How are you coping if you live alone?

[octoberafternoons]

I'm really feeling the impact of everything going up in price when it's coming out of a single income. I've calculated my living costs are about £18,000 per year (including all bills, a small mortgage, insurance policies, travel to work by public transport, food and household items like cleaning products but not anything that isn't essential).

It feels so discouraging to think two people on minimum wage would be better off than I am. I'm self employed so my income varies but current annual income is around £25k after tax and NI have been set aside. Not entitled to any benefits at all. No children. Not possible to take a lodger or downsize my home so the only change I can make is to work more which I'm trying to do but my industry has been impacted by the cost of living crisis in general and client/customer numbers are down too. Just feels like an impossible situation that's only going to get worse.

I am not single but just want to post in sympathy, I can imagine how hard done by you must feel. So hard to squeeze an already tight budget.

I think you’re right about boosting income. Maybe a side gig at the weekend? A friend of mine qualified as a swim teacher and does 4 hours at the weekend then has a swim at the end, she loves it.

Are you claiming 25% single occupancy discount on your council tax? Why is there no option of a lodger - is it only one bedroom?

I dont live alone, but am a single income household (single parent 3dc). I'm classed as unable to work and live on a low income. So can't work extra hours. It's difficult so I understand what your going through. I miss meals/eat porridge to reduce the food bill. Started showering alternate days, only put the heating on when the kids are here. Encouraged them all to wear clothes more before washing them. Meal plan every meal and batch cook. Council tax reduction (not great but every little helps). We live a very simple life so no extravegances.

I live alone and it's tough definitely
My take home per month varies but anything from £1300 - 1800 depending on my bonus

I live alone but fortunately after 23 years in my profession I have a good salary that means that the rising cost of everything is annoying not disastrous.

What are your options for getting a higher daily/hourly rate? That's what you need: not working every hour there is but getting more income by earning more per hour. Can you change your type of client to one less affected by current issues, or go in-house to an employee role? Even re-training? Think ambitiously - where do you want to be, and then take steps to get there.

Single income here and tough. I work full time earn 26,000 and then do two evenings a week which gives me 300 extra a month.
The food prices has been most shocking to me.
Tiny house and terraced so that helps with heat.

I live alone, well, with my son (50 percent of the time) and I earn a good salary. But I did have to change jobs and go back to a career I had left. I'm currently looking for an even higher paying job. I'm fortunate that my salary can absorb the rise however my rent is due to go up, bills due to go up again, and I find it frustrating I can't really save much money.
I try and cut down on washing, wear things more than once if I can. It's hard with a toddler as he gets every item of clothing dirty as you can imagine!
Only have the heating on if he is here really.
I've been taking advantage of supermarket offers, sainsburys have £20 off £60 spend and Ocado are doing 20 percent off. Not shops I would usually buy from but the offers are good as I will buy cleaning products and other things I don't buy every week to take advantage.
I meal plan & try and pop a few portions in the freezer in case in low on money at the end of the month etc.

Yes this is definitely my long term plan and partly something that will change as I become more established in my field anyway. I'm also actively looking into further training (not changing sectors as such, just becoming more specialised) but that comes at a cost too. But generally thinking long term.

I currently work half a day on Saturdays and two later evenings a week to increase my income (easier to find clients who can pay at a time they are not at their own job) and have Fridays off.

Already getting the 25% off council tax discount someone mentioned.

Definitely could save more on food shopping, have been reluctant to do that as it's one of the treats I've had (I hardly ever eat out and haven't been on holiday abroad for nearly 10 years). But yes, lots of the items I buy regularly are now 50p-£1 more expensive and it really adds up. So it probably is time for more beans on toast and porridge.

Yes it's crap. I am also trying to save towards a deposit to buy my first house. I've just got really really good at saving money over the past year.

I haven't put the heating on at all. This is no way to live. Walking around at home with lots of layers makes me feel tense and lethargic all the time. I get into bed as soon as I get home from work and just waiting for the days to get warmer - I feel like I am wasting my life away. We are being conditioned to believe this is normal and okay. It's not. I hate this fucking government

@mincepiesandsomemorr - that's really no way to live! Sort out your budget so that you know how much you can spend on heating and maybe move spend on other things into the heating column.

If your income isn't enough you need to increase it. Better job, more hours, extra job, whatever... Really important to look after yourself when living alone.

MoneySavingExpert has lots of templates for household budgets as well as tips on spending less while having a nice time.

I live alone, doing fine but got a big raise and the CoL has pretty much eaten it up and I’m pissed about it haha. This was supposed to be the year I could finally afford whatever I wanted and ditch the thrifty habits! On the plus it’s motivating me to go out looking, the mind boggles at what life would look like with a partner that made as much or even near as much as me.

Isn't that going to damage the property ? I've had more mould this year as I've fit down in the heating.

Exactly the same position here. Live alone, self-employed and similar income. I'm struggling. I have savings but that's for retirement or ill health so I don't want to use them for every day expenses. I'm studying and can't work more hours even if clients were there, which they are not because they have also been impacted by the cost of living. My mental health means I'd really struggle with a lodger plus I have limited space. It's crap and I have no answer other than you aren't alone.

I’m on my own and it’s tough at the moment. I’m mid-60s, and have a small income that covers about half my living costs, the rest comes from savings, which are dwindling at a much more rapid rate than I’d like. I’ve been self-employed for many years, but problems with my sight mean I haven’t been able to work for the last year (& now I can’t drive either, which is pretty limiting). Finding a job is harder than it sounds for all sorts of reasons, so I’m trying to keep my living costs to a minimum, but I can’t cut them down any more right now. Still, only another year and a half and I get my state pension (or part of it, I don’t qualify for the full amount). They call this stage of life “the golden years” for some reason… 🙄