Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What do single people do on Friday evenings and the weekend?

58 replies

Sunflowers2047 · 19/08/2022 17:30

I find Friday evenings really difficult because once again I'm alone and I imagine everyone else having lovely times with their families or out at pubs with friends. I have a handful of friends but they have young children or live too far away to meet up for an evening. I'm working all weekend which means all that faces me this weekend is just work stress and then Saturday evening alone again. Makes me feel crap and lonely.

OP posts:
forrestgreen · 19/08/2022 19:33

I'm chronically ill/in pain so not working at the moment. The lack of interaction coupled with covid restrictions were too much.
I've joined a church which has helped enormously.
I'm now exhausted from the change but in a good way!

eyeoftheworld · 19/08/2022 19:39

I try and line up something good for dinner (takeaway or home version of one) and something to watch, I don't watch a lot of TV during the week so I often save episodes for Friday or have a film picked out. Usually fall asleep on the sofa in my pj's with the dog while watching something and eating crisps, which is fine by me! Make staying at home on a Friday nightsomething you plan and look forward to, rather than just the second place prize to going out, that's my advice.

Mary46 · 19/08/2022 20:01

Op not easy. Last Saturday I went to cinema. My daughter sports are Sundays. It leaves Sat very long. We older kids they do their own thing. Find friends are busy

MichaelAndEagle · 19/08/2022 20:06

It is hard. My kids are older, and doing their own thing, but not old enough for me to just go out all night!!

Nights with friends are booked waaaaay in advance, but I do try and keep them booked in anyway.

Otherwise, walks, baths, TV..... not very exciting!

DiddlyDoris · 19/08/2022 20:15

eyeoftheworld · 19/08/2022 19:39

I try and line up something good for dinner (takeaway or home version of one) and something to watch, I don't watch a lot of TV during the week so I often save episodes for Friday or have a film picked out. Usually fall asleep on the sofa in my pj's with the dog while watching something and eating crisps, which is fine by me! Make staying at home on a Friday nightsomething you plan and look forward to, rather than just the second place prize to going out, that's my advice.

This is mostly what I did when single. I'm now in a relationship and much the same routine as OH works fri nights. Dog/cat snuggles in comfy PJs watching tv is the best! 😁

SuspiciousMind33 · 19/08/2022 20:21

I got back in touch with old friends after a good long time being single, and made more of an effort with a new one. Sometimes I go to the pub on my own for a drink and mess around on my phone with headphones or people watch. Sometimes I drink too much wine and ruin my weekend. Sometimes I go on dates 😬

Furrybutts · 19/08/2022 20:22

I live alone, all DC are adults now.
I love living alone. I'm quite introverted but even I feel this way sometimes op.
I will take the dogs somewhere in the car and walk them, even just a quick chat to other dog owners makes me feel better.
Sometimes I do housework and washing or ironing, music playing loudly, so as to free up as much of my weekend as I can.
Late at night my local radio station has a phone in, that really feels like company.

SuspiciousMind33 · 19/08/2022 20:23

Oh yeah, and I have realised that I have to make an effort to arrange nights out. If I want to get a night out booked in the diary, I have to suggest it to people.

BigFatLiar · 19/08/2022 20:32

We have a number of single friends and they usually meet for a curry on a Friday night followed by a beer and back to someone's to watch old movies. (We sometimes join them).

JustJustWhy · 19/08/2022 20:32

Sunflowers2047 · 19/08/2022 18:28

@Macaroni46 you've absolutely hit the nail on the head. And comments like that do make you feel more alone. Same as when a woman at work who has a husband and two girls was like oh I'd love to live alone. No you wouldn't. You're romanticising it. Try being alone every weekend while everyone else is with their families and friends and then tell me you'd love to live alone.

I'm single and I do love being on my own. I think you (like some of my single friends do) have fallen into the trap of romanticising other people having action and fun packed weekends. I know a lot of my friends, who have families, have very dull and/or stressful weekends. You only have to see people's troubles here on MN during those times to know that's the case for some. Also, don't believe everything you see on Facebook and Insta!

Tontostitis · 19/08/2022 20:33

I used to try and organise something even if it was daytime on Sat. I'd always walk into town one day a week and Fri nights I'd do a yoga class at 6.30 and leave slowly often getting chatting and occasionally staying for a drink. Bank Holidays were the worst weekends as they seemed to go on forever. Now I have a husband but I was single for 16 years after I left my dc:s father and I met my now dh because I'd stayed open to relationships. You'll never meet anyone if you stay in so as hard as it is. Go for a walk, do a class, visit an art gallery, accept all and any invitations you get even if it's not really your thing and throw yourself the odd pity party it's hard to be alone Flowers

Pleiades2020 · 19/08/2022 22:40

So I've hoovered. Mopped the bathroom floors. Cooked and eaten chips and beans. Washed up. And then ate a tiramisu in the bath. A fun filled Friday night for me.

ArcticSkewer · 19/08/2022 22:43

gym, sauna, swim, drink in the bat, home
Best night of the week

Egghead68 · 19/08/2022 22:52

At weekends when I am not working I cook, read, exercise, clean, go round charity shops, go on day trips and guided walks, watch box-sets, do yoga workshops, listen to podcasts etc. Sometimes I meet a friend for lunch/theatre. If I had more time and energy I’d join a ramblers group and dance class.

Egghead68 · 19/08/2022 22:54

Oh and go round art galleries and museums.

Supportforelaine · 19/08/2022 23:02

I've had comments like a PP when I've tried to explain how sometimes, despite being an introvert, I feel really truly alone (and not in a good way), to a now ex friend and she responded - 'yeah I feel the same when I put x to bed'. Makes me so angry, it's not the same as being truly alone with a very small support network (she also had a huge support network too).

Anyway, it used to be seeing a few select friend friends but they showed themselves to be mostly cunts during covid so my default was to drink wine and order a takeaway but after not really being able to regulate said wine drinking I now try and just watch tv/films, nice bath and self care/fake tan maybe and plan for productive days and future holidays instead. I work shifts so sometimes have to work on weekends which takes away the 'what shall I do'.

Macaroni46 · 20/08/2022 12:10

Supportforelaine · 19/08/2022 23:02

I've had comments like a PP when I've tried to explain how sometimes, despite being an introvert, I feel really truly alone (and not in a good way), to a now ex friend and she responded - 'yeah I feel the same when I put x to bed'. Makes me so angry, it's not the same as being truly alone with a very small support network (she also had a huge support network too).

Anyway, it used to be seeing a few select friend friends but they showed themselves to be mostly cunts during covid so my default was to drink wine and order a takeaway but after not really being able to regulate said wine drinking I now try and just watch tv/films, nice bath and self care/fake tan maybe and plan for productive days and future holidays instead. I work shifts so sometimes have to work on weekends which takes away the 'what shall I do'.

Can echo this.
The first year that I was alone after escaping my abusive EH, I told my (supposed best friend) that I didn't want to be alone on my birthday so would she come to lunch or dinner with me. She replied that she couldn't as she always saw her OH at the weekend and besides, why was I making a fuss? It's only a day.
Suffice to say, she is no longer my BF. Such a lack of empathy. I would never leave someone alone like that!

FlyingSaucerss · 20/08/2022 12:13

God I loved being single on the weekends I was always out but then I had lots of single friends, or I went on dates etc, now single with kids I’m in every night no social life at all.

Supportforelaine · 20/08/2022 12:16

@Macaroni46 I've been so naive to how selfish people can be. I have different little pockets of friends rather than a big group but I'm always happy to invite a friend to wherever I'm going whether they know the people or not.

With my supposed 'best friends' there have been too many times where I've been at a loss at a weekend or going through a hard time and face being alone and they haven't given a fuck or let it get in the way of their other social gatherings. They are the ones who share mental health memes on social media though!

MichaelAndEagle · 20/08/2022 12:57

I already replied up thread with some ideas. Just to add, I am also skint, which I think makes things worse.
If I had some disposable income I'd join a gym or exercise class, go late night shopping, go for dinner for one or the cinema. I can't even really afford to date.

It does make things a bit worse. So its baths, books, walk, swim (in the sea in summer) TV, and mumsnet!

Tryingtokeepgoing · 20/08/2022 13:53

Bananaman123 · 19/08/2022 18:59

my partner passed away7 months ago, I’m quite introverted so don’t mind being alone although I do have my dog for company. I’ve been keeping myself very busy working on house and clearing out etc but this has slowed right down now. Today after work I took a nap to pass some time, now tv, walk dog and bed.

my circle of friends is small but I do spend time with family on a Saturday. I’m not envious of people going out on a Friday as I like staying home but do miss human conversation

My husband died nearly three years ago, and I completely get what you mean about human conversation in the evenings or the weekends if you don’t have things planned. It’s easy to find people (friends, family, whoever) to do something with - it just takes a bit of planning. But sometimes you just want someone to do nothing with…

Supportforelaine · 20/08/2022 14:29

But sometimes you just want someone to do nothing with…

Yes, exactly this.

BigFatLiar · 20/08/2022 14:53

Supportforelaine · 20/08/2022 14:29

But sometimes you just want someone to do nothing with…

Yes, exactly this.

We do a lot 'doing nothing' it's nice to know he's there, the day will come when he isn't. Bad enough coping with the girls leaving home, at least I still see them. Friends are fine but the quiet companionship of your partner is special.

fluffi · 20/08/2022 15:29

Fri evening - usually too tired from week to do anything other than have dinner, read a bit online, fall asleep.
Sat - 2hr gym workout, if necessary pick up groceries on the way home, then either household tasks (laundry, cleaning, ironing etc that don't have time for during the week), online shopping / holiday planning, sometimes hair or beauty appt, then something nice for dinner, some nice tv programmes recorded during week or netflix.
Sun - similar, minus grocery shopping and also get organised for week ahead.

Pre-covid might take myself to a show on Fri eve or Sat pm.

I'm happy with that. I've got some hobbies I'd like to restart at home (piano, crafts) but so far haven't even got around to those as don't have time/energy! Maybe need to spend less time on mumsnet !😅

WaahWaahWaah · 20/08/2022 15:41

If you have friends with young kids, why don’t you offer to come round to their house one evening with a bottle of wine (or whatever)? They may really appreciate that too. I always did.