Omelet wrote:
> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>>> Room mates.
>>
>> Egads NO! I would *never* recommend this to anyone. First of all,
>> a larger dwelling may be required to accomodate a roommate. Sounds
>> hunky dorey except it you're already out more money for your share
>> of the rent and utilities from the get-go. In the situations I've
>> seen with some of my friends (this was years ago) their roommate
>> arrangement started off fine. Then they started getting bad and
>> eventually wound up awful. This was true even if the roommates had
>> known each other for years prior. (You almost have to look at
>> getting a roommate as akin to getting married.)
>>
>> You have to worry about whether or not they're going to pay their
>> share of the rent and other bills on time. You have to worry about
>> whether their significant other is suddenly spending so much time
>> there it seems they've moved in, yet they aren't contributing a damn
>> thing to the household. You have to worry about the roommate
>> inviting all sorts of people over, many of whom you don't know,
>> despite any agreements to the contrary. And if their SO is there a
>> lot, you get to deal with them inviting *their* friends over, too.
>> You also have to worry about them suddenly moving out, leaving you
>> stuck either with all the rent or with the chore of finding another
>> roommate.
>>
>> Having said that, I've also known a couple of people who rented a
>> room with a private bath and kitchen priviledges in a private home.
>> The homeowners were mature, settled people. The friends doing the
>> renting weren't wild & crazy party people so this type of arrangment
>> worked out just fine for them. I've heard more horror stories than
>> good ones, though.
>>
>> Jill
>
> The thing is, sometimes you have no choice...
>
> Even with the increase, minimum wage is not a living wage.

There's always a choice. Roomates are often the worst possible choice.
When I got divorced I didn't have anything but debts run up by my ex-husband
and I was working hard to pay them off. I looked around at what they call
"garage apartments". Apartments made from what used to be carriage houses
(or in post Victorian parlance, garages) on the grounds of some of the older
homes in midtown. They were essentially studio apartments. Those places
usually offered a window a/c unit (essential in this heat!) and electric,
gas and water included with the rent. It's not unfeasible for someone in
dire straights to look for such a place. IIRC, the one I really liked was
only $125 a month. Given the cost of inflation, that would be about $300,
maybe $325 a month these days; still quite reasonable if a person has even a
minimum wage income and doesn't have to pay for utilities.

Jill