Comments on: After a Year Living Alone, a Return to Roommates http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates Personal Finance for the Young and Ambitious Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:32:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Amanda is a Traveling Photographer http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates/comment-page-1#comment-701 Amanda is a Traveling Photographer Fri, 08 May 2009 02:47:10 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates#comment-701 I found this post after googling " roomate again after living alone". I'm going to save your blog and read more! I am currently living in property which I bought specifically to rent out . I purchased it in 2007 via short sale and am VERY happy I did. However ... after chasing a renter for a bit of money ( $540 ) , I just decided to live here. I wanted to keep expenses low and got a roomate after 5 year of living roomate free ( 29, started at 24 )! It's going ok. I feel like I walk on eggshells a bit though because I don't want to make her feel like this is just " my " space. We have our own spaces though ( the place is 3 levels and we just share the main one ) . It's working so far! I found this post after googling ” roomate again after living alone”. I’m going to save your blog and read more! I am currently living in property which I bought specifically to rent out . I purchased it in 2007 via short sale and am VERY happy I did. However … after chasing a renter for a bit of money ( $540 ) , I just decided to live here. I wanted to keep expenses low and got a roomate after 5 year of living roomate free ( 29, started at 24 )! It’s going ok. I feel like I walk on eggshells a bit though because I don’t want to make her feel like this is just ” my ” space. We have our own spaces though ( the place is 3 levels and we just share the main one ) . It’s working so far!

]]> By: Chief Family Officer http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates/comment-page-1#comment-700 Chief Family Officer Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:54:49 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates#comment-700 Good luck! As you said, the inconveniences of living with a roommate will be made more tolerable by the growing balance of your savings/investment account and net worth statement. Good luck! As you said, the inconveniences of living with a roommate will be made more tolerable by the growing balance of your savings/investment account and net worth statement.

]]> By: mapgirl http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates/comment-page-1#comment-699 mapgirl Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:26:11 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates#comment-699 In DC, there's all kinds of 'group housing', but it's not what you think. It's basically a really crowded house full of renters. I was able to live in a tony part of DC for cheap rent because I was willing to have 4 other housemates and share 2 bathrooms and 1 shower. I sucked it down for a year till I could move out on my own. It was worth it. I actually moved out mostly because I got boxed out of the shower one too many times before work and couldn't afford to start my shift late without getting in trouble. I decided that it was time to get a place on my own then. (There were some other complicating factors as well.) Roommates are a great way to save money if you have the space for it. I currently own a studio and can't really divvy the place up for 2 people. But I would if I could! In DC, there’s all kinds of ‘group housing’, but it’s not what you think. It’s basically a really crowded house full of renters. I was able to live in a tony part of DC for cheap rent because I was willing to have 4 other housemates and share 2 bathrooms and 1 shower.

I sucked it down for a year till I could move out on my own. It was worth it. I actually moved out mostly because I got boxed out of the shower one too many times before work and couldn’t afford to start my shift late without getting in trouble. I decided that it was time to get a place on my own then. (There were some other complicating factors as well.)

Roommates are a great way to save money if you have the space for it. I currently own a studio and can’t really divvy the place up for 2 people. But I would if I could!

]]> By: T http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates/comment-page-1#comment-698 T Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:23:15 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates#comment-698 I bought a 2 bedroom condo early in graduate school (I live in a city with cheap real estate, so this was doable on a graduate student stipend) and rented out the second bedroom to a roommate. 4 years later when I got married, my husband moved in... but my roommate didn't move out. Initially, the arrangement was going to be temporary, but all three of us like it so much we decided to extend it - probably up until we decide to have a child. I've become a huge fan of shared living arrangements among adults. If anything, it's actually more "normal" when looked at in the context of how things are done around the world, it's more frugal, it's more environmentally responsible, and I'm sure if she moved out we'd just immediately accumulate a bunch of clutter we don't really need in the new space. Plus, all three of us work long hours, and it's nice to have more casual social time just sort of built into your day - a friday evening when my husband and I and she and her boyfriend are all cooking and eating and chatting is happy and comfortable in a way the occasional dinner party rarely is. I also agree that it's often best to get to know someone through living with them rather than to move in with someone who's already a friend. This is what I've done, as well. I bought a 2 bedroom condo early in graduate school (I live in a city with cheap real estate, so this was doable on a graduate student stipend) and rented out the second bedroom to a roommate.

4 years later when I got married, my husband moved in… but my roommate didn’t move out. Initially, the arrangement was going to be temporary, but all three of us like it so much we decided to extend it – probably up until we decide to have a child.

I’ve become a huge fan of shared living arrangements among adults. If anything, it’s actually more “normal” when looked at in the context of how things are done around the world, it’s more frugal, it’s more environmentally responsible, and I’m sure if she moved out we’d just immediately accumulate a bunch of clutter we don’t really need in the new space.

Plus, all three of us work long hours, and it’s nice to have more casual social time just sort of built into your day – a friday evening when my husband and I and she and her boyfriend are all cooking and eating and chatting is happy and comfortable in a way the occasional dinner party rarely is.

I also agree that it’s often best to get to know someone through living with them rather than to move in with someone who’s already a friend. This is what I’ve done, as well.

]]> By: Meagan http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates/comment-page-1#comment-697 Meagan Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:27:42 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/after-a-year-living-alone-a-return-to-roommates#comment-697 I'm currently living in a strange situation. My husband and I married young and both fully intended to reach our respective career goals, both requiring graduate/professional school. In order to suppliment our meager student salaries, we have lived with a roommate for two years. We are glad to see our time with a roommate coming to an end this summer but the thousands we have been able to save by not taking out student loans is more than worth it! I’m currently living in a strange situation. My husband and I married young and both fully intended to reach our respective career goals, both requiring graduate/professional school. In order to suppliment our meager student salaries, we have lived with a roommate for two years. We are glad to see our time with a roommate coming to an end this summer but the thousands we have been able to save by not taking out student loans is more than worth it!

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