youbet
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
There was a pretty good thread here several years ago that brought some government data onto this question. I think typically it is considered that a couple needs 167% of what a single needs to live. Clearly a lot of assumptions will matter. Can the couple get by with one car? In the city, sure, in the suburbs or country likely not. How social are they? Typically singles go out more than couples, but some couples go out a lot, and it costs them about 200% of what a single costs to have a meal out.
Another issue just comes from probability. Extreme frugality and self denial is a rare trait in society, if not on ER.org. What are the chances that both spouses will be as hawkish on expenses as the most frugal one?
Married people will spend some money just to avoid divorce. How many guys in their expensive opera boxes alongside their wives might be happier at home watching basketball?
I have never understood how a group that will not accept that any active money managers can have long time superior records will easily accept essentially unbelievably low living expenses. I remember one guy who claimed to live on about $10,000 per year. Then it came out that his roomate paid a lot of his expenses. Yeah, I guess that would work wouldn't it? Or believe assertions that spending more money does not improve the experience of life. Give me a break! Spending it unwisely is a mistake, but in my market I can guarantee that I would be happier living in an apartment that rents for $2000 than a $1000 apartment.
That said, I have improved my spending since logging on here for the first time. Attention to spending matters, even though it may not be as dramatic as what is sometimes reported. I spend about the same as before, but that means that I have defeated 5+ years of inflation.
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Excellent comments. And I agree there is room for a lot of variability. My DW wants all the things for herself as a married partner she'd have as a single. Her own car, space in the house, personal activities, etc. I feel pretty much the same. So my guesstimate is that our expenses are darn close to double what they would be for either of us as a single. But I can see where the 167% gov't number comes from and am sure it is correct for many. In fact, I'll wager that 167% average probably has a range stretching from 110% to 250%!