'Spend it all' singles face bleak future

Suzy Austin|Metro13 April 2012

Selfish 'me, me, me' generation has emerged from the growing number of people choosing to stay single, researchers said yesterday.

But, despite having the freedom to do whatever they want, 35- to 45-year-olds who shun love are lonelier than ever.

Many are ignoring advice to plan for their future, forcing them to return to the family home when things go wrong.

Prof Geoff Beattie, head of psychology at Manchester University, said: 'This me, me, me group is characterised by spending a large proportion of income on themselves - clothes, holidays, beauty, fitness and eating out with friends.

'These people are time-poor and cashrich but, while they consider themselves independent and cutting-edge, they are clearly being naive when it comes to what the future might hold for them.' Most single people had no one to turn to in times of money troubles, he added.

Aquarter said the worst aspect of living alone was having to cook for themselves while one in six complained of feeling left out at social gatherings.

Yet the number of singletons has doubled in the past 30 years to 10million.

And the trend is showing no sign of slowing down.

The single population is set to increase to 16million by 2010, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Being able to do what they want, when they want is the greatest attraction of being unattached, researchers at insurance giant Zurich found.

Financial freedom was another bonus, the survey of 500 single people showed.

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