The cost of being single

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  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 46,028 Forumite
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    trailingspouse wrote: »
    Car insurance - I have my own policy, on my own car, with Mr Spouse as a named driver. Rang the insurers yesterday to have his name taken off the policy - they want an additional £130!!!
    gettingtheresometime wrote: »
    Don't take his name off the insurance until you renew.
    I see you've already decided to do this, and you need to think about who to add next year (if you still have a car), because it is definitely worth adding a good driver to the policy.
    coffeehound wrote: »
    The Two Together rail card — why on earth do two adults travelling together qualify for a discount? Do they have to share a seat? :think:
    :rotfl: someone mentioned the Senior Railcard (indirectly). Always worth pointing out that if you qualify for a disabled railcard, this is better vfm: slightly cheaper, and allows TWO to travel at the reduced price. Plus you don't have to be Senior.

    Most of my family have one because we have hearing aids.
    Signature removed for peace of mind
  • jackieblack
    jackieblack Posts: 10,317 Forumite
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    edited 9 February 2019 at 7:56AM
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    trailingspouse wrote: »
    When it comes to things like food and gas/electric/water, the amount I use is up to me and I can cut back if I feel I need to.

    With gas/electric/water that’s only true up to a point - the standing charges are the same no matter how many in the household. And as your usage reduces they become a much bigger % of the bill.
    The standing charge on my last electricity bill was more than 50% of the bill - even if I reduced my usage to 0, there’s nothing I can do about reducing the standing charge.
    (I always shop around and change providers whenever I need to, being a low user I try to choose tariffs with a lower standing charge)
    2.22kWp Solar PV system installed Oct 2010, Fronius IG20 Inverter, south facing (-5 deg), 30 degree pitch, no shading
    Everything will be alright in the end so, if it’s not yet alright, it means it’s not yet the end
    MFW #4 OPs (offset): 2018 £866.89, 2019 £1322.33, 2020 £1337.07,
    2021 £1250.00, 2022 £1500.00, 2023 £1500
    Target for 2024 (offset) = £1200, YTD £460
    Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,035 Forumite
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    One of my plans is to take in a lodger, under the Rent-a-Room scheme (I have a large attic, with two good sized rooms and a shower room), so that will go some way towards making the utilities and their standing charges less painful. Yes, I know they'll also be using the water and the electric, but there'll still be a profit.



    If we get along, maybe we could get a 'Two Together' railcard...
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • spirit
    spirit Posts: 2,886 Forumite
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    trailingspouse wrote: »
    One of my plans is to take in a lodger, under the Rent-a-Room scheme (I have a large attic, with two good sized rooms and a shower room), so that will go some way towards making the utilities and their standing charges less painful. Yes, I know they'll also be using the water and the electric, but there'll still be a profit.



    If we get along, maybe we could get a 'Two Together' railcard...

    But you'll lose Your council tax discount.
    Mortgage free as of 10/02/2015. Every brick and blade of grass belongs to meeeee. :j
  • maisie_cat
    maisie_cat Posts: 2,068 Forumite
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    trailingspouse wrote: »
    When it comes to things like food and gas/electric/water, the amount I use is up to me and I can cut back if I feel I need to.


    It's the insurance that's bugging me the most. I haven't suddenly become a worse driver!! (And before someone comes on and tries to explain how it works, I know.)
    The problem is that statistically you have suddenly become more of a risk in insurance world.
    If you know how this works I'm surprised you have to ask
  • Ilona
    Ilona Posts: 2,449 Forumite
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    jackieblack wrote: »
    With gas/electric/water that’s only true up to a point - the standing charges are the same no matter how many in the household. And as your usage reduces they become a much bigger % of the bill.
    The standing charge on my last electricity bill was more than 50% of the bill - even if I reduced my usage to 0, there’s nothing I can do about reducing the standing charge.
    (I always shop around and change providers whenever I need to, being a low user I try to choose tariffs with a lower standing charge)

    If I reduce my usage to nil, I would get a quarterly bill with nil on it. I have been with Ebico for a few years, they have a 'no standing charge' tariff. Even with a slightly higher price per Kwh, as a low user I am still quids in. My summer gas bills are only a few £'s, the cost of using my cooker and heating a tank of water.

    They have now put a cap on it, and I have to re assess the situation in October. I hope they continue the deal and I can roll it over year on year. Not sure if it is available for new applicants.

    ilona
    I love skip diving.
    :D
  • jackieblack
    jackieblack Posts: 10,317 Forumite
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    maisie_cat wrote: »
    The problem is that statistically you have suddenly become more of a risk in insurance world.
    If you know how this works I'm surprised you have to ask

    To be honest, what irritated me more than being considered less of a risk when my (now ex) husband added to my insurance, was the fact that he didn’t even have a licence to drive a car at the time! :mad:
    2.22kWp Solar PV system installed Oct 2010, Fronius IG20 Inverter, south facing (-5 deg), 30 degree pitch, no shading
    Everything will be alright in the end so, if it’s not yet alright, it means it’s not yet the end
    MFW #4 OPs (offset): 2018 £866.89, 2019 £1322.33, 2020 £1337.07,
    2021 £1250.00, 2022 £1500.00, 2023 £1500
    Target for 2024 (offset) = £1200, YTD £460
    Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
  • jackieblack
    jackieblack Posts: 10,317 Forumite
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    Ilona wrote: »
    If I reduce my usage to nil, I would get a quarterly bill with nil on it. I have been with Ebico for a few years, they have a 'no standing charge' tariff. Even with a slightly higher price per Kwh, as a low user I am still quids in. My summer gas bills are only a few £'s, the cost of using my cooker and heating a tank of water.

    They have now put a cap on it, and I have to re assess the situation in October. I hope they continue the deal and I can roll it over year on year. Not sure if it is available for new applicants.

    ilona

    Thanks, I’ll check them out
    2.22kWp Solar PV system installed Oct 2010, Fronius IG20 Inverter, south facing (-5 deg), 30 degree pitch, no shading
    Everything will be alright in the end so, if it’s not yet alright, it means it’s not yet the end
    MFW #4 OPs (offset): 2018 £866.89, 2019 £1322.33, 2020 £1337.07,
    2021 £1250.00, 2022 £1500.00, 2023 £1500
    Target for 2024 (offset) = £1200, YTD £460
    Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,035 Forumite
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    edited 9 February 2019 at 9:38AM
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    maisie_cat wrote: »
    The problem is that statistically you have suddenly become more of a risk in insurance world.
    If you know how this works I'm surprised you have to ask
    And if I've said I know how it works, I'm surprised you feel you have to explain it. Yes, statistically I'm a worse driver, obviously. But I'm not actually a worse driver - and so having to pay an extra £130 for no reason is frustrating, especially at a time when money is tight. And if I then put someone else on the policy (who doesn't even have to ever use the car), I don't miraculously become a better driver, although the stats would say that I do. Lies, damned lies, and statistics.
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • jackieblack
    jackieblack Posts: 10,317 Forumite
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    jackieblack wrote: »
    Thanks, I’ll check them out

    Have had a look.
    The plan with no standing charge is 50% more expensive for electricity and more than double the cost of gas as my current supplier, overall monthly cost over the last year would have worked out 20% higher.

    I’ll check them out again when my current fixed rate tariff ends though, it’s possible it’ll work out differently then
    2.22kWp Solar PV system installed Oct 2010, Fronius IG20 Inverter, south facing (-5 deg), 30 degree pitch, no shading
    Everything will be alright in the end so, if it’s not yet alright, it means it’s not yet the end
    MFW #4 OPs (offset): 2018 £866.89, 2019 £1322.33, 2020 £1337.07,
    2021 £1250.00, 2022 £1500.00, 2023 £1500
    Target for 2024 (offset) = £1200, YTD £460
    Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
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