To think there's bias against single family households?

[Keyansier]

Does anyone else think this? For example: I cooked beefburgers earlier and needed baps for them but they only sell them in packs of 4. I have no need for 4 right now. It means I have been forced to open the packet only for 2 of them to go stale unless I use them before their staledate. Obviously for a family of 4, then this quantity would be fine without needing to think of this.

Also, things like rent: Does anyone think this is unequal, that 1 person has to pay the same amount of rent that a family of 4 would pay for?

I guess I am biased because I don't have any family like many on here will have, but it's always seemed unequal to me.

It's easier for one, as you can buy the discounted food in supermarkets (usually individualised pre-prepared items) or just eat the same thing every evening, if you cook a cauldron of food for the week, and eat just that to save money. You can eat plain, boring, healthy food, as you won't have to explain to young children why their lifestyle has changed. You just have yourself to worry about and can be stoical and survive.

You can even get a live- in job as a carer and save on rent - or sub-let your existing place, while you do your live-in caring job. You can wear old clothes and not bother if others like it, but, with family life, you'd need to constantly worry that they might not have what their friends have and you might look a mess when you pick them up, which will impact on their self-esteem.

. You can work very long hours, because you won't need to be there for kids. It will be harder for families if the war , and all these other factors which our government blame, make life very tough.

I think inflationary and cold expensive times will be easier to manage for people living in their own.

Families have got to keep up appearances sending varied packed lunches to schools, funding entertainment for the little angels. Singletons can focus just on work and keeping warm, and don't need to live the 21st century role of providing little Einsteins with stimulation, social opportunities and character-building sports.

Really silly examples there OP. Would you really support individually wrapped baps with extra plastic rubbish?

You know, things don't have to be wrapped in plastic

All the nicest stuff comes per piece. The quality dramatically declines as you guys in more units.

I don't, I'm just saying how society is skewed against people that don't have a partner to pay the other half, for anything, not just rent.

I'm not sure if people genuinely don't get what I'm saying or just finding it funny to disagree with me.

*buy

That said, there are surely some distinct advantages to living alone?!

I wonder how much personal spending money, personal space, and free time a woman has who is a mum and partner, compared to a single woman doing, for example, the same job for the same pay?

Just love in a smaller house then if you want to pay less rent. Rent prices are based on the size of the property, not how many people live there. I don't understand how you're not getting this OP

What is not fair is the reduction you get on council tax and water bills for being a single person.

YANBU. See also chicken breasts. I don't want to buy two and be forced to eat chicken two days on a row.

The examples OP gave aren't great, but I think it is a bit naive to say its easier for 1 person. You've got similar bills to pay yourself as if you were in a couple. Its also arguably easier to bulk buy and get bargains that way the bigger a household you are. There's not many people, single or otherwise, who it would suit to be a live in carer so that's not really a very representative example. And even single people need more than work and staying warm to have any kind of enjoyable life.. I don't doubt that paying for kids has its challenges in the current climate, but so does being single. And ultimately, both having kids or living by yourself are lifestyle choices.

The tax system and certain government support works against single parents. E.g the removal of child benefit from those earning over 50k means that a couple where each person is on £50k will get child benefit but a single parent earning £60k won’t. A single parent earning £60k will also pay way more tax than a couple where each earns £30k and probably have higher childcare expenses. Those seem like things the government could do something about.

You can bet your life the single, childless/free woman is the one caring for/looking out for older family members because (according to everyone else), she’s got no life/kids and plenty of free time.

Single loose bread rolls are already available in most supermarkets

I am a lone parent, the size of house I need is the same as I would if I was in a couple, the bills are pretty much the same whether you have one adult or 2 living in the house, I run a car (no option to share one with a spouse). This explains why money is tighter for lone parents.

I find holidays the biggest expense where a couple could split the cost of a holiday. As I only have one child I tend to book double rooms in hotels but I’m paying an adult price for a small child. I haven’t found attractions or holidays which offer single parent prices . The one exception being eurocamp - which offers me a flat £75 single parent discount - on a holiday priced at over £2,000
just for the accommodation that didn’t go far!

Wow.

Hakunamatata91

The PM pledge to help with energy costs has made things easier, but if the government fail to find sustainable solutions to our problems, then survival may be the only issue, rather than having what used to constitute an 'enjoyable' life.

I'm now living on my own, since my adult son moved into supported living, and I welcome the flexibility to make savings which I'd struggle to do, if having the huge responsibility of supporting children and helping them to do well and achieve their goals.

Thank you, this is exactly an example of what I meant. Being forced to modify eating because of how things are sold. It may sound strange to people that are in a full family household where they don't have to consider that, but they don't have to consider things like that.

Families of 5 have it toughest. So many things are available in multiples of 2, family rooms in hotels sleep 4.

They aren't from online Tesco well not whenever I've logged on and made an order, unless they are always sold out when I order.

🙄

Just like the buns, put one in the freezer.

If you are single, you can buddy up with somebody else to share accommodation, or take in a lodger. Taking in a lodger is a harder proposition for those who live as a family. I've had this discussion with friends who are thinking about their earnings: when I have tentatively suggested they could invite in a lodger, they haven't felt quite comfortable with the idea and how that would work with a young child. It's a hard one. All ok, perhaps, if one is living as a couple with/without kids and jobs are secure for the moment and salaries coming in.

when I have tentatively suggested they could invite in a lodger, they haven't felt quite comfortable with the idea

Gee, I do wonder why people aren't quite comfortable with the idea of sharing their home with a complete stranger?

If you get to the point of survival being the only thing you can afford, then a lot of the examples you gave about child related costs also don't apply. Paying for sports clubs and having new clothes to keep up with friends isn't survival. I think realistically everyone, single or with kids, wants (and from a mental health perspective arguably needs) more than just survival.

If they sold a pack of one then it would likely cost much more than half of the cost of two. Like one pint of milk is much more per pint than four pints is. I regularly buy bigger packets for the two of us as it's cheaper, I just freeze food.