Money issues for singles could be good or bad. They’re fine if you are single, have a reasonable income, no children and perhaps even still live at home with your parents. Life should be great and perhaps this would also be the best time to start saving for the future. However, if you are on your own and independent having to pay rent or a mortgage, money issues can be a problem.With only one income to live on things can be difficult. Of course, it can be just as bad, if not worse, if you are part of a couple and your partner is unemployed or only has a small income. Then with extra groceries, clothing and the like it can be an uphill struggle all the way.

On the whole though it is often worse for a single person. The mortgage or rent is usually the same whether there is one person contributing or two. Similarly such things as water rates and local taxes will be the same as for two. In England however a single person living alone will receive a 25% reduction in their Council Tax but surely this should be 50%. Many of the bills coming into a single person’s home will be as much as if there were two people sharing them. This will far outweigh the benefits of reduced grocery bills and the like.

Even buying a property can be difficult as inevitably it will be easier to get the loan if there are two incomes to take into account. It may also mean that the standard of property which you can buy is not as good, because the mortgage lender will not lend you as much money.

Even holidays can cost you more if you are single. If you feel able to holiday alone you will probably find that you are charged a supplement for ‘under occupancy’ of your room which basically means because you are on your own.

Although grocery shopping for one means that you buy less even that may not be as cost effective as it first seems. Grocery shopping often means that you may pay a little more in the long run as the smaller portions often work out more expensive than the family size ones. ‘Buy one get one free offers ‘ will not be suitable if they have a short shelf life and therefore bargains such as this are usually also aimed more at families or couples.

One the whole finances for singles have been unfairly stacked against them in the past. However with the increasing number of singles one can only hope that the balance will be addressed.