Do couples pay the price for being in a relationship?

Anatidaephobia

sue.b wrote: »

Go to theatres, cinemas and other venues on your own. Why do you have to find someone to go with?

I don't think anyone has said that you have to. But some people prefer to go with someone else.

RedGoose

Most of the roof-over-head costs have gone down since my beloved and I moved in together (apart from the leccy maybe- because we have more laundry we use the dryer more often than I did when I was on my own. When you live alone you don't have to worry about tripping people up with multiple clothes horses...).


Our food and drink costs have definitely gone up. I didn't tend to drink much by myself, but it's a lot easier to share a beer, wine etc. I used to scrimp more on my food (I ate a lot of offal, eggs etc for dinner) and make a lot from scratch but find it harder to inflict that (and the extra time involved) on someone else. Plus I very rarely went in for the "dine-ins" from the supermarket.

mustang121

Being in a relationship has certainly provide more financial security for us as opposed to when we were single.


I think a more appropriate survey would be the financial differences between childless couples, couples with 1 child and couples with 2+ children.

166million

i think some people find it easier to be single, financially or otherwise.

hampshire999

There are no financial benefits to being single.

- council tax is 50% MORE

i- in a couple the following are shared
mortgage, electric, gas, water, petrol,
holiday costs - ferries, hotels, petrol etc

- in addition single people get no govt top ups

missbiggles1

hampshire999 wrote: »

There are no financial benefits to being single.

- council tax is 50% MORE

i- in a couple the following are shared
mortgage, electric, gas, water, petrol,
holiday costs - ferries, hotels, petrol etc

- in addition single people get no govt top ups

Plenty of single people get government top ups in the form of tax credits and LHA/HB.

claire1a

VestanPance wrote: »

I'd imagine single people who are dating probably spend far more going out than most couples do as well.

There is no way I can afford to date! I dont go out for meals like my friends and maybe on a really good frifty month I can maybe afford to go out once.

Alot of my friends in couples go out for meals/ to the cinema every week. Great being single....

As for the bills etc I pay all of these myself, my mortage is similar to that of my single friends. The miniscule 25% reducation in council tax does help, just not enough! I have to be really careful with what food I buy as alot of things are in big packs and go off before I can use them all.

duchy

I'm a bit bemused at some of the going out objections.
If you are single it doesn't mean you don't have friends to socilise with and not all couples share all interests anyway.

I do agree when you're single it's far easier to jusify using leftovers (and odd combinations) or having just an omlette when you don't have to consider someone else has to eat it too.

Former_MSE_Helen

"Couples pay the price for being in a relationship, a recent study claimed. So let’s have it out, what’s more MoneySaving – being in a couple? Or being single? Ding ding ding..."

Read MSE Amelia's full blog: What’s more MoneySaving – being in a relationship? Or being single?

Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

Former_MSE_Helen

PS. Thanks to everyone who's commented on this thread since Amelia started it - it's great to hear your views.