Mi casa es su casa, a famous Spanish quote which translates to- my home is your home. Sweet to hear, no? But what if these words were to legitimately abide by. Having a flatmate can be a bliss for some people whereas a dreadful purgatory for the others. Sharing a flat with someone comes with its pros and cons.
Pros and Cons of Having a Flatmate
Below are the pros and cons of having a flatmate:
Splitting Rent
Everyone is aware of the expensive realty rates these days. Getting a good house lease at a reasonable rate is an onerous and tough task to do. Finding a house that is budget-friendly, affordable, and fancy at the same time, seems next to impossible. However, living with a flatmate can overcome this problem. The rent could be split. One would not need to compromise on their quality of opulent living anymore.
Save Those Dollars By Splitting Bills
Not just rent but many other expenses come along with living in a flat. Electricity bill, groceries, maintenance, house help’s salary, etc., the list keeps on adding. All these things cost a fortune, bearing them alone can lead to an empty treasury. Although, these costs would not be so mindful if split between flatmates. This would save a lot of money.
After all, everyone needs some extra cash to have some fun.
Divide The Chores And Rule The House
Moving out of a parent’s house is surely very liberating. But this soothing life of liberation comes with a cost, i.e. responsibilities. Living on your own means being wholly responsible for everything. From making sure to get groceries to get laundry done, sounds easy but isn’t.
Sharing these kinds of responsibilities and household chores with a flatmate can help in saving a lot of time and energy. Taking turns or splitting chores can be a way to do it. Getting a few work-free days on the calendar seems possible this way.
Confident Confidant In Everything
Another big pro of sharing a flat with a flatmate is like having an accomplice. Flatmates can be your forever plus ones in doing everything, from watching movies to going out clubbing, no special invitation needed. Finding someone to hang out with would not be a problem anymore.
End Up Finding Pals For Paradise
Spending a lot of time together and having fun with your flatmate can help you develop a special bond with them. An understanding which helps you maintain peace in your life. Sharing secrets and having crazy funny stories may end up in finding a lifetime confidant in them.
Also, having a flatmate can be a quick and awesome way to make new friends. Getting to know each other’s friends and end up making really good friends with them can be fun. This way one can easily get to meet new people and end up finding friendships that would last for a lifetime.
Exposure To Different Culture
Every person is unique and special in their way. Every human being comes with a different story to tell. Thus, your flatmate too surely has a story and lifetime of experiences of their own.
Living together in a shared space can make you learn about new things you never thought of. Be it a regular kitchen hack or wise preaching, one will definitely get to learn new and different things from the other.
Disadvantages of sharing a house
Below are some of the disadvantages:
Disturb Your Concentration
A flatmate who hosts a lot of parties or listens to music at a turbulent volume can be very disturbing. It is hard to study or work on anything. Everyone loves to gather their pensive thoughts in peace, which is impossible with such a kind of disturbance.
Incompatible Personalities
As already stated above, everyone is different. Sometimes differences can be healthy but there is also a great probability of differences leading to arguments. There can be ego clashes due to incompatible thinking or nature.
It is not necessary that one would gel well with the other. Having to share a living space with someone who disrupts your psyche can turn your humble abode soon into havoc.
Incompatible Schedule
A flatmate who has a totally different and incompatible schedule can be troublesome. One being an early bird while the other being a night owl can result in having disturbed routines. This is one of the biggest disadvantages of living with a flatmate.
Expenses and Priorities
Everyone has their own priorities and money spending power. Having a flatmate who spends a lot or prefers to buy the cheapest of things, can be problematic.
Buying anything for the house would mean splitting the costs. Having a vast difference in the quality of lifestyle among flatmates can lead to these kinds of problems.
One may prefer to buy the best quality of products for their flat while the other may want to get the cheapest of things that would do the work temporarily. It can be hard to reach an agreement and find a middle way.
Lack Of Privacy
From time to time, everyone wants to have some solitude. But having a constant presence of someone in your living space makes it next to impossible. Besides solitude, sometimes one would like to call some friends over but can’t, lacking privacy.
Can’t Decide What To Eat
Food is something that decides the mood of the person for the day. No one likes to compromise with their food preferences. However, having a flatmate with different food tastes or eating habits can cause problems. The inability to settle on the same menu can be a big task.
Miss Mess VS Miss Obsess
Different people have different takes on cleanliness. Living with a flatmate who is a slob and doesn’t clean after themselves can be irksome. However, having a flatmate who is way too obsessed with cleanliness is equally exasperating. Someone who freaks out for the tiniest of things and the slightest inconvenience.
Having a flatmate vs living alone
Having a place all by yourself can enrich the tranquillity of life. One can decorate their space however they want. Also, the privacy to do things at your own will is like a cherry on top. But sometimes, having a roommate can be worth it. Someone who would take care of you when you are sick or feeling low.
Living alone comes with its own set of pros and cons. Living with someone can either be the best time of your life you would cherish forever or a lesson you would end up learning. However, the choice depends on the person.
Remember home is feeling not a place. The right people around you make you feel at home.
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