Ecomonic concerns for singles

Ok, so I’m really paying attention to the economy, politics and things happening in our country.  And it has been brought to my attention through the personal interaction I have with friends, colleagues and people I meet willy nilly.  We all can feel that the country is in a financial crisis and my concern is how this is affecting singles.  I wrote an entry earlier about the economy and how it is affecting single people but I would like to elaborate. 

I tried going online to find out if there were stats on if singles were affected more with the economy than married people.  I tried googling singles and the foreclosure rate and I couldn’t find a specific stat on how many foreclosures are from single people.   However, I did find a stat that essentially said that more married people buy houses so more than likely, they are hit harder than single people.  Also, they have the responsibility of taking care of other people in the household, kids, spouse and may feel an extra burden. 

However, if the financial crunch does fall on singles, they have only themselves to rely on to get through the situation.  Don’t get me wrong, singles are not these helpless people who have no network of people to help out.  But they consciously have to connect with others to help them out with a situation.  And many times, having financial hard times brings on a level of shame and embarassment so the last thing they want to do is call people and tell them their situation.  So I feel this is an issue with singles as there is not a convenient emotional or financial support for singles.  We have to reach out for help. 

Also, they have to fall back on only one income to get them through this time.  Couples can at least pool their funds and work on getting through the crisis.  There is strength in numbers.  So singles are relying only on themselves to get through these hard times.  And it makes it worse when they have kids as well. 

So let me know what you think.  Does anyone have any ideas of how a single person can get through this crisis? Does anyone have an experience they would like to write about that would help someone else going through it as well. 

Being the third wheel

Have you ever been the third wheel?  If you are single, most likely this has happened to you more than once.  All my friends had hooked up with boyfriends and they would continuously ask me to join them to do things with them.  I declined simply because I was uncomfortable being the third wheel.  I really do not like it.  It seems to have happened to me so much in my life that I just simply don’t like it.  Some of my single friends, though, don’t mind being the third wheel.  They are always doing something with their married friends.  And there are some friends who are a couple and I don’t mind being with them.  I don’t know what the difference is.  Maybe it is because some friends show their affection for each other in front of you, which isn’t bad but it sure makes you feel alone and really single. 

So that is my take on being the third wheel.  Any comments?

How are singles doing in this economy?

I’m just curious.  I know the economy is not the best and I’m wondering if single people are faring ok through this hard economic time.  Are they hit harder than the married sector?  Or are they sheltered from it since they don’t have as many financial obligations to tie their money down.  Are they hit harder because they don’t have another income earner in their household?  I’m just wondering. 

I feel that everyone is affected bu the economy but which group(married or singles) do you feel is hit the hardest?  Or which one is doing better that the other group? 

Here is an interesting article about the booming single industry.