It's called living within your budget. And as an adult, that means putting some savings aside. Whatever that looks like, roommates or not. Whatever makes that happen.

Anonymous wrote:I consume a lot of financial media and often see posts detailing how difficult it is for the typical person to afford life, then see an example budget breakdown and they’re showing someone on 65k/yr trying to live in a 1BR in HCOL area while driving a brand new car. Whenever people talk about housing affordability there’s NEVER any mention of just getting a roommate or sharing a house which is what most people actually do. Nobody is paying $2k month rent on a 65k salary.

Why do you care what other people do?

Having roommates after a few years post college and most certainly after grad school is a big “failure to launch” scenario. It is absolutely reasonable to expect to be able to have a job and afford a place to live without roommates.

Anonymous wrote:I agree. I keep telling my college-age son who needs to live off campus next year that he has to find a multi-bedroom apartment or house to share with roommates instead of expecting for us to pay for a 1-bedroom or studio apt.

He should be paying for his own apartment.

Anonymous wrote:Some of you all are so miserable. Why do want young people to eat ramen & pizza, live with 10 people in a 3 bedroom apt, and work 50 hours per week? That lifestyle is not noble or worthy of bragging. A bunch of weirdos angry the young people have healthy standards and create boundaries to maintain their mental health.

Oh but most of you are right on the dog thing. Dogs shouldn’t be cramped up in small apartments and they are expensive.

You are missing the point.

We did those things to save money. We lived within our means and didn’t expect our parents to support us. Moreover, we didn’t feel entitled to a lifestyle. And we weren’t miserable. Quite the opposite.

In short: we seemed to make far better financial decisions…and continue to do so.

Some of you all are so miserable. Why do want young people to eat ramen & pizza, live with 10 people in a 3 bedroom apt, and work 50 hours per week? That lifestyle is not noble or worthy of bragging. A bunch of weirdos angry the young people have healthy standards and create boundaries to maintain their mental health.

Oh but most of you are right on the dog thing. Dogs shouldn’t be cramped up in small apartments and they are expensive.

I would have been embarrassed to have Mommy & Daddy support me, in any way, after I graduated from college. I've softened that stance a bit, now that I'm the parent. Short-term financial help, I can/would not mind giving.

Providing, in any way, a lifestyle they have not earned -- no.

I’m 50.

When I was in college and grad school, everyone piled into apartments or group homes. People converted dining rooms or basements into bedrooms. We drove dumpy cars. We waited tables, etc. to make money while going to school.

We didn’t have pets. (ICYMI: dogs are expensive.)

We didn’t go on lavish vacations. Bachelorette parties were a drunken night out—they didn’t involve an airplane or hotel.

We ate pizza or ramen.

We also coupled up, lived with our BF, and got married younger.

I’ve worked in DC for decades and noticed the shift in young people. I’m shocked by all the recent grads/early career young adults living alone in fancy rentals (or even with a roommate in fancy 2 bedrooms that cost more than the mortgage on my suburban colonial). Maybe 15 years ago the same cohort of young people were still cramming into dumpy row houses on the Hill or converting studio apartments into a 2 bedroom with clever dividers. But not anymore.

I’m hoping my kids either come home after college/grad school to sock away money or couple up and live frugally someplace fun and cheap.

Honestly, some of the best years of my life were when I shacked up with my BF and another couple in a dumpy apartment during grad school. We slept on a mattress on the floor. No real worries other than getting the degree and finding time to party.

Anonymous wrote:I consume a lot of financial media and often see posts detailing how difficult it is for the typical person to afford life, then see an example budget breakdown and they’re showing someone on 65k/yr trying to live in a 1BR in HCOL area while driving a brand new car. Whenever people talk about housing affordability there’s NEVER any mention of just getting a roommate or sharing a house which is what most people actually do. Nobody is paying $2k month rent on a 65k salary.

Because it sucks. Splitting everything. One's filthy; one is not. One person inevitably bails. It's "fine" for a few years in your 20s but after that? Nope.

Please watch that Netflix series called Worst Roommate Ever.

Anonymous wrote:Just another perspective.

I'm French and never lived with a roommate. Neither did my husband. Or my parents. Rented rooms in France are common, and studios can be tiny. My BIL is a landlord and builds houses that are made to be rented out by the room or the studio - mostly to students and young professionals. In Asia rooms are even tinier.

Here apartments are so large that of course, you have to share to be able to afford them!

There might be a building opportunity here...

Apartments in America have Showers so that takes up room.

Used to be years ago you could lie about how much money you had in the bank. You could give them a doctored PDF of your bank statement and be good to go. Or some would take 3 months of paycheck stubs, which you could also doctor up.

Most complexes only wanted 2 months of rent in the bank but now these same places want you to prove you have 5x, 8x, 10x the rent in your bank account. Like bish, if I had $25k laying around, you think I'd be trying to secure an apartment at Merrill House or Mayfair House?? Hell no, I'd be going for a place that doesn't have the washer/dryer right in the gotdamn kitchen!

But the same thing happened that always happened. People went online sharing their great hacks of how they easily doctored their documents so now leasing offices require your bank to fax over your bank statement. Or they make you bring OG paystubs, not copies, or log into your pay portal in their office so they can verify in-person the actual amounts.

^ 90s

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have wondered the same, but I think getting a good financial footing can be achieved without getting a roommate. As you can see, there's a lot of push back when it comes to getting a roommate.
I don't understand why they didn't go for a studio, why do the need their nails done, need a car in the city, or have a pet. Vet bills are what most complain about and car payment.
When I was 19, I worked 50-55 hours a week in a restaurant. Haven't seen any youngster do it in last 25 years.
What was once norm, has greatly changed. 50 hours a week is not a norm or even 40, but 1-bedroom instead of studio is. Imagine the extra money they would have if they just reversed it for two years.
My building does not allow dogs. We have about 50 dogs in the building all claiming to be emotional support animals. Things have changed a lot in last 25-30 years.
Parents supporting their kids is another thing I have noticed. They kids are used to a certain lifestyle and parents try to keep it going for them.Possible that the ones who complain online, are actually supported by their parents. Many wouldn't qualify for 1-bedroom based on their credit and income.

Instagram the amount of expensive self-care and materialism and plastic surgery or Botox and expensive procedures so young…have to have the brands.

We didn’t give a crap about that. Give me 99s grunge any day

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are no-roommate people.
college kids have singles, parent lives alone in 5 bedroom house and I live in a four bedroom.
I’d rather scrimp on something else.

This seems so selfish and a waste of resources. Typical rich aholes

Well, it’s clear why these people live alone. No one wants to live with them.

What's your net worth? If it's over $5k, why? This seems so selfish and a waste of resources. Typical rich aholes.

You continue to prove my point.

I don't care what commies think of me.