Pros And Cons Of Having A Roommate

In the frugal living circles, there’s a lot of talk about getting roommates and how much money they can save you. It’s true if you have someone that’s paying half of your rent or mortgage and utilities, you will save money. If you do get a roommate, it can be a great experience. and having a roommate is worth it.

But on the other hand, there are some downsides to having a roommate. Maybe the other person doesn’t pay their rent on time, clean up after themselves, or they are too loud.

There are some pros and cons when you have roommates. I’m not trying to make you nervous about getting a roommate, but I want you to take a deep dive and see the real pros and cons. Is having a roommate worth it? That is a good question, but the only person that can answer that question is you.

A lot of the answer is: Is it worth it to you?

To be able to look at it objectively, you need first to consider the pros and cons of living alone. And decide which fits you better.

Pros And Cons Of Living Alone

Pros Of Living Alone

There are benefits to living alone.

1. Cleanliness What It Means To You

It’s not uncommon for two people to disagree on what’s clean and tidy and what isn’t. If you live alone, you decide what’s clean and neat. After all, it’s your place. You answer to no one.

2. Visitors

We’ve all heard horror stories about roommates who had their friends come over and stay late parting. While the other roommate objected to the party and the mess, it didn’t matter. The party continued.

When you live alone, you decide when it’s time to call it a night and bid your friends farewell.

3. You Don’t Need to Share

Most people don’t mind sharing some of their things with others, but we all have our favorite items we don’t want to share.

Unfortunately, many roommates feel like they can borrow from you when they want to, even if they don’t ask your permission.

You don’t need to share with your roommate’s visitors.

When you live alone, you don’t have this problem.

4. Privacy No Questions About It

There are times we all need privacy. Maybe it’s when you are doing your homework for school, or it’s when you are working on your finances.

Whatever your need for privacy is: it’s there because you live alone.

5. You Pay For What You Use

If you are one of those trying to keep the utilities and bill down, you don’t appreciate people that leave the lights on when they leave the room. You object to having the air conditioning set on low or the heat on high. And you don’t appreciate people that leave the bathroom sink dripping water.

If you don’t have a roommate, it’s no problem. You set the temperature where you want it and leave it. Turn the lights on or off as you like. And no one will have the faucet dripping.

You are solely responsible for all bills.

6. Freedom With Your Space

If you want to work on your checkbook, do homework, put together a puzzle, or anything else that requires time and space (think dining room table) it’s your decision where you work, and you don’t need to consult anyone about it.

It’s your space to do as you wish.

Cons Of Living Alone

1. Loneliness And Boredom

People need people, so if you live alone, you can expect to be lonely at times and bored at other times.

2. Chores And Upkeep

You have to do all the chores, take out the garbage, do the dishes, clean, and more.

3. Living Costs Are Higher

Expect to pay more because there’s no one to share the expenses with you.

Pros And Cons Of Living With College Roommates

I have already listed the pros and cons of having a roommate. In college, the ups and downs will be much the same.

It’s essential to find a roommate that will respect your time, your property, and your privacy. You will need time to study.

What Would Be Your Minimum Roommate Expectation

Like any other social event, there need to be rules. And having roommates is no exception. A roommate agreement is essential, so everyone knows their rights and responsibilities. It’s only fair for everyone to understand what is expected of them.

By having an agreement that applies to all the roommate’s everyone knows what’s expected of them and what is expected of the other roommates

Minimum Roommate Expectations

Cleaning rules for roommates
Roommates food rules
Roommates overnight guests

A commonly asked question is, do you think rooming with old friends is a good idea? Why or why not

My experience is that it’s ok to room with old friends as long as they respect their obligations and your space and time.

Respect is a definition you need to agree upon.

What Are Some Tools/Sources For Finding A Roommate Safely

How To Find A Roommate In A New City

If you are moving to a new city and you don’t know anyone, but you want a roommate to share the expenses of living in a new place. No worries; several apps can help you. A few will allow you to do credit checks and give you more information about the person, including social media.

Two of the most common objections are will they pay their rent on time? You can require them to supply a current credit report.

If you are worried the person may have a criminal background, some services will check out your prospective tenant. Of course, there is a charge, but it’s well worth the money.

You may want to look into mysmartmove; they do credit and criminal background checks.

Some apps roommate and websites that can help you find a suitable roommate are:

Roomi
Roomaters
SpareRoom
RoomEasy
Roomster
Diggz

As a side note: If you need to find a roommate in college, check with mysmartmove, and these apps are an excellent place to start.

The best place to find roommates is to check with friends and coworkers.

Nervous About Having A Roommate

Are you nervous about having a roommate? Maybe you are scared because you don’t know the person or because you don’t want to have a roommate that turns into a deadbeat that doesn’t pay their rent on time or is a slob. You are not alone.

Sometimes living with a roommate can be challenging even if you are the best of friends. Here are a few roommate tips

Have a roommate agreement
Don’t expect the other roommate to be your servant
Do your share of the chores
Show the roommate respect for them and their stuff and time

What Are Some Negatives About Having A Roommate

Have you ever noticed for every advantage you have, there’s also a disadvantage? Sometimes it seems that way. Just like there are advantages to having a roommate, there are some disadvantages to having a roommate.

Lack of privacy:

We all need privacy. If you are used to living alone, and you have a roomie move-in with you may not be able to run around in only your underwear anymore. But there’s more to it than that.

We all have issues we don’t want to share. Maybe it’s your finances, diary, or medical problems. We all have something we don’t want to share with others.

When you have a roommate, you risk having your privacy taken for granted

Compromises:

It’s your place. There are certain things you want to be done, and you want them done your way. When someone else does them you need to accept what they call good enough.

Maybe the dishes are not put away quite the way you want them to be. Perhaps you want the rent a day earlier.

But you need to compromise and allow good enough to be good enough.

A Bad Match:

There are some people you just can’t get along with. Maybe they are overly aggressive, maybe you are too picky in how you want things done. It can be a host of other things. the point is the two of you need to tough it out until one of you can move.

Conclusion

There are many pros and cons of having a roommate. If you choose the right roommate, you can have a wonderful experience, save money and make new friends and have a roommate.

Pros And Cons Of Having A Roommate