There are many things I love about being single. My choices don’t depend on anyone else. I don’t have to pretend to like something just to make someone else happy. Dating is actually a really fun time (once you eliminate the douchebags).
But the thing I really don’t like is this weird financial penalty you always seem to incur just because you don’t have a partner. This isn’t just in my head either, Comparethemarket.com.au has done the math to pinpoint exactly HOW much more you have to pay for insurance, travel plans, rent, groceries and more as a fabulous single person.
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Health Insurance
A single person is looking at more than $2,500 to cover their single butts. Meanwhile a WHOLE family will pay an average of $4,300 for their cover. Bare minimum, a family has three people, right? So that’s about $1433 per person. Even if you’re like ‘oh but only two of those people will be paying for it’ that’s STILL $2150 each.
Why is it more expensive to get coverage for just yourself? Have you not seen how constantly sick kids (and therefore their whole families) are once they hit preschool?
Travel Insurance
If you’ll indulge me on a travel side note here – as a solo traveller, it’s my pet peeve that so many travel deal will ONLY allow you to book it for two people. I get that it’s per room, or whatever, but they literally won’t let you book it on your own.
But it makes even less sense to me that singles will pay $10 to $18 more than couples for travel insurance on a cheeky trip to Europe.
Renting & Buying A House
Oh heyyy, here’s another one right in the sore spot. Roommates are awesome, until you get one who isn’t, but living with strangers is often your only option if you don’t want to be paying hundreds of extra dollars on your rent. Or move to some suburb no-one wants to be in for lower prices.
Looking to buy as a single? You BALLER you, I’m very proud! But be aware that mortgage brokers have a tendency to dial back what they’ll lend you if you’re living by yourself without a partner to help with expenses.
The Dating Scene
Look, I’ll admit this one kind of just comes with the territory. It’s much cheaper to date when you can just cook dinner together and light a few candles to make it ‘special’. I dunno, I hope you’re doing more than that, but each to their own.
But yup, Aussie singles are forking out $11.65 BILLION on dating each year. That’s the ACTUAL date too, there’s another $80.7 million a year going towards dating apps and services. Lordy, I hope they work out for you, mates.
