Where do Dopers under 26 live?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I ask because I had a really odd pattern vis-a-vis house arrangements between the ages of 18-26. I moved away from home and lived in shared accomodation during my college years. I had to move back in with my parents (anyone who has read the other thread knows this was not ideal for me) after I was done. The taste of the old folks once again got me thinking about moving, but I needed money in order to do so.

After a years worth of working in a small company I got offered a job at a large firm (I was paying parents half-rent - all I could really afford if I wanted to leave, which was migggggggggggghty hard coz they wouldn’t let me). This was my meal ticket and I left home permanently at the age of 24.

However, I remember life (in the beginning) was quite a struggle. I had to pay my way through a lot of expenses I hadn’t needed to before. Although the firm had good long-term prospects, starting salaries were not so good. For a while I was seriously in the shitters.

It helped out a lot when I moved in with my (now) wife. Not just emotionally, but financially.

Anyway, enough about me.

I wanna hear about YOUR experiences.

Tell me, young under-26 Dopers, where do you live right now, and what are the circumstances surrounding this arrangement?

2

I’ll be 22 tomorrow. I’ve been married and living in an apartment since I was 18. left my parents and my family behind with a jaunty wave and a tip of my hat. The first year was pretty rough, but we made it. I’m in school right now and only work part time, and finances are tight, but we manage to make ends meet.

3

I’m 26, so I’m on the grandma end of your survey. :slight_smile:

I spent the first summer of college at my parents’ house, but that was the longest I ever lived at home after turning 18. I lived in university housing until my junior year of college, when I rented a house with two friends. Summers in college/grad school I was usually working in the town where I went to school or traveling. After grad school, my now-husband and I moved in together.

I’ve never lived completely on my own. I’ve always housemates, mostly to share expenses, but also because I like the company.

4

24, live on the UES in a 2 bedroom with my flatmate. Been on my own since I was 22.

5

I’m about to turn 23 on the 11th. I lived in a jail cell - I mean dorm the first year a moved away to college. Lived for three years in apartments that ma and pa (I dont actually call them that) helped pay for most of. The first of those years I split a two room with a roomy. Now I live with my wife in another apartment where she pays for everything because no one in Dallas seems to like me enough to want me to pay me to do anything. I hate this city.

6

I moved out when I was 19. Mom paid my rent while I was in school. I paid for other things. I always had roommates.

I took a break from school for a semester and moved back home (no money) when I was 22. Moved out within 8 months. This time I didn’t have any roommates. I paid for everything that I could. If funds got a little low, my mother would cover my rent.

After college I got married and have been living in an apartment far away from home. I’m now 24. His job provides us with enough to live comfortably.

7

I’m 21 and a college student. Moved out of my parent’s house at the beginning of the summer.

I live in a house owned by my best friend’s parents. The friend is currently in Kuwait (though he’s coming back stateside in just a few days after about a year-and-a-half. yay.) and goes to school at the University of Rochester. I share the house with the friend’s brother and pay rent to his parents. About once a month they come down for a weekend and stay in the spare room.

Also, it looks like my best friend will be staying here in Gainesville until he can go back to school in the spring. Awesome.

Kind of a weird arrangement, but great for me since the rent is dirt cheap and I get along nicely with my housemate.

8

I turned 27 on Saturday, so therefore, I will not divulge any information.

9

interface2x, for the purposes of this thread, I’m willing to allow an answer from you. So, details, hmmmmmmmmmmmm?
Okay, you got me interested.

Wow, neat arrangement, Johnny.

10

I’m 22 and living alone in a two bedroom apartment. Until I was 21, I lived with my mom but three months before I turned 22, I got into a fight with her and my stepdad and moved out, first with my cousin who I lived with for a month, then with some friends in Nebraska (I was living in Tennessee) for four months, with some friends in Oregon for a month and a half, and am now on my own.

I’m quite enjoying it although having some furniture would be nice.

11

I’m 24. Did 3 years at university with my parents helping out a lot, one year postgradutate with them not helping, then ended up back with them for over a year due to illness. Been in my own place for six months now, with them helping out a bit with the rent (although plans are afoot for that to cease :slight_smile: )

12

When I was 17, my parents moved out of town and I was on my own for six months. I was sharing an apartment with my Aunt, that my parents paid my protion of the rent for. It was more of a roomate situation than living with family. I was resposible for my self, including laundry, food, getting around, ect. I came and went when I pleased. It was a lot of fun. I was till in high school at the time. I had six months untill I graduated, and I didn’t want to go to a new school in a new town for just six months. Luckily, the Uni that I had planned on going to was in the same town my parents moved to, so when I moved up, I lived with them for 3 years while I was in school (actually, I’m still in school).

I then moved in with a buddy at the ripe age of 21. It was for six months, and then he graduated and moved down south. I wasn’t able to find a roomie, so I moved into a shared house in a questionable neighborhood. I was living with my landlord and his wife, both of whom were pretty young. Unfortuenetaly, he was transfered due to work, and another guy moved in, whom I now refer to a loud lump. About 22, dropout, on welfare. And he was the best choice! Did clean, would rarely speak. But he did play his music real loud for the enjoyment of others.

About the time I moved n there I quit my job that I ha had for two years, and lived off fo my loans. Unfortuenetaly, those ran out, and the only work I could find for that summer was part time at the school I went to. It would have been just enough to cover rent, and maybe bills if I was lucky. As I couldn’t stand my current roomate, due to many factors, including that he was starting to not pay his portion of the bills (I certainetaly couldn’t pay for his and my share, and even if I could, I wasn’t about to), I cut off all services, cut my losses and went back home.

I was there for about one year, then one day at the end of June this year, I got up one morning, got the newspaper, looked in the rental section, and was out in three days. I just couldn’t stand being at home. It wasn’t a lack of freedom, as is usually the case. My parents let me come and go as I pleased, ect. I just didn’t like the fact that I was living off of my parents, despite their more than willingness to support me while I was in school (and only while I was in school). I was 23, I could support myself I figured.

13

I’m 24 and in year number seven at university. I rent an very ample room in what I charmingly refer to as “The United Nations of London, Ontario.”

My room was initially being rented by a young woman from Australia. She moved out in June and I moved in, and found myself living two Cuban roommates downstairs, and two-and-a-half more Cubans upstairs. (My Czech landlord’s son married a woman from Cuba, and she was there with her Cuban mom and her half-Cuban, half-Czech infant.)

Then, all five of the Cubans moved out, and I’m now sharing the downstairs with two Indian roommates. My landlord had two German friends staying with him for awhile, and then his Czech girlfriend and her daughter moved in once they left.

Apparently I’m his first Canadian tenant in over three years. The only time anyone speaks English is when they’re speaking to me.

14

21, I moved out of my mom and dad’s a few months before I turned 16 to move in with my brother and his girlfriend who were, at the time, staying with this guy I had a killer crush on. We hooked up eventually and I wound up living there, even after my brother had moved, until just after I turned 17. I moved back in with my mom for 1.75 years or so. Meanwhile, the new ex was buying a house, which I would eventually move into. We got back together, got engaged, had a baby, broke up, and now here I am. We are parents together, and good friends, but that’s about it.

I can’t imagine living with my parents. We get along great, but I can’t live with them. Or any of my siblings. :shudder: :slight_smile:

15

Okay okay …

I first half-moved out of the house to live in the dorms a couple of times, but finally moved out for good about two weeks before my 22nd birthday. I lived in that apartment for my senior year in college and stayed there a couple of months past my graduation. At that point, I lived with a friend in my college town while I worked at the same company I work at now.

I have since moved to a new apartment near work (approx. 150 miles from my hometown) and have lived here since July 2001. That’s …pretty much it. Not too exciting.

16

I am 24, and own my house (well the bank owns most of it). A 4 bed/2 bath in a middle class neighborhood.

I rented for a while and wanted my own house, both for the financial investment factor, and the “do what I want to it” factor. It is very satisfying.

17

I’m almost 23 and i live with the folks. One day i’ll get out on my own.

18

I’m 15, and I’m living with my parents because they legally have to support me for three more years. :slight_smile:

19

I moved out of the house at age 17. Lived in college dorms for two years, shared apartments for two years, and I have lived in a small apartment in a neighborhood that scares me for three years. I am now 24 and looking for a larger apartment in an area closer to work.

20

I’m 26, and have just celebrated 1 year in my very own place that I pay for with my very own job. I would like to say, to all you folks out there with roommates/housemates, that having one’s own bathroom is wonderful. :slight_smile:
Prior to that, I was in school for 7 years (undergrad & grad, but at the same college) and did the standard college student rent-a-house-and-share-it-with-friends deal. Undergraduate summers, I lived with my parents as they were closer to the summer internship I had.
My wonderful parents supported me when I was in school, but I’ve been more or less financially independent since I was 19, gradually more rather than less; and totally independent since I was 22.