Single income home

PM22

I posted a similar thread to this 4-5 months ago and I was told I could get rid of my car and cycle to work - 12miles each way!!!
I was so insulted, I don't even have a bike and why should I work a 10 hour day and cycle 24 miles as well...sometimes people on this forum can be unrealistically harsh and unkind.

Luckily for me, I got a pay rise and 5 extra hours and a promotion coming up which will bring another small pay rise...but what I really wanted someone to say was that it must be hard being single as all the responsibility is on you and you alone and there is no one to share the problems with. I too, had given up everything just to make ends meet, not even a gym membership or going for a single coffee, month after month gets you down. 

The smug person who suggested I cycle 24 miles a day probably just wanted to balance my budget with no thought for how tough life is for single people.

Cycling 24 miles a day, 5 days a week in all weather would make my life not worth living and I resented the advice

anniecave

Marvel1 - I work from home and I personally couldn't get away  without having the heating on during the day last winter. I am quite frugal with the heating compared to other people I know.   Everyone is different so I suspect with some heat first thing in the morning then it may be possible to avoid use during the day for some, but not me personally.  I get cold if it's less than about 19 degrees if I'm just sitting around not moving, even with some of the tricks in this  which is a good read https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/heat-the-human-not-the-home-save-energy/

SHarrison1 - I expect the government will be offering more help, I don't expect them to reverse the £400 grant. There may be more targeted or application only support offered.   Have you looked at the https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/how-to-get-help-if-you-re-struggling-with-your-energy-bills-/  even if you don't qualify for a hardship grant right now, I expect lots of people may well need them in the future so this may be something that you qualify for in the future maybe? 

Some people are in a good financial position so it's not a worry for everyone. So any offers of universal help (like the £400 grant or £150 council tax or help for pensioners etc) in some cases are giving money to people and not all of them actually need this help.  We are also currently in a waiting game for a new prime minister, so I think we should wait and see what actually happens. 

Krakkkers

I cycle 9 miles each way to work and back and treat it as a free work out, i enjoy it.

Trynsave2

Krakkkers said:

Surely a VAT cut would benefit high earners/spenders rather than people with low incomes?

I think we need to move away from 'high earners' to discretionary income. Those in cities often earn more than others, but have higher housing, transport and other costs. Just because your wage indicates money, doesn't mean you have the funds to absorb increasing costs.

That said, as I've said in other threads, the majority of people need to get away from expecting help. The last few decades have seen a huge growth in people's standard of living and all our definitions of poverty don't scratch the surface when compared to those living around the world in actual poverty. The Government ie tax payers of now and in the future can't afford to support our lifestyle choices and nor can the planet. Our public services are on their knees with the NHS and the education system barely functioning. No-one in the early 70s or 80s expected handouts during cold winters and periods of exceptionally high inflation. Yes it was bitterly cold, people lost work, their homes etc etc and no-one wants to see a return to the past, but lives and personal expenditure have to adapt to what you can afford. Better any help gets directed to businesses to preserve jobs than to households. 

For the OP, a single person has much more flexibility for adapting to change than a family does, and whilst I hear you that economies of scale allows groups of people to live more cheaply than independent adults, those with young children have added costs that you don't consider such as formula, nappies, childcare costs and an ever changing wardrobe. Add to that, larger vehicles, necessary equipment such as car seats and appropriate furniture as well as increased heating costs, and you soon appreciate that a couple affording all these costs on two salaries is much tougher than you providing for just yourself on yours. I acknowledge that life stinks when you're skint at the bottom of the handout queue, but the cold is unlikely to kill you if you are young and healthy. I also acknowledge that you are trying to better yourself, working hard for your future, but I must also add that working for free in the hope of a future gain whilst not being able to pay your bills now is a luxury you just can't afford. Put future aspirations on hold and get some extra money coming in. 

luvchocolate

I'm 70 live alone state pension and small works pension...no benefits. 
Live in housing association flat for over 50s.
Pay full rent. 
I'm glad I got the £150 and the £400 will be a big help...the £500 winter fuel allowance this year will cover my increasing energy bills. 
I bulk cook from scratch and freeze individual portions. 
Have a spare duvet for sofa when its really cold. 
My heating was turned of first week in March and will not go on until November. 
I walk 2 hours a day and keep busy. 
I appreciate I am fortunate 

QrizB

Krakkkers said:

Surely a VAT cut would benefit high earners/spenders rather than people with low incomes?

It was suggested on another thread that it would make more sense to leave the VAT rate alone and to use the equivalent revenue in targeted help.

Even if shared out equally as helicopter money it would be more progressive than a rate cut.

xeny

QrizB said:

It was suggested on another thread that it would make more sense to leave the VAT rate alone and to use the equivalent revenue in targeted help.

It would. Problems are Truss appears (and hard to tell how much if this is acting for the party electorate) to be rather of a fixed mind with delivering tax cuts and we're also running out of time to put a complicated scheme together.

She won't want to spend a lot of money just adding to Sunak's £400 scheme, which would be quick to implement.

I've just read the EU is looking at strategies to unlink gas and electricity pricing. As we're heavily connected to the EU energy market we may have de facto little choice but to follow suite.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Last time the government cut VAT from 17.5% down to 15% they put it up to 20% after the temporary period expired. 

There are 17 EU countries with the standard rate of VAT at above 20%, if they do temporarily reduce VAT now I'd bet they'll put it up to 21% or 22% afterwards.

lindatoo

I've been following this thread and I do feel for you. Some of the comments have come over as a little harsh but I think that it is because everyone really is in the same boat, whether they be singles,couples or families and it is true that those who are in low income brackets are going to find it very hard. There has to be an income figure to determine who qualifies for help and who doesn't no matter what the household make up is and sadly those whose incomes fall just above that figure are likely to feel the pinch hardest. No matter what that figure is,  if it's raised or decreased there will always be those who just sit above it.

Like you I live alone and whilst it would be lovely to be able find a partner to share my home with, I most definitely do not want a lodger and there are some benefits to living alone, no one else's mess to clear up, no one to share your bathroom with, eating what you want and when you want, not to mention noise and smells. Children really do stink sometimes. (I hope my son never reads this)  

On a practical level Some things you could consider doing, if you're not already.

Try to understand where your energy is being used, so you can try to reduce it where possible.

Can your employer reimburse you for some energy usage? (I'm assuming as you work from home you are using a computer,etc)

When you're not working, could you spend time with friends in similar situations so you can share costs of heating?

If you can't batch cook and freeze food could you cook enough for 3 meals at a time.stored in the fridge? 

Could you invest in an air fryer a slow cooker?

Are your light bulbs energy efficient, if you have spot lights could you remove some bulbs?

Are you heating rooms you're not using?

You've said you have replaced a door already are there any other drafts that you could tackle?

Could you find out what time your local supermarket puts the big reductions on foodstuffs due to going out of date and move to shopping times to match? (our local Tescos does it about 7pm and there some bargains to be had, if you're prepared to eat it within day or two)

Theres also an app called Olio that gets unused food from major supermarkets. You pay 99p for a year to use it but then the food is free. Another called Too Good to Go where you can buy bags of food at reduced rates. 

Have you reviewed all your other expenses to find out if you could be paying less? (I have been paying over the odds for my home insurance for years, that's about to stop)

Finally have you got water meter? If not you will be paying too much especially if  you have reduced showering times etc.Best thing I ever did. Reduced my water bill by about £240 a year.

That's all I can think of for now. Try not take the comments too much to heart.I think most of them are a case of tough love. You are clearly a hard working person trying to build your career and I wish you well with the challenges ahead.

theoretica

The thing that strikes me is that it sounds like you are not reasonably paid - which is why so many industries are going on strike.  Are you a member of a union or can you do anything to put pressure on your employer?  To be paid for the extra hours?  Or really focus only a little extra where it will gain you most CV points/temporarily give it up in exchange for paid work? Would your employer really miss the extra so it would be a useful bargaining chip?  I agree that your employer shouldn't take into account if you are single or not (those ads with higher pay for married men...) but they should pay enough to live a basic lifestyle on.