How do you afford to live alone in the UK?

Posted by ghost_lm24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 43 comments

Hi all,

I’m posting this to get some advice from people on my current living situation and what the best move might be for my future.

I’m currently renting a 2 bedroom apartment and live alone in the West Midlands; I earn £44,000 per year which is set to go to £47,250 in the coming months (part of this is a bonus paid annually). This will project to around £52,500 by the end of 2027.

I have around £13,000 saved in the hopes of someday owning my own home. Since being forced to move out in January 2025, I’ve not managed to save much at all so most of these savings are from when I was living at home.

I’ve just turned 26 and feel like I’m drowning in bills every single month, my non negotiable fixed outgoings are around £1300 per month, add food and petrol on to that and it’s around £1650 per month. I take home around £2350 per month paid 4-weekly.

My current goal is to save around £500 per month which leaves me with around £150 ‘spare’ money. I’ve been feeling the pressure lately and don’t know what route to take, my options are as follows:

Move to my mums house (70 round mile trip to work and back) 4 times a week and live quite far away from all my friends and family, not ideal.

Look to move in with my Nan short term (she’s 85 and doesn’t like the idea of this).

Move in with my Dad and rent somewhere else (he isn’t currently working so not reliable income).

Or, potentially look at a house share with someone.

I love my own space, freedom and I’m happy being in my apartment, it just feels crippling each month financially.

I suppose I just want to put myself in a position to really be saving a substantial amount of money in the next few years.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

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bars_and_plates@reddit

I think we need a better break down of costs to be honest. My guess is that your rent is just super high.

I wouldn't be renting a 2 bedroom flat to myself if I were saving for a house.

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nikkijxd@reddit

I would look at a smaller/cheaper flat, this is likely your biggest cost. I'm midlands too and have seen the cost of living creeping up. Your income should allow you to have more savings.

I would look into your budget to see what expenses can be trimmed (not necessarily removed). easiest trims are: gym memberships (can you opt for a cheaper gym), TV Subscriptions (can you eliminate 1), Gaming subscriptions (I buy this annually for just the 6 winter months that i actually use it), energy (can you turn down heating by 2 degrees, shorten showers slightly), food (batch cooking or opting for cheaper options), Treats (can you remove 1 treat a month? or put your fun money into a separate account to limit it more rigidly?).

I put my budget in another chat yesterday i will copy it below.

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nikkijxd@reddit

Having rounded and adjusted for annual costs mine is:

Mortgage 860
Fuel 200
Council Tax 160
Food (inc Pet food) 150
Car Maintenance 80
Insurances (car, breakdown and home insurance) 80
Gas& Elec 80
Social 65
Events (Gigs and festivals) 55
Holiday 80
Internet 35
Netflix 6
Mobile 10
Water 25
Pet scheme 16
Clothing 25
Birthdays/gifting 30

Total 1957

As it fluctuates a lot I have gone higher end of averages.

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Far_Original_9099@reddit

I live on my own with a mortgage I live in Yorkshire so house prices are more affordable, I have a 2 bed house on a nice street also have a driveway and garage which is a helpful plus even though I don't drive. After bills I have about £700pm left some goes into savings and some goes into hobbies & I'm not a big earner either my salary is just over £31k

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sossighead@reddit

When I lived alone at your age:

had a relatively high income in a low cost part of the country.
lived in rooms in cheapo flatshares to save until I bought a modest 2 bed mid terrace house on ridiculously low <2% interest rates.
had little to no interest in going on holiday at that point in my life.
drove a really shit car. Still do actually 🤣
Covid, Ukraine and Iran wars hadn’t kicked off so the cost of living was steady away and in line with people’s earnings.

It’s hard now. It’s those interest rates + the current market value of houses that are the killer.

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CoffeeIgnoramus@reddit

Look, this is going to come across harsh, but I spent so long analysing how to save and buy a house in one of the most expensive places in the UK. And I managed it by 32 with a large deposit because I saved and saved while living here and renting...

My very blunt answer that no one ever likes but works every time someone actually does it properly is learning what the difference is between a want (comfort) and a need is. And I know everyone reading this is thinking "everyone knows what the difference is".

Let me illustrate the thing that gets the most backlash while proving my point:

Most people don't need a car. If it takes an hour and a half to get to work by walking, cycling or bussing... you just want to comfort. Saving time is not a necessity, it's a want. Having to wake up earlier to make it to work is not impossible, it's uncomfortable.

Now here is the nuance, I'm not saying you can't have wants, but you have to see your wants as the money you could save but choose not to save in return for comfort.

Once you start looking at your life as wants and needs (and be honest about it) you quickly realise where money could be in your account.

E.g. in your life, I saw your comment about the second bedroom being your WFH space. But if I'm being harsh, that's a want. If this was my situation (you do what you want) You can set up in your bedroom or living/dining space or kitchen. Is it comfortable? Probably not. Is it doable, probably. Being even harsher, maybe a studio flat reduces your cost more than a 1-bed.

It's not for me to rearrange your life because I don't know your life well enough and everyone is different and people saying "here is the one thing you got wrong is very black and white answer with no nuance."

You need to decide the wants you just won't give up. But I think you'll realise that you (and everyone) has luxuries they never really considered. I'm also guilty of that. If we go to extremes, no one needs most of the furniture they have. Literally a mattress is probably the only real necessity. But of course it's a balancing act of comfort you want with the money you have and the savings you want.

P.s. I know you say about a 1-bed only saving £50-£75 per month, but that's nothing to be sniffed at. At the top end, that's nearly a grand a year right there and that's without changing anything else about your life. I could easily see your savings skyrocketing with a sit down and thinking through of your costs in terms of need or want (comfort).

Best of luck. I think you could manage to buy reasonably soon with careful analysis of your life.

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Polz34@reddit

It's 100% more expensive for solo living. I've lived alone for 14 years and was lucky rent was a lot less back then and also I was able to get a mortgage 10 years ago which again wasn't too expensive. It's all about budget, you can rent a one bed place but you'll be paying more than 50% of a 2 bed place (as the only addition is a bedroom) so you need to work out what you could afford to rent/buy and then see if that works in your area or not. It's what, way back when I worked out I could afford £500 per month max for rent (and it would be tight) and found a place for £525pcm and negotiated to £475pcm

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lonehorizons@reddit

I think you should ask on the UK personal finance sub. Here you’ll just get loads of replies showing off about how they live on half your salary, or telling you to stop eating avocado on toast in expensive cafes.

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ThrowawayParsnip5@reddit

I earn £27k, and live solo. (renting)

I wouldn't say I live particularly frugally, I cover my rent and bills and then manage to put away some savings each month. I also manage to go on a holiday most years. I guess I don't really spend much outside of groceries. I maybe eat out once or twice a month, and I'll only occasionally buy a new item of clothing - think the last thing I bought, a sweater, was in January.

Trying to get a new job as my current one has turned out to be a dead end, but I think I'd feel like I'd won the lottery if I got onto a salary of £40k.

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genxerrr@reddit

If you're on 50k in the west Midlands and you can't manage then you're doing something wrong. Downsize to a one bed, a studio or a house share. Or rent out your spare room for £600+ pcm. This will allow you to save more for your own place.

When you have enough saved and are ready to buy, be realistic on what you purchase. No point in over stretching yourself just to live in the best areas.

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Marsof1@reddit

There are people on 24k a year who manage. I own my own house with a mortgage, have a car on finance. I earn 45k a year and put £1000 pcm into savings.

I spend £350 a month in supermarkets and £150 in petrol.

You need to seriously reflect on what you are spending your money on. You should be able to easily afford to save £750 every 4 weeks.

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Nearby-Answer5570@reddit

Literal definition of a crab in the bucket mentality

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ghost_lm24@reddit (OP)

I see what point you are making; I can assure you I have already scrutinised my spending. £1000 is paid for purely apartment bills, the other £600 is for food, my car and petrol each month. My food and petrol outgoings are similar to you.

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Marsof1@reddit

To be fair I think a big part of the challenge is that you are paid every 4 weeks. Try looking to see if you can pay the rent and utility bills every 4 weeks instead of monthly - that'll make a big difference.

Our total household income is £35,000, my husband works and I'm a stay at home mum so that £35k is supporting two adults and two kids. We don't save loads of money but I don't feel like we struggle.

We bought our first home last year on a 5% deposit scheme, we used literally all our savings but our mortgage is lower than rent ever was.

The thing is that if you want your own property you have to pay for it. I live alone^1 in a 5 bedroom house with large gardens because I value the space. I'm fortunate in that I have the income to do it.

If you want to compromise a little find a house share, but make sure its with someone who is okay with whatever lifestyle you want.

^(1. I'm trying to change this but I suck at dating)

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ghost_lm24@reddit (OP)

A house share might make the most sense I suppose, it’s just finding someone trustworthy enough I guess. Do you not feel like you have too much room? 😂

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Top-Cat-a@reddit

No, I invite friends to stay for a few days when I want company.

I occassionally host a DnD group as there is no problem with them staying overnight,

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lanurk@reddit

If £150 feels tight then save £400 a month instead. Or use an app like Plum to make extra sneaky savings that you don't notice. I built up over £3000 over a year using it and it wasn't noticeable. Happy to share my referral link if you wanna dm me.

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