To think that life as a single person is generally more expensive?

[teaandcakeat8]

Had this debate at work today and thought it was interesting to hear others opinions.

I'm single and most of my colleagues are married/cohabiting. They argued that life in a couple is just twice as expensive but I disagreed.

Some examples:

Housing - mortgage/rent costs are generally halved in a couple

Council tax - a single person receives a 25% discount; this isn't 50%

Utilities - not necessarily halved for a single person - you still have to cook, have lights on etc

Holidays - usually a single person supplement which isn't half price

I've lived as a single person and part of a couple and generally I was financially much better off when cohabitating.

I don't argue that couples may have higher outgoings however aibu to argue that if you are single life costs 50% less?

Of course it's more expensive being single. Your colleagues aren't the sharpest if they think otherwise.

Single with young children even more so.

Your colleagues aren't the best at maths. Even if it was twice as expensive, which it certainly isn't - couples have got double the income.

And for the people saying being in a couple is expensive because you "have to" spend money eating out, going to fun places, etc. That's just what you choose to spend on entertainment, being part of a couple has nothing to do with it.

Of course it's cheaper to live with someone. Why do your mates think all the bored miserable sods in relationships stay, instead of nabbing themselves a fab singleton pad and eating cereal whenever they fucking please?

It depends on your living situation - I've never lived alone; I house shared until I got married. A house share with several people (3+) is cheaper still, as the bills are shared among more of you. Living alone is a choice, not a requirement.

I am worse off living in this house as a singleton since my husband died. Council tax is only reduced by 25%, not 50%, and the gas and electricity bills have remained substantially the same as when both of us were living here and there were two incomes.

Cohabiting has worked out more expensive for me but I'm in London and was in a house share before moving in with dp - renting a flat on our own is much more expensive

Being single is more expensive. But not as expensive as being in a couple with children, even if both are earning.

I went from long term single/ living alone but seeing someone to cohabiting and having a baby within quite a short time - so minimised the time spent in the holy grail of living together without kids, unfortunately.

Yup I missed out there...

I can't understand why anyone would question it. Surely it's obvious unless you are a bit thick

Mortgage £600
Council Tax £90
Living alone £priceless

chickenvindaloo's post.

Priceless wisdom. I have fantasies about living alone.

I have lived alone since my twenty something flat sharing days, it definitely is expensive.

However I agree that "living alone is priceless" it's great doing what you want when you want... however would be better still with more income to spend (in a care assistant so a bit poor).

Thanks ladies.

I've lived with a bloke twice before. Never again. It's just me and the cat now. I don't know how I ever put up with piles of computer games, cables, DVDs, leftover curry, dirty laundry, wet towels etc. Not to mention the noise and smell.

The tidiness and quietness is lovely. I don't even have a TV anymore.

It's the best-kept secret tbh!

piles of computer games, cables, DVDs, leftover curry, dirty laundry, wet towels etc

I sometimes have quite a few of these, but if I do it is MY MESS so it doesn't bother me.

Oh, the cables........... (misses point of thread)

I my particular case it was less expensive when I was single. But that's mainly because my partner is disabled. So one wage (plus his pip, not at the higher rate, he can't get esa as I earn too much) I also only work 20 hours per week as I'm his carer.
However, we shop smart, can afford the rent/bills/internet and everything that we (and more recently DD as well) need.
Maybe not everything we want, but definitely everything we need.
Before DP became incapacitated two waged were obviously better. But pre DD, post diagnosis time was much harder in all ways, including financially, than being single.