Budget Life: Roommate!

Roommates are... Mixed feelings.

They can be awesome or they can suck soo bloody much.

Did you know I tried dorm life?  6 girls in 300 square feet.  Drama meets murder.  You had:

Anti Social Writer Me

Country Girl/Artist Friend (thank god I wasn't alone..)

Crazy Bi Polar chick (Who hated to take her meds..  I think she was a physc major of all things)

Drama Queen Lesbian (No offense to anyone but she did like drama and was into girls... You'll see why I named her this in a minute)

Depressed Emo (We all got issues but this was more of a wannabe Emo then a truly depressed person)

and...

Chatter Box



So, this was a studio Apt that was HORRIBLY over priced.  We all shared a loft above the main area so it was a shared bedroom thing and one bathroom (ya, atleast we had a bathroom, not all rooms did).


SO!  It sucked for many reasons.  No walls meant no privacy and Drama queen enjoyed "Flirting" and getting touche with everyone.  She'd pick a girl a week to focus on and then change suddenly and try to act like we were anything but relieved to no be the focus (as in, her mind said it was dating...I wish I was joking when I said she tried to follow me into the shower or sleep with me at night.)  Borderline harassment because she wanted to see straight women get in a cat fight over her.  It never happened.  So she would try to drag us into other drama instead. 

Next was the bi polar nut.  Her meds stayed in plain site but she hated how they made her feel like a "hippy" so she tried to avoid them and ended up using that as a excuse to break things, cuss, and get in fist fights.  We started baking special muffins and brownies so she'd be snuck her meds.  God I hope that wasn't illegal but the girl pulled a knife on me.  -.-  Twice.

Ah, Emo wannabe.  Talked about death and cutting all the time and called me "preppy" because I had a pink cameo bandana.  Why wannabe?  Because..  Its little things.  Like her trying too hard, how she wrote a blog on fashion...  The Emo click wouldn't take her in, I think she really just wanted to fit in with some group and felt bad for her honestly because no one else would let her in because she tried so hard to be Emo, Goth, and Depressed.  She was a great designer so I hope she did get out of that.


Chatter Box wasn't bad.  Unless your anti social with issues about having a person within 3 feet of you, going through your books, journals, unproofed stories, notes, and sometimes drawers...  This was the preppy, happy go lucky girl that you hope you'd room with if your looking for fun besides keggers.  Unless your me and enjoy quiet.  She wasn't a bad roommate outside of the early mornings and far to intimate chats...  Not my cup of tea.  Not the worse, just... Not me.


Then you have my friend.  Born and raised in a small town, manners and morals, enjoyed cooking and reading.  We had similar interest and knew each other ahead of time.  We meshed okay.  But sadly I found quirks I disliked with her too.  Such as cleaning.  She enjoyed abit of chaos... So dirty dishes being left all day and a desk covered in multiple books and sketches... Hellish to me but a comfort to her.  She was REALLY good at multitasking and had issues sticking to one thing for too long.  She just couldn't read a book for more then 2 chapters without needing a break, she'd watch HALF of a movie or show and then pause.  She skyped while doing homework, and tended to pace the halls and when often run down to a vending machine for any of us just to get a excuse to walk around.  Again, a artist has strange quirks.  Shes a great person, but when you live with that it leaves you with a "WTH" mentality.  But she was the bank of random facts.  This is why shes still my go to for How to fix issues and save cash.


Lastly is me.  I practically made a wall of books and put a desk between my bed and the other beds for privacy.  I wont lie, compared to them I was a clean freak and I am a lone wolf a lot.  I need quiet to study but do it best in my own space.  I had a limit of social contact to 3 hours a day, sometimes including my class time to that.  I enjoy more.. order and calm.  I was really a grump and the first to chew your ass off, I cant lie.  They probably hated me as much as I hated them.


In truth, the college took surveys and threw them out.  They shoved you in with whoever signed up after you so it was doomed from the get go.  Too small a space with 6 people that really didn't mesh and didn't belong together.  If I sound hard or offensive to them, its because it was a horrible semester for all of us and we were all ready to move out, vowing to not do that again.  I hope they don't read my blog....



Well, now that you see why I put off rooming.


Let me help you avoid that bloody damn hell!


1.  Find personalities you can mesh with.

Loners, look for other anti socials and maybe one happier.  Why?  Because you need to have alittle interaction to be healthy and the more social person will help smooth out those times and give you a person to chat with during the rare times you need a person.

Preppy/Party people look for happy, social people, and atleast ONE responsible downer.  Why?  Because you'll help the downer lighten up while they continue to tell you "You cant drink on campus or dorms" and "Don't fucking do X in the damn house you morons!"  (The lack of these things kind of hurt me and my roomies so if you enjoy alittle beer or weed, don't live on campus... They wont allow it and never go overboard with either, moderation!  There, I was responsible).

But you get the point.  Find a counter balance but make sure you wont kill each other.  And remember, first impressions aren't always the true face.

2.  Because of this I suggest checking their social media, asking about them, and maybe getting references.

3.  WRITING!  ALWAYS GET LEGAL WRITING!

No really.  You will get fucked if you don't have legal writing saying they MUST pay on time or be kicked out.  Include that you can sell any items not removed in a timely manner as well so they wont leave stuff for a month and get pissed when you toss it.  Ensure that the rules are followed to a T and both parties are safe from getting screwed by a bad apple.

4.  Interview.

This is how you make sure you compatible and that you'd trust them.  Go with your gut, if they give bad vibes then its a no go.

5.  Rules.

Be clear.  This is yours, that is theirs, you do this they do that.  If they cant deal then you have a issue.  Don't be the chump, keep it fair.

6.  Get Insurance.

Renters insurance can protect you from the steal and ditch types.  So make sure you got a picture of their ID, social, and signature so your insurance can track them down and get you taken care of.

7.  Give it time.

Don't rush, do this in advance not last minute.

8.  Have ALL NAMES on lease.

If your the only one on it and they wreck it, it'll be YOU they go after.  I know some do deposits, but 500 deposit cant fix as much as you think, no apt is going to go cheap on fixing because your paying.



Well that's my tips.  Why am I writing on this?  Because im currently looking at getting a roommate (besides the boyfriend). 

I decided to move on out at the end of the lease and with my former college roomie.  Since we're still in touch and I know how it is to live with her and we both need the income.


So pretty soon i'll be moving in with my inch worm and dogs into a house with my best friend who also has dogs and a boyfriend in the house (there may be a small war).


But our dogs get along, she owns the house, it needs work; she has a nice back yard, she gardens, she budgets, she cooks, and she is also a blogger.  Our boyfriends have no say...  They know this.  They don't seem to care.

But the house is split by a living area and kitchen and we both get a side so there is space and a private room and a private living space for each of us so... It works.

Sadly, we're going to be living off this and savings while inch worm looks for a new job.  She's in a similar state due to her boyfriends anxiety so the budget wont end for either of us but my post might get more varied.  More DIY, more Budget/savings, more anti social rants, more rants in general, but does that shock you?



Well I've been helpful and ranted for 2 hours in typing/editing.  Im off!


Wolfe