OK, I’ll try again to take a poll, but this time I’m picking a topic that I’m reasonably sure won’t turn into a great debate like the last one.
If you could no longer pay your rent/mortgage would you be out on the streets, or would you have friends and/or family that would take you in until you were able to get back on your feet again?
As for me, I’m pretty certain that there are relatives of mine, and of my wife, that we could stay with.
Yeah, we have family we could stay with indefinitely, plus friends who would put up with us for a while. We feel pretty lucky for that.
Family. If I don’t get a job in the next month or so, I’m likely to have to do this.
Family, definitely. When I got tired of them, friends.
I own my own home, free and clear, mortgage was paid off long ago. However, if it caught on fire or something, and my husband had died in it, my parents and daughter and best friend would have a big fight as to who got to have me live with them. My parents never, ever want me to go back home when I visit with them, and frequently urge me to change my flights back, or cancel them altogether. My daughter says that she would enjoy having me live with her, too, especially the part about me having a dinner ready for her when she gets home from work. My best friend wants me to move in with her, we are closer than most sisters.
I probably have other people who would let me move in with them. Those four people are the ones who have ASKED me to move in with them, though.
We’ve got family nearby (in apt or condo) and in SoCal (in a house) so we’d manage if things came to that.
Family, although I would definitely try to stay with my in-laws before the nut jobs in my branch.
[slight hijack]My wife’s disabled, and a few months ago my mother moved in to help me take care of her. I’ll be forever grateful for her help…but I REALLY wish that I didn’t need it.[/slight hijack]
You have my sympathies. My wife’s family is fairly pleasant, but my family is another story. Every time I visit with them I say to myself, “oh, that’s right, I moved out for a reason.”
In theory, yes, but they all live in distant suburban or rural areas without many jobs. If I still had any income I’d be better off renting a room near an urban area.
Like Lynn, we have a paid-for house. It has a huge finished basement, so it’s likely we’d be the ones doing the taking-in, which we will do gladly if that becomes necessary.
However, if we needed help, we would not be on the street. There are at least four family households that would help us, and many friends beyond that. We’ve discussed lately how blessed we are in that regard. We’re very thankful.
There is my old room in my parents that my recently retired mother would love me to move back into so she could look after me. I’m currently not allowing her to come up to my apartment to clean it and do all my washing. “Sure I’ve got all this time on my hands, I may as well be useful to you” is her argument. I’m trying to convince her to do something for herself, gyms, classes etc. but the Irish Mother in her still wants to look after her little boy.
I totally own my home. But if it burned down, I’d rather live in the ruins than with my relatives.
I’d rather live in the street than with my family. Ok, maybe not, but if I had to I would kill someone. These are people that literally follow you from room to room, saying “Where are you going? What are you doing? Who are you talking to? Why are you sitting by yourself? Why don’t you sit with the family? Sitting by yourself is not healthy. You must love your friends more than us. Don’t you love us? We sacrificed so much for you. We all love you and want the best for you. Come back here and listen when I talk to you. Why are you on the computer all the time? Who are you calling?”
I’m 33 by the way. My cousin, who lives with them, is 34 and gets exactly this treatment.
We can’t move in with his parents, because right now his brother and his family is living with the parents. Even though they make more than enough money to live on their own. :rolleyes:
But, if we were destitute, both families would take us in, somehow.
Family would definitely take us in, but they live in different towns and that would make it harder for us to continue working/school here in the city. There is at least one uncle who could possibly put us up for a short time, and another who would want to, but with 4 kids in a 3 bedroom apartment already, that would be a very crowded and difficult situation. Friends could help too, I’m sure.
I live with my mom right now (more for her benefit than for mine, though), and though I would ***not ***want to live with any of them, my dad, aunt, sister, and cousins would take me in if needed. I also have a couple friends who would probably let me live with them for a while, but I don’t know that I’d ask them.
Yep, definitely. There’s an order in which I’d prefer to go (parents, uncle, brother, aunts), and I’m limited to where I could go with my dog (otherwise my best friends would be at the top of the list) but I am definitely covered if I ever have to bug out of here.
I would be able to stay with family, but they wouldn’t take my animals. I’d live in my car before I’d give my animals up, so I’d be living in a van down by the river…
I pray to God that none of you ever find yourself in this situation.
I did.
But I will forever be grateful to know that I did indeed have someone to live with. Turns out, it wasn’t my boyfriend - who came home after just one day of me staying with him to announce that his work “wouldn’t allow it.” (Big shocker - we aren’t together anymore). Instead, I spent a few nights with a co-worker before flying from Denver to Boston to move in temporarily with my stepmom. I lived with her from August to November before moving back to Denver and reclaiming my place in society.
(I also moved in with my actual mother for about 18 months recently rather than stay with a psycho roommate - but that’s another story. It was choice vs. need.)
I’d come stay at your house.