BEING single can be hard enough for some, but new research reveals that it also comes with a hefty £2,000 price tag.

Good Housekeeping magazine has crunched the numbers and found that everything from council tax bills to insurance to gym membership costs more when you're on your own.

2 Couples save £2,000 a year simply be sharing costs Credit: Getty - Contributor

Couples - particularly parents with children - may baulk at the idea that singletons face increased costs.

But when taking a sample of nine items consumers regularly buy, the research found they'd cost a combined £4,605.23 for couples, and a whopping £6,654.53 for singletons.

That's a shocking price difference of £2,049.30 - which the magazine labels an effective "singles tax".

The item with the largest price difference was a holiday on a cruise ship.

2 The cost of being single can add up to £2,000

The seven-night trip cost £2,342 for a couple - equivalent to £1,171 per person. But single travellers had to pay £1,100 more at £2,271.

Meanwhile when it comes to flights, couples can split the cost of booking fees while singletons will have to stump up the full whack themselves.

Council tax saw the next largest price gap for singletons versus couples.

A one-person household receives a 25 per cent discount but couples effectively get a 50 per cent price cut when you consider the fact that each individual will likely pay half the bill.

Based on an average house in band D, Good Housekeeping said couples would pay £835 per person, while a single person would pay £1,253 - a £418 price difference.

Cut the cost of being single Good Housekeeping magazine's top tips for cutting the cost of being single are as follows: Holidays: Some companies, such as JustYou and Solitair, don’t charge single supplements. Meanwhile, a B&B, half-board or all-inclusive trip is likely to be better value than a self-catering option.

Rail travel: If you regularly travel by train with a friend or family member, consider getting a Two Together Railcard. It costs £30 but gives you a third off fares.

Food: Don't buy expensive smaller portions of long-life items - pasta, rice and lentils will all last. Also head to the market, butcher's, and supermarket counters where you can buy loose ingredients for less.

Car insurance: Adding a friend or adult child as a named driver on your policy could help you save – but they must use the car or it is known as "fronting", which is illegal.

Wills: Get a will written for free during Free Wills Month in March and October (over 55s only) and during Will Aid in November.

Memberships: From Netflix to tourist attractions to gyms, ask if any of your friends or family members will take out joint membership with you to cut costs.

Caroline Bloor, consumer affairs director for Good Housekeeping commented: "While there’s less stigma around being single in today’s society, clearly, we are still being penalised financially.

"Our research showed that as well as the infamous single supplement on holidays, there are a host of other things, from groceries to gym memberships, where singles pay more.

"A growing number of households are single occupancy, so it’s time companies woke up to the needs of this market and lose the singles tax."

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In more bad news for singletons, scientists have discovered that lonely people are ‘50 per cent more likely to die young’.

For help cutting costs, check out our simple trick that could save you £1,500 a year on your supermarket shop.

And find out how to lower your council tax band and save £1,000 a year.

Single dad-of-two launched child-friendly rave company with a £1,000 budget and it now makes £500,000 a year

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