The cost of being single

So, Mr Spouse is moving out. No, don't feel sorry for me - it's OK.


But - why are things more expensive for one person than they are for two??


Let's take Council Tax. Yes, as a single person, I'll get a 25% reduction - but the household income will reduce by 50%, so I'm paying a larger % of the household income now.


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!!!


If and when I want to go on holiday, the room rate will be much the same for me on my own as it was when we travelled as a couple.


I'm sure there are more - this is just what I've come across so far, and he hasn't even gone yet!!!
No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
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Comments

  • Don't take his name off the insurance until you renew.
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 6,951
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    edited 8 February 2019 at 11:55AM
    I understand you completely as like most single people I deal with this all the time.

    Council tax - don't know how old you are so if you would remember this, but for a short period we had local taxation which was paid by individuals rather than households, so no discrimination against single people. It was called the community charge, but the Labour party called it a "poll tax" and some of their supporters rioted, so we moved to the current system which is basically the old rates system under a different name. It is very sad that the Labour party is so overtly discriminatory against singletons.

    Hotel pricing is awful for solo travellers. Travel companies likewise - the "£599 per person" turns into at least 50% more if you're travelling on your own as it's always "based on two people sharing a room".

    Car insurance pricing is a black art - young drivers are often told to add a parent as a named driver to reduce the premium, so there must be data that suggests multiple named drivers reduces risk. Question is how much of that £130 is admin fee for a policy change, and can't you just leave him on until renewal time? If he drives the car without your consent it will still be a criminal offence ("TWOCing"), just not an insurance offence.

    You'll also encounter reduced pricing for multiples of food products in supermarkets, and wonder why they can't just reduce the price for a single item as there's no way you'll get through two or three or four before the sell by date.

    Also pubs and restaurants with "two main courses for the price of one on Mondays!" type offers, and so it goes on. I'll probably think of some more in a bit!

    Plus in six days' time it is the annual smug couples day.
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  • jackieblack
    jackieblack Posts: 10,303
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    Yep
    My household income dropped by about 70% and yes, a lot of the costs went up.
    I avoided the car insurance thing by adding my mum (not that she ever drives my car).
    Water, gas and electric all reduced a little, but not a lot - heating the house costs the same for one as for two, same for broadband and TV licence.
    Food bill halved - that was about the biggest reduction.


    And yes, holiday, only one flight to pay for but hotel and car hire both cost the same whether there's one or two using them. The upside (I've found) is that I do more in the time as I get to do only the things I want to do, there's no-one to compromise with over stuff they want to do which doesn't much interest you!


    Further upsides (not financial) - the toilet seat is always down, the toothpaste is not squeezed in the middle and when I put something somewhere, I can always find it again exactly where I left it! :D
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  • spadoosh
    spadoosh Posts: 8,732
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    Its economies of scale.

    There are fixed costs and variable costs. Things like housing, council tax (to a degree) and the day charge on your utility bills are fixed costs. These are fixed costs because it doesnt really matter if you have 1 person or 10 living in a house, the total cost is the same. Things like food, VAT and petrol are variable costs and are largely dependant on usage.

    The benefit of your situation is your less likely to have to put up with rubbish from your OH. Pros and cons. Sometimes its worth paying a bit more....
  • MEM62
    MEM62 Posts: 4,732
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    edited 8 February 2019 at 12:06PM
    So, Mr Spouse is moving out. No, don't feel sorry for me - it's OK.

    But - why are things more expensive for one person than they are for two??

    Because you cannot benefit from economies of scale.

    Let's take Council Tax. Yes, as a single person, I'll get a 25% reduction - but the household income will reduce by 50%, so I'm paying a larger % of the household income now.

    I am sure that the cost for the Council to provide services to your home is not halved when you are a single occupant. However, this is not the only way that you can argue that the system is unfair as houses with 3 adults in them do not pay an extra 25%. We briefly had a system where charges were based on a per adult basis - it was called the Poll Tax. If you are not old enough to remember the upheaval that caused you can Google it.

    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!!!

    Unless you have a compelling reason to remove him from the cover now why not leave him on until the policy expires and then look for a better deal?

    If and when I want to go on holiday, the room rate will be much the same for me on my own as it was when we travelled as a couple.

    Because it is a business. The room will cost the hotel the same whether there is one occupant or two. Also, they prefer double occupancy as there are two people buying drinks at the bar and meals in the restaurant. Even with the room rate being the same the hotel are loosing revenue.

    I'm sure there are more - this is just what I've come across so far, and he hasn't even gone yet!!!

    I sympathise. I spent 20 years as a single man before meeting my other half so I am fully aware of your situation but it is what it is.

    When you do fall into your next relationship make sure that your partner does not have an kids or you will back here again - only this time bemoaning how much cheaper it was to be single :rotfl:
  • calleyw
    calleyw Posts: 9,822
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    Plus in six days' time it is the annual smug couples day.


    Ono,


    I am in couple but even I find it clawing the whole valentines thing. over hyped and made to make people who are single feel bad.


    No idea why, as some people prefer to be on there own for what ever reason. Some people need to be on their own as they are too toxic to be in a relationship.


    Yours


    Calley x
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  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,035
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    edited 8 February 2019 at 12:32PM
    Yes, I'm old enough to remember the Poll Tax...


    We've agreed to leave our insurance policies as the are for now (he'll have the same problem, as I'm a named driver on his policy). Renewal isn't until 1st Jan, so yay!! I may have decided I don't need a car at all by then!


    I do most of my shopping at Aldi, and they don't do the 'BOGOF' type deals, so that's one thing less to get annoyed about!!



    And yes, jackieblack, I'm looking forward to doing the stuff I really want to do, without having to convince him that he wants to do it too (or leave him behind and come back to a moody begger later) - and there's a lot of stuff I really want to do!! We were in Sydney a couple of years ago, once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing. There was a guided tour of the opera house starting in about 10 minutes, and I really wanted to do it (one of my relatives performed there many years ago). He 'didn't feel like it'. So I did it anyway - left him feeling sorry for himself in a cafe. He sulked for the rest of the day. Not my problem any more!!


    And as to Valentine's Day, I'm going to buy myself some heart-shaped chocolate and maybe even a bunch of flowers. Just because I can.
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • coffeehound
    coffeehound Posts: 5,649
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    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:

    An upside: Valentine’s day evening is great time to go grocery shopping — YS beanfeast
  • SuiDreams
    SuiDreams Posts: 2,393
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    My other half was very wasteful, so found Gas and electric dropped by 2 thirds, water bills dropped (water meter) unfortunately this was less than a half, Grocery shopping probably dropped by 2 thirds as well. Plus he never contributed to any bills so this worked out as a massive saving to me.
  • 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:

    An upside: Valentine’s day evening is great time to go grocery shopping — YS beanfeast
    It can be any two adults, not necessarily partners in any shape or form, that regularly travel together.
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