Has living alone become unaffordable?

When you live alone, you’ve got nobody to split the bills with, so every expense from rent to food is your responsibility.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that many of us think it’s simply too expensive these days.

In fact, a poll by Nationwide shows that more than two-thirds (69%) of Brits believe living alone is unaffordable.

And as a result, they’re having to take steps like move back home, live with an ex or move in with friends.

But these arrangements can cause problems, such as putting strain on friendships and relationships, and leaving many people feeling stuck and having to delay major life decisions.

And for many, living like this can also be embarrassing.

So if you want to strike out alone but money is tight, what can you do?

How to cut the cost of living alone

If you live on your own, there are a few ways to keep costs down.

Shop smart

Even with only one person in the house, a weekly food shop can still cost a lot, particularly if you want to buy healthy, fresh food and avoid waste.

So take steps like buying frozen fruit and veg so it lasts longer, batch cook meals and freeze leftovers in single portions.

And to avoid paying a premium for buying a small portion, buy loose produce, use the deli counter, or look for community co-ops, markets and local greengrocers where you can buy in smaller amounts without the packaging.

It’s also worth planning your meals and writing a shopping list, so you don’t pick up any items you don’t need.

Just make sure your list is full of ingredients that work across lots of different meals, like potatoes and pasta.

You can find more smart shopping tips here.

Try to save energy and water

Small steps such as turning down your thermostat by one degree, not overfilling the kettle and bleeding your radiators could help you cut your energy and water usage - and in turn, bring your bills down.

Check our guides to how you can use energy and water more efficiently so you can lower your utility bills. 

Apply for a council tax discount

If you live alone, you may be eligible for a 25% single person discount on your council tax bill.

But the discount isn’t applied automatically, so get in touch with your local council to apply for a discount.

Create a rainy-day fund

If you’re hit with an unexpected cost like having to replace a broken fridge or dishwasher, you don’t want to resort to borrowing money or dipping into your savings.

So it’s well worth creating a rainy-day fund - a pot of money set aside specifically for emergencies and surprise expenses.

A good goal is to have enough saved to cover around three months of your living costs - things like rent, bills, food and transport. 

Even putting away a small amount into your rainy-day fund regularly could make a big difference if or when you ever need it.

Try our household bills calculator

If you’re worried about how rising costs could affect your finances, try out our free and interactive household bills calculator.

It only takes a few minutes to use and shows how bills may change based on where you live.

Manage your household budget

If you’re juggling expenses like gas, electricity, water, council tax, insurance and broadband single-handedly, it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed.

So it’s well worth creating a budget, so you can see exactly how much money you have coming in each month and where it’s going.

You can then be confident that you’re able to cover these vital expenses, as well as work out what you can afford to spend on non-essentials and put into savings.

Get started with our budget planner - it’s free and easy to use.

Check what support you can get

You might be eligible for financial support from the government, so use our benefits calculator to find out what you can claim.