Comments on: Is it frugal to live alone?

By: LAL

LAL — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:51:32 +0000

Brian, I think roommates as you get older make less sense because you are trying to get into a relationship/settle down which moves fast. Also it can be difficult to “date” I think with roomies. But for men it’s easier than women.

By: Brian E.

Brian E. — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:06:31 +0000

I think living alone is fabulous. It is also very expensive. My significant other lived with me for nearly four years and after the relationship self destructed two years ago I’ve been enjoying the peace and quiet. Just recently I decided to get a roomate once again 1) for the company and 2) to lessen the expense. I’m still a 20-something, but barely, and at first I thought it was ridiculous to get a roomate at my age. Now I’m thinking it makes a lot of sense.

By: Small Budget Big Style Chick

Small Budget Big Style Chick — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:35:27 +0000

I am two years out of college. My first place in my first year of working was with two roommates. That experience led me to realize that living alone may not always be frugal… in my case it’s not, but for me, the peace of mind is worth it. My next roommate will be my significant other after we have dated seriously and are on a path that will lead to marriage. It’s just not worth the headache!

I am willing to live without a lot of things that I was forced to live with when I had roommates like extra cable channels I didn’t watch and really high energy bills because of living in a drafty house.

By: 11-17-08 Twenty-Something Finances-Carnival

11-17-08 Twenty-Something Finances-Carnival — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:06:48 +0000

[...] Is it frugal to live alone? [...]

By: Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #11 | Pecuniarities

Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #11 | Pecuniarities — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:02:23 +0000

[...] Living Almost Large weighs in on how it can be frugal to live alone. [...]

By: LivingAlmostLarge

LivingAlmostLarge — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:36:45 +0000

I definitely agree it’s likely not less frugal until your roommate doesn’t pay rent! Or bounces checks! Then it’s more frugal to live alone when you want hot water.

By: Deborah Johnson

Deborah Johnson — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:56:03 +0000

While it may not be frugal to live alone, it has made me more frugal.

I am more aware of where my money goes and how much I’m spending because I live alone. There isn’t anyone to cover the bills for me if I screw up.

By: fengshui

fengshui — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:39:52 +0000

Personally, I’ve only had roommates twice, while in college, for one year at a time. The first roommates were a group of guys when I was an undergrad, and I was the only girl, and it really was a blast, but I feared for my health sometimes because the house and especially the bathroom was so dirty. The second time I lived with 3 other girls in graduate school, and it was a terrible experience. I had absolutely NO privacy because it seemed like they were ALWAYS home, so if I wanted privacy, I holed myself up in my bedroom. There were always random guys spending the night, taking showers, using our phone/ computer, etc.

I then lived alone after that, and I enjoyed not cleaning up after other people. It was worth it to me to spend the extra $200-$300 a month for my own place, even if just an efficiency. My environment cleanliness and sanity are worth it!

By: Meg from FruWiki

Meg from FruWiki — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:37:09 +0000

Whether someone should live with roommates definitely depends on the situation. I don’t believe that frugality is about always making the cheapest choice. For me, it’s more about using (and conserving) your resources wisely to achieve your goals. Resources can also include things like your time, energy, and sanity.

My husband and I have had 6 roommates, some twice. Except for his brother, they’ve all been friends of ours. Sometimes it worked out well, sometimes it didn’t. I can’t say that we’re still close with all our ex-roommates.

I think the biggest mistake we’ve made was that renting our spare room as a “favor” and charging too little. I like helping an appreciative friend, and I really like having the extra company, but some roommates weren’t quite so appreciative and I started feeling like a landlord and maid instead of an friend. In those cases, the money was definitely not worth it.

We didn’t give up having a roommate, though. Our current roommate asked if she could move in before our last roommate had even figured out when/if she was moving out. It’s worked out well so far. The rent is reasonable for us all, I think, and after four months we are still all getting along very well. So, I can appreciate the extra money as well as the extra company.

By: Weekwrap: Lipstick, Pantyhose and Other Madness

Weekwrap: Lipstick, Pantyhose and Other Madness — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:41:01 +0000

[...] Alone – Frugality versus Sanity: Can it ever be frugal to choose to live alone? Living Almost Large addresses this question. People have to look at whether they can handle possibly troublesome roommates or would choose to [...]