Singles’ Day is not only is it the biggest sales event most people have never heard of, it’s the biggest online shopping event in the world. Celebrated on 11 November, it’s mainly celebrated in China, where it started in the 1990s and was called Bachelor’s Day.
The idea came from the fact that it’s the 11th day of the 11th month, and the Chinese slang character for a single man is a 1. It has since expanded to be for men and women, and the idea is for people to take the opportunity to treat themselves.
It’s refreshing to have a celebration of single life, especially given how the number of people living alone has grown over the years. Almost a third (30%) of UK households are made up of one person living alone. That’s 8.4 million people. It’s up 11% in a decade, while the overall population is up 7%.
Read more: How to protect yourself against tax rises in the budget
Life is famously more expensive when you live on your own, because you have to pay all the bills without support, and face the so-called single tax of paying extra for anything you can’t share.
So this Singles Day, it’s worth exploring how to save money as a singleton. If you live on your own, you will have explored many of the easier wins, but with 15 ways to save, there’s something for anyone to try.
-
Make sure you get your council tax discount – single people get a 25% discount.
-
Install a water meter – usually if you have the same number of bedrooms as people (or more) you can save money with a meter. It also means you control how much you pay for.
-
If you’re a low energy user, look into energy deals without a standing charge. You’ll be charged more for each unit of energy, but you’re in control of what you spend. It can be a good idea to get a meter to see what you’re spending.
-
If you have more than one room at home, consider radiator thermostats, so you can set them to only heat the room you’re in.
-
If you have an extra bedroom, consider renting it out. If you have one bedroom, look into renting it on Airbnb (ABNB) when you go away.
-
Include a parent or a sibling as a second named driver on your car insurance, so they can be your emergency driver, and in the process should cut your premiums.
-
Search for travel companies with deals for solo travellers, so you don’t pay the single supplement. There are plenty of specialists.
-
Join online clubs for single people. There are holiday clubs that specialise in accommodation that’s easy for single people or single parents to share.
-
Make full use of the freezer, so you don’t pay extra for smaller food packets.
-
Shop with a friend. If batch cooking isn’t part of your lifestyle, buy bigger packs and split them on the way home.
-
Share subscriptions with a friend – gyms and train companies offer couples discounts that aren’t just for couples.
-
Consider a lifetime ISA. If you’re aged 18-39 and have at least a year until you plan to buy your first home, you can get up to £1,000 a year from the government towards a property deposit.
-
Talk to someone you trust about money – people who make financial decisions with someone else are more financially resilient, so find yourself a sounding board.
-
Take advantage of any tax breaks you can afford – from pensions to ISAs.
-
In retirement, check whether you qualify for pension credit. Up to £2.5bn of pension credit goes unclaimed by 950,000 eligible households.