live alone or with a roommate?

[skim milk]

I'm kind of pressed for time.. my new job starts in one week exactly and I've never even been to the city (except to interview at the office)

I can afford to live alone but I'd like to save money. My issue with living alone is that since it's a new city for me, I don't want to feel too lonely. I'm going to be busy with work but if I can have a good roommate with similar interests and we can go out at night together after work, that would be awesome. On the other hand, I don't want to live like I don't own the place... that feeling where you share an apartment with random strangers and you don't feel like it's your place except in the bedroom. I want to be able to lounge in the living room with my HD tv and play video games or watch basketball games on TV anytime I want.

 

[Platypus]

living alone >

 

[FleshLight]

You can still lounge around while living with random people.

 

[Canun]

Unless you know someone already willing to be your roomie, live by yourself. Nothing worse than living with someone who turns out to be very strange.

 

[xanis]

Personally, I would rather live alone. You're right, it is more money but the freedom you get to do whatever you want and not have to deal with annoying roommates is well worth it. And I wouldn't worry about being lonely... you'll make friends and maybe even pick up a lady friend to keep you company soon enough.

 

[lokiju]

I've done both plenty of times and will always say alone is the better choice.

Just because you won't have a roommate doesn't mean you can still go do stuff.

You just have to make more of an effort but at least you're not stuck with some annoying person for a year or whatever the lease term is for.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Roommate. Living alone is boring.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Canun
Unless you know someone already willing to be your roomie, live by yourself. Nothing worse than living with someone who turns out to be very strange.

Agreed. And there are no RA's to help with issues that may arise. If you're lucky, the person might be a little untidy. If you're unlucky, the person might use his half of the apartment for drug trafficking or worse. What if you ended up with......oh, I don't know, Oldsmoboat as a roommate? Have you heard from all the people who've roomed with him before? You haven't? Exactly.:evil: No one has.




I prefer living alone. I lived on campus for......oh what was it, 5 semesters? Maybe 4? I've had quite enough of that kind of shared living arrangement.

 

[hiromizu]

I'm kicking my gf out next month. Want her as a roommate?

 

[Saint Nick]

Its a tough call. My dad always said he hated living alone because it was just that -- lonely. But everyone else here has a good point that you won't be stuck with someone that sucks for the length of the lease term.

You might be better off living alone.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Canun
Unless you know someone already willing to be your roomie, live by yourself. Nothing worse than living with someone who turns out to be very strange.

Agreed. And there are no RA's to help with issues that may arise. If you're lucky, the person might be a little untidy. If you're unlucky, the person might use his half of the apartment for drug trafficking or worse. What if you ended up with......oh, I don't know, Oldsmoboat as a roommate? Have you heard from all the people who've roomed with him before? You haven't? Exactly.:evil: No one has.




I prefer living alone. I lived on campus for......oh what was it, 5 semesters? Maybe 4? I've had quite enough of that kind of shared living arrangement.

Before you move in and sign a lease see if you can meet the guy/girl that you will live with. Ask the questions, express your concerns....not everyone is crazy.

 

[Beev]

I live alone. If you aren't strapped for cash I recommend it, but having a roomate(s) is much cheaper.

 

[rezinn]

LIVE ALONE

 

[rivan]

Get your own place. Take your time finding a roommate if you find you're really not saving what you want.

If you get a big enough place, you can take on a roommate and still call the shots if it's time for them to go.

My solution for that dilemma, years ago, was to buy a duplex home. I owned the entire property, and rented out one side of it. Totally separate everything - they didnt pay their bills? I wasn't really affected. It worked out very well for me financially, but wasn't a free ride my any means; being a landlord can sometimes be a challenge.

Edit: When I sold the place, the second "unit" was paying my mortgage with $100 or so a month to spare. I had it for about 10 years and sold it for just shy of 3x what I paid. That was before the real estate meltdown, though.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
Roommate. Living alone is boring.

Agree 110%

When I moved to Boston last year I had this debate. I chose to live with a couple I met on Craigslist and honestly, it was the best decision. I love where I live - I rent a bedroom from them but can lounge around. When I first got there it was a bit hard to find friends and meet people - now it's easier, but having roommates really helped

 

[BZeto]

Finding a good roommate/friend is invaluable. Unfortunately yes, there's a chance that you pick some schmuck and it's impossible to tell what kind of person they are if you only meet them once before going in together on a place. Honestly though I'd take the chance. After living alone for 3 years I moved in with some roomies and I'm loving it.

 

[sygyzy]

The decision has a lot to do with your roommates. I like mine so I much prefer to live with them than alone. Being alone is fun but it gets boring quick.

 

[LS21]

i would pay a 30-40% upcharge to live by myself. and i used to roomate with college friends, as well as strangers (ie CL). 100% your property, 100% your responsibility, no other peoples mess to worry about, no sharing a fridge, can walk around all nekkid, etc etc

 

[sutahz]

Which is more important, saving money or feeling like you own the place?
I dont think you have enough time to really find a roomate you'd really get along w/ so take a chance and move in w/ somone half randomly. If they are not a good match move in a month or 3. If that scenario is no good, get your own place.

 

[CrimsonChaos]

Depends how well you adapt to others. I had several different roommates in college, and got along rather well with them. But some people are much less flexible or sociable and would be better off alone.

 

[TwiceOver]

Alone.

The roommate thing sounds good but eventually you'll want to get rid of them.

 

[Miklebud]

I live with my best friend from High School.

 

[shortylickens]

Alone.
Life presents plenty of opportunities to socialize.
I dont need to be around someone 24/7.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I'm going to say it totally depends on where you see yourself in 6 months to a year and your current financial situation.

If you can cut your living expenses in half or better, maybe it's worth the discomfort.... This is especially true if you have credit card debt or school loans to pay off. Having said that, if you do the roommate thing and don't pay off debt or save money....what's the point?

I lived with a roommate for 4 years during college. We shared an apartment and it kept my housing expenses under $500 a month easy. (including phone/cable/internet/etc) I was able to pay for college as I went and only had $1200 in school loans because of it. 2 months before I graduated college, I was able to buy my first house. A friend of mine from the same apt complex that lived alone bought a house on my street a year and a half later, but didn't put 20% down like I did and ended up with an interest-only loan. He made $20k a year more than me.

--I'm just making a point that with proper money management you can get on your feet and get in control of your finances. Another option is to live with someone until you find a place (~3-6 month agreement) and get a place big enough for you to sublet until you "grow into it". I was pulling in an extra $400 a month for 3 years by renting out a back bedroom in my house.

 

[Vette73]

I would rent a room from someone for about 6 months. That way you can see if you like the job, city, people, save some money, and also find a place that you like.

That way if something happens you are not tied down to the place with your name ona contract.