If you’re moving to another city for work or school, there’s a decision that you might find challenging to take. You need to decide whether you’re going to live alone or with a roommate. While you’re thinking about what works best for you, remember that this is a choice you have to make based on your priorities and requirements. What works for others may not work for you and vice versa. Like everything in life, whether you choose to live independently or find a roommate to live with, know that both have their pluses and minuses. So, to help you choose wisely, we’ve put together a list of reasons or pros, whichever way you look at it, of living alone versus living with someone. Let us also add here if you’re on the lookout for a room for rent, seek help from Cirtru, the most reliable roommate finder in the United States!
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Pluses of living with a roommate:
- The company doesn’t make you lonely
You may not be used to living alone, or you just like having people around, so it’s nice to have someone in the apartment. It’s not a rule that your roommate needs to be your closest friend, but having someone in the house gives you psychological satisfaction that should something go wrong, you have somebody to reach out to and count on.
Support system aside, there’s an excitement in getting to know someone, their thoughts, and their ideas. There might even be some lessons in what they share with you. When you exchange stories, you create a rapport that goes a long way in helping you live together with ease. You might even find your new best friend and do a lot of fun things together!
- A roommate makes things convenient
Having a roommate can smoothen things for you if you’re dealing with too many of them and feeling overwhelmed. For instance, you might be under a lot of pressure at work or school, so much so that you’re not able to devote time to your pet. You can always request your roommate to purchase food for your pet and feed them. You can pay them once you’re back or free. Likewise, if you have to go on a trip, business or pleasure, you could also ask them to take care of your pet or get your mail. In a word, you might need them to be around just as much as they need you for reasons shared here. Think about it.
- You get to spend less and save more
Let’s call a spade a spade. For most people, getting a roommate is hardly about companionship; it’s all about the money you get to spend and save. When you live with someone else, it’s not just the rent that gets split in half but other equally important expenses such as utilities, groceries, and some household expenses. If you or your roommate have no qualms about sharing food, you can even take turns cooking for two people and reduce the costs further.
In the end, having someone to share the expenses with means you could live in a more spacious apartment or house if you both can afford it and are on board. We’d also advise you to vet potential roommates carefully before living together because if they suddenly take a hike, the rent burden will fall entirely on you!
- Managing household chores becomes easier
Since you’re both tenants paying rent to live in the apartment, you’re equally responsible for looking after it. Remember that the apartment needs to be in the same condition it was when you moved in. Else, the cleaning expenses will be taken out of both your security deposits. So, discuss and decide, maybe even prepare a schedule of the chores that each of you would like to take up and follow them strictly.
For instance, you may want to clean the common areas like the kitchen or the living room once a week, and your roommate can take up groceries that week. The following week, you can exchange tasks and continue in this manner. Sharing tasks will reduce the load of doing so many jobs alone and free up time to do other exciting things.
Pluses of living alone:
- You have all the privacy you want
Although you’ll have a room to yourself in an apartment or house, it doesn’t guarantee complete privacy. You’ll be stepping out of your room often to use the common areas, and so will your roommate. So, if you’re a light sleeper and you want to get up and play (not too loud, though) music to relax, you can’t do that. Or you want to move around the house in shorts, but you can’t because your roommate has guests over.
However, if you’re living alone, you’re entitled to these luxuries and can live without being answerable to anyone or having someone breathe down your neck all the time! Your personality or nature also makes a difference in your desire to live alone. If you’re a quiet person who hardly talks, coming home to a tranquil place is what you’d crave. Be sure about what you want and go for it!
- You don’t have to deal with conflicts
Never make the mistake of thinking that if you live with someone you know, like a friend or coworker, you’ll encounter a perfect living situation. In fact, you may be in for a rude shock when the people you were so close to and trusted behave in a manner contrary to what you expected! Conflicts will be part and parcel of your life when you live with someone because two individuals with very different personalities and habits share one roof.
So, when you live alone, you’re your own boss and get to decide when and how you’ll clean the apartment, how much you’ll spend on groceries, and what you’ll eat for dinner. If you believe your peace and sanity take precedence over everything else, consider it a wiser option to live alone.
- Timely payment isn’t an issue
Having someone to split costs with is certainly a lifesaver because you get to pay for what you can afford and live comfortably at the same time. You’re also a stickler for making rent and utility payments on time. But no matter how well you screen your potential roommate, you can’t guarantee that they’ll hold their end of the bargain when it comes to making timely payments. It’s not unheard of that roommates often use excuses for late payments that don’t add up.
Over time, this can turn into an ugly issue where one of you is forced to leave. While gathering the funds to make rental payments might be challenging for you, it’s way better than being driven up the wall by someone who deliberately delays payments.
So, what are your thoughts on living alone versus living with roommates? Are you still caught between a rock and a hard place? Don’t fret! Before you decide the next steps, ask yourself some basic questions revolving around your financial situation, whether you prefer your own space for privacy, whether you’re comfortable dealing with arguments, and whether you can manage the apartment’s upkeep all by yourself. If you’re satisfied with the answers to these questions, whatever they may be, take action you see fit and be happy with your decision!
