Single people spend differently than couples do, though some spending habits are similar. The main divide is between renting vs. paying a mortgage, going out vs. staying in, and investing in career development or saving for a child’s education. Singles spend more on social nightlife activities in comparison with their ‘married with children’ counterparts. Singles also rent more often, instead of purchasing home. Couples can generally save more money while living together and are able to save up for a down payment on a house, which can be a risk because they are strapped down until they sell or pay off their mortgage. Most singles live in a 1 bedroom, or in a shared place with roommates. Couples evolve into families and eventually need a home with multiple bedrooms for their children. Singles invest more money into education to advance their career. When it comes to staying in or going out, singles have no family obligations and go out with friends more often than not. Money for singles is spent on drinks and bar food, versus baby wipes and family vacations. Singles invest more money into education to advance their career as well.
Going Out Expenses
Single people tend to have more of a social life than married couples, and on average have more friends. Here are the total number of friends that single and married without children that people have, averaging across all age groups:
Women with no children:
9.6 single
7.9 married
Men with no children:
10.2 single
7.8 married
Looking into the spending habits even further, the Bureau of Labor Statistics pulls supportive data that singles on average spend a lot more money on alcohol than married people – especially in your 20’s. In fact, singles spend almost more than double the amount of alcohol, perhaps because signals generally are out with friends rather than at home.
Living Expenses
The living expenses for singles, without roommates, is higher than that of married people. Singles tend to be renters for a longer period of time than their married counterparts, who become homeowners at a much earlier stage than singles. Renting may seem like tossing your money out, but some people view it as though you have more flexibility to move around.
Married couples appear to have it figured out when it comes to locking down and saving money, but most people in their 20’s are still figuring out what they want to do with their life. If you are interested in buying a home as a single person, there are a lot of great references out there to read about how others have accomplished buying a home whilst single. The bulk of buying a home comes down to saving before you budget the rest of your money. Rent until you figure out what you really want to do, or you may risk making a bad investment.
Education Investment
Data notes that single people spend more time and money than married people on educational activities. Singles invest in education for professional and personal interest, and spend time researching and completing homework assignments.
- Single people: 56 minutes a day
- Married people: 5 minutes a day
Education expenses like tuition, fees, supplies, and textbooks, are higher for singles, who on average spend a little more of their income on education than married couples do:
- 1.1% married couples
- 1.8% single men
- 1.6% single women
When it comes to reading, the money spent on purchases of books, magazines, newspapers, and other reading materials is slightly higher for single people in relation to their married counterparts:
- .2% married couples
- .2% single men
- .3% single women
The spending habits are different for singles and married people when it comes to going out on the town and spending on entertainment and alcohol, as well as how much a person spends on living expenses. The educational factor is also different when you compare time and money invested in higher education. Getting a good look at the data is helpful to see what singles are actually up to. Remember to save your money, and work towards getting ahead. Stay secure, singles!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Being Single Can Improve Your Life
It has been said that being single as an adult can be quite a stigma. How do you combat a statement that the majority of the population notes? The answer is simple: find data and statements that back up why being single can actually be a positive way to live your life. I feel deep down that the majority of many single people are influenced by the media that some fairy-tale relationship exists and that because we are single we are missing out. Apparently, this isn’t the trend:
“In 1962, half of the 21-year-olds and 90% of 30-year-olds had been married at least once.
In 2014, only 8% of 21-year-olds and 55% of 30-year-olds had been married.”
From time to time, I feel the same. How do you combat those lonely nights, or not having a welcoming and sweet voice to greet you at the door when you come home from a long day? Be compassionate with yourself, and understand that it is all in mindset. Organize your life in such a way that you become to fulfill all of your life’s desires with rich friendships, extraordinary moments and experiences, and attain the feeling of fulfillment when you accomplish life’s goals.
After scouring the internet, I found many positive examples of why being single can actually be a good thing. For one, you have a lot more time to be with yourself and meditate. You have more time to Know Thyself, which is one of the fundamental principals to understand the meaning of life.
Single people tend to be more social. Singles are more likely to stay in touch with family and friends, as well as keep be sociable with their neighbors. Socialization is key, it’s part of being human.
Without the responsibilities of tending to a family you’ve created, you can invest that time in relaxing and doing leisurely activities. Have you heard about the importance of rest and recovery? It goes a long way to ‘sharpen the saw’ by occasionally participating in activities that promote your well-being. Relaxation is key for survival in our current fast paced world. The BLS found that single people spend on average 5.6 hours a day on overall leisure activities, in comparison to married people who spend about 4.8 hours a day on leisure.
Exercise. Single people have more time to work out in comparison to their married counterparts who tend to get fat after marriage.
A recent study by W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, and Robert Lerman, an economics professor at American University found that single women professionals earn more money than married women.
Just because you are single does not mean you have some sort of social status stigma, it means you have more time to do the things you enjoy without having strings holding you back. If you really want a relationship, then you will find one — and no matter how hard it is, you will find a way to make it work. If you are single and in a stage of uncertainty (this feeling will come and go), you can find the silver lining. Good luck out there Secure Singles, find a way to see the bright side of life. Live it up!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Why Millennials Should Be Single In Their 20s
Why Millennials Should Be Single In Their 20’s: An advantage to Getting Ahead Financially
There is an overwhelming amount of data suggesting that the majority of millennials in the United States today have massive amounts of student loan debt. According to a study conducted by Experian, between 2008 and 2014 the student loan debt rose a startling 84%, and that 7 out of 10 seniors in the class of 2014 graduated with student loan debt.
If your goal is to get out of debt, and you are in your 20’s with no strings, kids, or significant other to worry about, then you have all the time in the world to work your butt off and pay off your debt. After all, college is overrated and over inflated.
If you are thinking about college, but don’t know what to study – go to a trade school to learn actual work skills for a third of the price.
When you have no strings attached to anyone and you are a single 20-something, you have a lot of freedom to direct your life in the way you choose. You have time to meditate, fix and find yourself, and begin to develop your expertise in a certain field. Work on growing your salary, simply because when you generate your own income, make a lot of it, and are able to put food on the table for yourself, your confidence goes up. Never depend on anyone.
The more hours you work, the more of an expert you become in your given field. If you have been lucky enough to get a full-time job out of college with benefits, keep it as long as you can. Your full-time work is only 40 hours a week. If you are paying off debt, get a side hustle or begin to market your skills and freelance them. Start generating cash flow.
Each person only has 24 hours in a day, it’s how you use those 24 hours that makes a difference.
Money can be a really big source of stress. And if you are all you’ve got to depend on, then you have an advantage. You will be more determined to make it because you don’t have plan-B. Just like the analogy of when the captain who burned his crew’s ships when in a foreign land, he made it clear that there is no return, only progression forward. If you’re dating someone who doesn’t understand the struggle, it can be very difficult. If it’s also not the right person, then you are headed for a distracting and temporary hold on your life while you figure your romance side out. Lower your stress and focus on you, your financial statement, and your ability to generate income. Become self-made.
If you take the time now to find yourself, develop your skills, and pursue your dreams, then you won’t have any resentments when you get older. A lot of people simply jump into relationships because they feel lonely, need their feelings validated, or some other random reason – does true romantic love even exist anymore?
The divorce rate is already above 50% and increasing – this could possibly be that people don’t take the time to think it through and truly figure out what they want in life and who their ideal partner is. In your 20s, you are still developing as a person, and don’t know yet what you want in another person. Don’t push your vision out of the way for some random person who might be the one. If they don’t understand you or get that you are pursuing your passion, then you are wasting your time. When you’re stressed out and they can’t handle your emotions, it’s time to say goodbye. Spend time with people who are like-minded, and invest in friendships rather than romance – which is so volatile anyway. Get your goals and look at the bigger picture. As one book famously puts it:
“We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream.
We do not realize that love is just a further impetus, not something that will prevent us going forward.”
— Paulo Coelho
Develop an unbreakable will. Pursue your goals like they are the last rescue boat leaving the Titanic. Pursuing your goals, financially and career wise, takes a lot of energy. When you are young and full of energy, like in your 20s, you have the most opportune time to pursue your goals. Go out and find yourself.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
5 Satisfying Situations Why Being Single Is So Liberating
People often have the perception that the grass appears to be greener on the other side of the fence. The truth is all about how one views their current circumstances. Single people versus those in a relationship often desire to be in each others’ place. Contrary to what society tells us to do, get married and buy a house on the hill, there are actually a lot of positive things about being single, including a lot of freedoms you might not otherwise have if you were to be in a serial relationship.
1. You don’t have to be home at a certain time
If you are an adult and have dated someone in the past where you shared a deep and bonding relationship with someone, you know that you always have the other person’s best interests’ in mind (you definitely should if not, get the heck out of there). Yes it’s nice to be dependable, and have someone to depend upon, but being dependable is a big responsibility. If you don’t want to be there for the other person, you need to understand why. If you’re a single adult, all variables set aside, then you really don’t have anyone who needs to depend on you. You can go out with your friends, and stay out as late as you like. No one has set a curfew for you, and you are a completely free agent. As they say in some part of the world, ‘You do you.’
2. You can have opposite sex friends without having anyone getting jealous
When you’re dating another person, and you are pretty serious in the relationship, inevitably you or your significant other will be jealous at one point or another. This happens when you or your partner receives attention from another, and there is sexual tension (mild or not). If you have dated enough people, and are through with dealing with jealous partners, or you can’t seem to handle yourself, take a moment for yourself to be single in your current walk of life, and evaluate your values. Sometimes those deep feelings are rooted from childhood abandonment feelings. We’re all messed up in some way or another, right? Breathe in, then breathe out. Relax.
3. You have the ability to take off and work wherever you like
Many people who are in relationships may have a house, children, and a significant other. With all of the responsibilities, an individual may have, taking off and leaving to do work in a foreign country may be difficult. When you are single, you have a lot more freedom. If you’re a twentysomething, you are also probably renting. Without all of the responsibilities you would have with rearing a family and being in a serial relationship, the movement may be a bit difficult. Take a moment, if you’re single, to appreciate the freedom you have right here and now. Be fully present, and love your life for all the freedom you have. Could it get any sweeter?
4. The only person you need to please is you.
It may be nice to spoil another, charm them, and treat them well. However, when you are single you can direct all of that attention towards improving the person you are. You can take yourself to the spa, eat greasy Chinese takeout, and even get a front row ticket to a concert with friends. A lot of time and energy goes into building the other person up and letting them know you love and care for them. When you’re single, you have the opportunity to adapt yourself into the best version of yourself before you get in a relationship. It’s all about perspective. Time and money are variables you either invest or squander. Make the investment today to be the best you can.5. You have a thriving social life.
If you are single, go and plan a happy hour with your friends right now. Being in a relationship over a long period of time can morph your social life to a circle of you and your significant other. Grow your circle of friends. Take time to be friends with as many different circles as you can. You will become more social, open minded, and inevitably, more cultured according to Bella DePaulo who studies singles.
5. You can invest in yourself.
You are your own best investment. You are responsible for your success. You are responsible for reaching your goals. You must learn about yourself in order to achieve your full potential. No one is responsible for you, except for you! Once you begin to accept self-responsibility and practice self-discipline you can become the best version of yourself! Start to focus on yourself and become the person you have always wanted to be! No significant other is needed!
There you have it singles, no better time now than to mingle. Keep your independence, and be happy in life. The grass really can be greener on your side if you take the time to water it. Stride on with confidence and make the most of your singleness through building up your friendships, taking off and traveling for work, and experiencing all life has to offer.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Single Woman Takes Pride in Career-Driven Life
A lot of women get slammed for choosing their careers and being assertive. Those traditional values, no matter how old they are, seem to still be sticky with our current time. Sarah Silverman, 46, is a career-focused woman and a symbol for modern day Feminism.
In a recent Twitter statement, Sarah stated that she decided to live her life to the fullest over becoming a mother. Simply noting that men do not have the same responsibilities as the woman does when it comes to raising a family. Women who work and bring home big paychecks are frowned upon because they aren’t tending to the children or pleasing their husband, though, on the contrary men are praised for it. Times are changing, and they are changing fast.
Trending since the big Feminist movement in the 1960’s, women are now more independent that ever: taking on bigger challenges at work, leading companies as CEO’s, and starting their own companies.
Why on earth would any woman today not take advantage of all the resources available to become the most independent, financially secure, and influential woman that she can be?
Raising a family should not be the only thing a woman hopes for. There are so many bigger things out there to do: see the world, live freely, do as you please, travel where you want. Women have so much freedom available at their fingertips.
Should a woman who chooses her career over being a mother be ridiculed? No, there should be nothing but praise – go get ‘em, girl!
Women and men need to move past these traditional values and accept the fact that not all little girls aspire to be a mom, they aspire to be powerful and influential career women at the top of their game.
Women have the right to speak their minds. In one of her latest statements, @SarahKSilverman tweets: “As a comic always working & on the road I have had to decide between motherhood & living my fullest life & I chose the latter. Men don’t have to do that. I’d so love to be a fun dad, coming home from the road & being my best fun dad self. So this is just a lil fuck all y’all bc u can’t be a woman w/out sacrifice & that’s the fact jack.”
Her tweet received 242 Retweets and 2,972 likes.
Strong words are often met by strong oppression. In a recent article by Carly Hoilman, she states, “to imply that motherhood is a barrier to living a “full” life smacks of the sort of bitterness and condescension typical of the modern feminist movement.”
What Carly fails to understand is the economics behind the positives of focusing your responsibility on your career. Without the heavy responsibility of raising children and being a housewife (if there are any #divorcerate), a woman has more freedom to make important decisions in her life, and to lead a life much more exciting and rewarding through following your life’s purpose. To afford a nice house, travel the world, own your own company, and provide for yourself is much more exciting than leading a lesser economic position as a mere woman who never reached her full potential, only aspiring to be a mother.
Women need to be aware of the opportunities they have, and all of the potential there is. Either way, follow what you believe in. Go after it!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Popular culture presents being single in a negative light. Singles are pressured to date, marry, and find their soulmate. There are no soulmates. Yet, society tells singles that they cannot be happy until they are in a romantic relationship.
There are many reasons to enjoy being single. This is an incomplete list. Here are five reasons why being single is awesome!
Five Reasons Why Being Single Is Awesome
Focus On Yourself
You can begin to focus on yourself. You must know yourself before you can start to reach your goals. You will likely struggle to reach your goals if you do not know your strengths and weaknesses.
Once you know your strengths, you can learn your likes and dislikes. The things that you enjoy doing will help you.
You can then start to pursue your passion. What you obsess over will often overlap with your strengths.
You can then find a way to monetize your strengths, interests, and what you are passionate about. That is the perfect combination.
Solo Travel
You have the freedom to travel solo anytime you want. It could be simply visiting the nearest nearby town or city. You could plan a trip to see a nearby state. Or, you could rent or buy an RV to see your entire country.
You could also travel solo abroad. What countries have you always wanted to visit? Make a list. Make it one of your goals to see some of those countries before you die.
Traveling alone can help you develop confidence. You may spend the entire trip by yourself. Or, you could spend the trip traveling with a group.
Focus On Your Health
You can focus on your health. Health plays a vital role in your everyday life. Your health affects your productivity.
You can improve your physical health by regularly exercising, going to the gym, getting Vitamin D from the sun, and following a diet. These are some basic things that can help you to feel better about yourself. It takes time to lose weight and to follow a diet consistently. You will feel and look better when you do. Improving your health can positively affect your mental health.
Self-Love
You can practice self-love. There is nothing wrong with learning to love oneself. If you do not like who you are, you will most likely not enjoy life. This is because you will end up doing things that you hate. It may be a job. It may be hanging out with fake and negative people.
You can start to love yourself for the unique person you are. You have innate value as an individual. Once you start to live out self-love in your life, you can begin to develop self-confidence and experience happiness in your life.
You do not need a significant other to be happy. Your happiness does not come from other people. You are responsible for your own satisfaction.
Learning to love yourself, despite your flaws, is one way to live a happier life.
Financial Life In Order
You can work to get your financial life in order. You can learn to follow a budget. You can start to build an emergency fund. You can think long-term and save money for retirement. You can invest in the stock market.
Related – 15 Habits To Build Wealth For Singles
Summary
These are five reasons why being single is awesome! You can focus on yourself to reach your goal while becoming the best version of yourself. You can do that by improving your personal and financial well-being. You can also enjoy the freedom of being single to solo travel and see the world.