…that is the question I’m currently struggling with.
Currently, I have a roommate. But that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about not having one sooner than later….In an effort to make a fully informed decision, I’m going to lay it all out here and seek your advice:
**Update: My current roommate is definitely moving out by Sept. 1st. Now the question is whether or not to roll the dice on another random roommate or enjoy my personal space (and peace & quiet) for a while**
Pros of having a roommate:
- The $$ he/she pays makes up more than half of my mortgage payment (including property taxes, which are insane anywhere near Boston)
- It’s sometimes nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of during a random week night
- The company and bonding opportunities can seldom be replaced
Cons of having a roommate:
- Dealing with random quirks: My current roomie runs the A/C on full blast because she “doesn’t want to mess up her hair”–all the while wearing flannel, long-sleeved pajamas…in June
- I love to clean, therefore I am the only one who cleans the entire place, which can get pretty tiring given my new work demands.
- I’d love to have an office space given the amazing flexibility at my new job (after my 90 day review, I have the option to work from home periodically; in order to do so, I need a space I’m comfortable with at home!)
- I (thankfully) don’t truly need the $$ to still live, save, and invest
Given all that I’ve stated here (and then some), what are your thoughts?
To roommate or not to roommate? What would you do?
Photo credit: articlesweb
Tough decision you have here. It would be awesome to have the extra money from rent and if you have a good roomate that is compatible with you then even better. On the other hand if she is dirty and doesn’t clean up after herself that is where i would probably draw the line. Im no clean freak but im not disgusting either. As an adult I know I have to clean up after myself. So should she. I’d recommend talking to her to see if you can turn some of those cons into pros. If that doesnt work then maybe she should move out.
Well, she actually was already planning to move out for school starting in the fall (wants to be closer to campus). So I guess this was more about me going it alone and enjoying the space all for me or sucking it up in the name of extra $$. I'm still undecided, but I reeeeeally love the idea of having an office/work space at home!
Be patient – s/he is paying your mortgage. Manage till you can. You can always give up on it…
You are doing it for a good reason.
I keep trying to tell myself that….
I haaaaaaaaate having a roommate, no matter how great they truly are because of all the "random quirks". But if she's helping you pay the mortgage that much faster-there may come a time when you have no house payment (or roommate) at all!
I know! That's what keeps me thinking I should stick with a roommate. But she's going to be moving in the fall and I'm not sure if I want to have another random roommate with all of their own quirks to get used to…
I think that..before one has kids and a family, a roomate is something worth struggling through for the money. We live ina one bedroom, and my boyfriend would never be on board for room mates but if we had a house I'd try to convince him.
I agree! Although now part of me is relishing the idea of having the place to myself…
Well for me and where I'm at in life, getting a roommate would be my VERY LAST RESORT…OK not true. Moving in with one of my parents would be the last resort. I think you just have to weight the pros and cons and evaluate what is most important to you. You can save a lot of money, but it can be a major headache (and sometimes fun of course)
So true! It's the pro/con part I'm struggling with–I love the boost a roommate gives my budget but I sometimes hate having one–so terrible
I would wait until current roommate decides to leave/move on then not take on another.
I should have been more clear–she's leaving in the fall for grad school. I'll edit now so it makes more sense…
If I were single I would probably still have a roomate (the house would be too big to be alone in. But there are many times that having peace and quite can't be quantified.
Amen! It's the peace & quiet–in a clean office/creative space–that I'm craving so badly right now
You kind of sound like a pushover! If you own the place you should be able to dictate the terms of your living situation, like the temperature, cleanliness, and having separate food. Your roommate (this or any one) can either agree or accept another living situation.
To me, the only really good reason not to have a roommate on your list is if you really didn't have the space to work at home with one. I like having a roommate though, and have never lived by myself. I'm even probably going to have a roommate if my husband moves out.
Hahaha…I love that you give me a kick in the pants! It's just hard to navigate the whole "sharing of the space" stuff. I don't want to be all about rules, but I also have met my limit with what I can take. And note that we have had conversations about this stuff in the past…it just keeps happening! But other than that, she's certainly a nice person so I'm torn…
I say forget a roommate. Your sanity is so important. I live alone and the peace and quiet from the outside world and daily stresses is worth the money lost….imo.
I'm really leaning that way….
None of the options don't seem terrible. My advice would be to wait till after the 90 day review and then decide what you truly want. The money from having a roommate is great but the time will come when you are ready to have the house for yourself. Maybe that time hasn't come yet.
One more pro of having a roommate that I learned from my dad is in case of emergencies, like say for whatever reason you were injured at home and couldn't get to the phone to call an ambulance or any sort of help, having someone who is there or who will be there can really save you.
Thanks for pointing that out! I'm in a definite space of contemplation right now, so I'll have to give this a bit more time…
Hmmm tough decision. Maybe a different roommate would work better? Of course you could end up with a worse roommate. I think you just have to decide deep down is the money worth it to you or would you get more enjoyment spending more money and being by yourself in your home? I always liked the company but quirks can drive you insane.
Exactly! When she moves on, I have no idea if I want to take a gamble on somebody else. But I do need to figure this out soon
Personally, I'm so glad I've never had to have a roommate! Everyone is annoying after a while!
-M
Hahahahaha…that is oh.so.true!!!!!
It is tough to decide between living alone or having a roommate. The ultimate question you need to ask your self is do you have a roommate because you do not want to be alone or is it mainly for the extra money. If yo have a roommate for the companion ship then you are just going to have to deal with the quirks other people bring to the table. If it is only about the money then you can decide if having a roommate is really worth the extra money or not.
It's definitely about the money (that sounds terrible but it's the truth). I hate dealing with random quirks in a place I worked so hard to earn–especially when they're causing unnecessary wear & tear. I guess the whole thing would just be easier if she wasn't so nice…haha!
My husband and I have roommates in our house right now too. They also pay more than half our mortgage plus property taxes. Well technically, they pay 70% since we have a really small mortgage of $505 since we refinanced…so it's about $850 a month total and they pay $600. Anyway, as long as you have to ask, I would say have a roommate. As soon as you feel "get your stuff and out!", it's time to be roommate free.
Hahaha…I love it! That's a great test of where my patience still lies
Find a better roommate? -Plug for my friend who is looking for a place to rent in Boston. So far the people she has found to be roomies with are weirddd. Plus, she will be at school all the time (med) and working in a lab
I think it's definitely worth the money. You can pay your mortgage off quicker!
Ahhh!!! I've been meaning to email you about her!! I've had zero Internet for 8 days now and blogging on my phone just isn't for me. Stay tuned!!
I think that you should have a dollar amount associated with roommates — I will have a roommate until I have paid off $X thousand dollars toward my mortgage, then I will reevaluate.
That is a GREAT idea; thank you!
I'm still thinking you should tell your roomate that you will only be paying 1/4 of that electric bill. If you could find a better roomate, maybe go with a roomate for a little bit until you've paid of a percentage of your mortgage and reevauate at that point? I'm not a fan of roomates but that's due to some past experiences.
I'm working on it!!! I did bring it up but she looked at me like I had 10 heads. I need to be more firm when the bill comes in…
I like this whole % threshold thing…sounds like a good plan
When things go right, a roommate can be a great financial and relationship asset. However, I have never had a roommate, and don't think that I ever will. I like the financial benefits, but not the personal quirks. After a while, the financial benefit wouldn't be as attractive.
I couldn't agree more…that's definitely where I am right now
I've been pondering the same question. Since I've never had room-mates (aside from family), I think I'm gonna give it a shot. After all, like you said it will help out on the financial front. I guess the decision all depends on who your room-mates are… and how scarred you are from horrible past room-mates! LOL