Do couples pay the price for being in a relationship?

Errata

MSE_Amelia wrote: »

According to Confused.com, it's waaayy more cost effective being single than having a partner.

They've crunched a few figures and reckon being in a relationship costs £2,340 MORE than not having an other half. They say it's something to do with all the romantic dinners and trips away that couples indulge in. But what about all the dates that you might be splashing the cash on if you're single?

Believe it?

We want to know what you've found. What status do you think is the most money saving and why - being in a relationship, playing the field or just happily dating yourself.

Date yourself and you'll be as happy as the day is long and never disappointed.

missbiggles1

Errata wrote: »

Date yourself and you'll be as happy as the day is long and never disappointed.

On a par with Woody Allen's comment about masturbation.;)

a1fan

The reduction in council tax for a single person is 25%. But if you're part of a couple that'll be 50% as you'd pay half each. Same with any essential outgoings.

SandC

pinkandblueshoe wrote: »

Rent and council tax might be shared costs but some people pay so much more in rent than others it becomes moot anyway. Its possible to have an active social life while single or in a couple, it´s possible to be skint and everything else in between whether you are single or not. Speaking as someone who lives alone even when I was paying rent and working full time I had enough left over, unlike some couples I know who just spend spend spend.

Its about how you manage your own finances and there are so many more factors as to what you have left over than whether you are single or not.

Absolutely, that's me to a 't' also. Managing your finances is key. I often think that a lot of couples don't have such a fear of loans and credit that a single might when there's only one wage in the household and nobody to fall back on.

marvin

But what if one of the partners is not working are things share equally then? There are big presumptions here that both are bringing in an income.

I was definitely better off, financially, single but then that is not why I got married.

indesisiv

I'd love to see the figures behind this.
As a family I always had spare money as everything was halved. As a singleton the bills don't really change you just have to pay all of them with out the extra money coming in.
How on earth confused.com worked this out is beyond me, I think that they are a tad confused.

SandC

marvin wrote: »

But what if one of the partners is not working are things share equally then? There are big presumptions here that both are bringing in an income.

I was definitely better off, financially, single but then that is not why I got married.

True Marvin, didn't think of it from that angle.

marleyboy

I cannot see we as a couple make comparisons like that. Whatever costs we endure as a couple is worth the crust.

In my single Years, I found it virtually impossible to cook for one, even a tin of beans is too much for one, yet if I bought a half size tin, it would cost more in the long run. Thats just beans, where can I buy a leg of lamb for one, or a shephards pie, a cheesecake? They are just for starters.

As it still costs me the same to turn on a light or heat the place regardless of having any company, logic dictates that as a couple its inevitably going to work out more cost effective than as an individual.

Nada666

++ sounds like complete rubbish

Nada666

marleyboy wrote: »

In my single Years, I found it virtually impossible to cook for one, even a tin of beans is too much for one, yet if I bought a half size tin, it would cost more in the long run. Thats just beans, where can I buy a leg of lamb for one, or a shephards pie, a cheesecake? They are just for starters.

I don't agree with that part - it is more variety that is the problem. No need to use a whole tin. No reason to think a leg of lamb is more difficult to distribute amongst two than one. And if you are buying legs why would you be buying a ready made shepherd's pie? Half a cheesecake per person is no less gross than a whole one. And who eats cheesecakes or shepherd's pie as a starter?

Groceries like fruit and vegetables are far more a problem for single people especially w.r.t. grabbing a wide variety.