Living alone and the cost of life

[wolf_06]

Its seems that everything goes up, but not the salary, and I'm recently single and all by myself now. really, groceries, gas are getting very expensive.

I need to plan more stuff, since im on a budget now.

Any of you feel the same way about how expensive life is?

 

[Falken]

If I had to live alone I'd dump my [censored], get a laptop and a single bed and rent a room.

I have a kid, so it isn't an option.

People just stress so much over housing stuff they don't need or use then end up living beyond their means.

If I was all on my own that is what I'd gladly do.

And I'd just go on more road trips and have more fun.

But I have an anchor, and a ball and chain.

The things you can see and do if you aren't tied down to a house full of junk...

 

[antiqueshell]

How's it going eh? LOL

I too live alone and I haven't had a raise in three years! Yet the price of essential items like food, utilities, gas, ect..keep going higher and higher every month!

I live down in the Southeastern part of the USA so other living expenses are not as bad, yet, but I have a lot of sympathy for you because for whatever the reason Canadiens seem to get soaked for the same essential items much worse than we do in the USA....EVEN though your CDN $ is actually worth more than our USD is now.

I'd love to know what is going on with that nonsense.

That being said I have been to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI and it is BEAUTIFUL land up there. But the employment situation is pretty tough, just like in Maine where I was born.

 

[[email protected]]

I totally agree and I havent had a raise in 2 years.

I made some big changes last year. Sold the SUV (15mpg) and bought a very fuel efficient vehicle. The savings in gas alone pays the car payments AND the insurance.

I also started shopping around a lot more for groceries. Im not sure if they are regional, but Aldi's supermarket saves me a TON of money vs. shopping anywhere else for groceries.

I called my cable/phone/internet company and explained to them Im struggling and they'd be the first to go, they ended up adjusting my bill to a "New promotion" saving me $50/month!

Priced around my auto insurance, was able to save $10/month there. Hey its just $10 but that adds up over time.

Ive applied for 15+ part time jobs, not even a call back. For now, Im just going to have to keep cutting my monthly expenses. Because the income isnt going to be increasing any time soon

 

[dparm]

I make a pretty good salary and live alone (also single), and when I periodically check my budgeting on Mint it never ceases to amaze me how much certain things cost.

 

[OilFool]

$8/lb bacon (mmmm bacon)
$4.xx gal milk
$3.xx dozen eggs

 

[Hermann]

I recently bought eggs for $1.33 Reg price 1.69
Milk for $2.99 reg price 3.99
Oscar Mayer bacon for $2.99 Reg $4.59

Where are you shopping.

Use your freezer and buy on sale. I can walk out of the store with 6 or 7 bags for $25. As long as you keep paying that much, they will keep charging that much.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: dparm
I make a pretty good salary and live alone (also single), and when I periodically check my budgeting on Mint it never ceases to amaze me how much certain things cost.



I just looked at that website.... its awesome!

 

[Mr Nice]

Everything depends on how much you make and how well can you stick to a budget while putting away retirement saving /investing, paying debt/ bills on time, clipping coupons, watching every penny, only buying stuff you really need.., etc, etc...
Good thing you folks up in Canada have 'free' healthcare.

I'm married but even when I was single and in my 20's I was very disciplined at budgeting every dollar. I'm the king at coupon stacking with the combination of Buy 1, Get 1 free deals at the supermarket.

Last year I put $400 per week towards retirement accounts, this year its $500. Sure I can blow that money on bull [censored] but again it discipline not to waste money on stuff you don't need.

 

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted By: OilFool
$8/lb bacon (mmmm bacon)
$4.xx gal milk
$3.xx dozen eggs


Those prices are crazy!!! I bought bacon today for potato soup I made in the crockpot. $2.50, on sale. I get milk at Aldi's for $1.49 and eggs were on sale when a new Spartan store opened locally $1/dozen. I bought 4 dozen because theres nothing better than a scrambled egg sandwich on toast! lol

 

[Donald]

Well the most important think with respect to living alone is to be comfortable living alone. Finding your own happiness. That you don't need a wife or GF to make you happy. A wife or GF is the cherry on top, not your whole happiness.

There are fixed costs and non fixed costs. There are ways to save money, but you should not need to feel you are scrimping all the time. For one thing, plan your meals, limit going out to not very often. Deal with leftovers such that you never toss anything because it went bad.

Plan ahead for your vehicles. Buy quality parts ahead of time.

Limit the drinking to a reasonable amount.

The media cost is high when you add up cable/phone/cell/Netflix, etc. Do you need and use it all?

 

[JHZR2]

I haven't had a raise in two years, but we're doing ok despite a new baby because we live below our means.

Many do not.

Still, there is truth to it all because there are aspects where economies of scale come in, like the time and energy to prepare food, where the cost IMO is higher for one than two.

Still, you need to determine what is in your control and what isn't. The stuff that isn't in your control money wise may still be in your control rate of use-wise.

 

[eljefino]

Fixed monthly costs are what do oneself in. Rent, utilities. Cell phones, cable, heat. Insurance. I pay my house and car insurance in one fell swoop, annually, and save 10%. Once you get used to paying those you get the feeling that there's nothing left over for "fun".

If you have hobbies you can turn a profit at (or reduce an expense), go for it: gets you outside and making money at the same time. Fix up and flip a car, do some wedding photography, hunt/fish for edible game.

 

[SLCraig]

I live alone and I agree its quite expensive.. Wish I had dual income but alas, there is no end to that in sight just yet.
I always watch the flyers for grocery sales and I shop in Michigan a lot because a lot of stuff there is half the price it is here. And I always fill up with fuel because that is 25% less as well. I'm lucky that I live near a bordering town with some decent shopping.

Work some OT if you can. I have been working the odd Sunday for double time and that helps a ton.

 

[Mr Nice]

Time ran out to edit my post but no need for 250 channels of satellite/ cable TV and a top of the line cellphone. If you are single its even much easier to budget you money. Really no reason why an adult should be broke if they just stick to a plan.

 

[John_K]

I can't believe how much things cost these days. But I agree, many of us live beyond our means anyway.

John

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I haven't had a raise in two years, but we're doing ok despite a new baby because we live below our means.

Many do not.

Still, there is truth to it all because there are aspects where economies of scale come in, like the time and energy to prepare food, where the cost IMO is higher for one than two.

Still, you need to determine what is in your control and what isn't. The stuff that isn't in your control money wise may still be in your control rate of use-wise.



+1

I agree and I'm doing the same.

Haven't had a cable bill in years....

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: John_K
I can't believe how much things cost these days. But I agree, many of us live beyond our means anyway.

Things don't cost more, our devalued dollars buy less thanks to wild government spending and Federal Reserve monetary inflation to pay for it.

Click here to see what happened the purchasing power of the dollar:
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

 

[Cujet]

Life has always been expensive. So much so, that all of our ancestors did not have running water, air conditioning, automatic heat, electric lights, comfortable transportation and so on.

Go back 113 years, and life was, for most, abject poverty, rampant disease, and quite possibly an early grave.

Today, we desire luxury. Little things like electrical power (which is an absolute bargain by the way) and petroleum distallate powered cars (also an absolute bargain, try pushing your car) .

While my post is only meant to be a bit of a joke, and to illustrate a point, most of us really are wealthy by ancient and traditional standards.

I've considered all this for many years, so with regard to my money outlook: I know I'm not the worlds most intelligent man, I'm not good looking and I'm not cut out to be a wealthy, high powered executive.

But I also know that a specific education is valuable and will generally result in higher social status. And, to that end, I have done well.

 

[CourierDriver]

A friend of mines life reads like some of you. He solved some of it by going to school full time, gets 7000 a semester for school and a disability check he gets for a health issue. When you add it all up the makes 30k a year...........not bad. Be creative, that is what he's doing as we speak.