her about the situation and she responds with "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO YOU!" :rotfl: and she is right i suppose. i don't want to keep moaning to her as she has her own problems, but it feels like i need to talk about these things.