“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.”
Victor Kiam, Businessman
Pros and Cons of Moving Back Home
There are several reasons why people consider moving back in with their parents.
While financial problems often play a major role in it, there are also some other advantages of living with your parents again.
If you currently consider moving back in with your parents, this article is for you since I show you all the pros and cons of living with your parents as an adult in this article.
And trust me: I know what I am talking about! I moved back in with my parents at age 29 to lower my overhead to be able to start my own business.
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Contents
Advantages of Moving Back In with your Parents
- You can save money on rent
- You can use this money to invest
- You can pay off your student loans faster
- You can use this money to start your own business
- Can make sense in financial crisis situations
- You have company around you
- Living with your parents never gets boring
- You can help your parents out
- You can share the housework
- Your parents can take care of you in difficult situations
- You have someone to talk to
- Moving back home can make sense after divorce
- There is nothing like home
- You have someone who cares for you in case you get sick
- Easier to finance your own home later on
- You can spend more precious time with your parents
You can save money on rent
One important advantage of moving back in with your parents is that you can save plenty of money on rent.
Especially if you live in an area where rents are quite high, you might be able to save more than a thousand bucks a month.
This sums up to a significant amount of money over the course of a year.
Thus, especially if you are on a budget right now or even experience financial difficulties, moving back in with your parents can be a great way to overcome your financial problems.
You can use this money to invest
Moving back in with your parents does not only make sense in case of financial problems.
It can also make sense from an investment standpoint.
Every dollar that can be saved on rent can be invested in the stock market or into other investment opportunities.
In turn, you can build up a small fortune over the course of a few years and don’t have to waste your money on rent which you will never get back.
You can pay off your student loans faster
Also in case you have student loans, living with your parents can make quite a lot of sense.
In fact, debt from student loans has become a serious problem, especially in the US.
The average student loan debt is around 35.000 dollars in the US.
However, there are also outliers and many students even have more than 100.000 dollars in student loan debt.
Thus, if your student loan debt is enormous and you don’t know how to pay it off in time, moving back in with your parents can be a first step to do so since you can use the money that you would have spent on rent otherwise to pay off your student debt.
You can use this money to start your own business
Another advantage of moving back in with your parents is that it makes it easier to start your own business.
In fact, I moved back in with my parents to start my own business and I haven’t regretted this decision yet.
It is just freeing to know that you can reduce your overhead to a minimum.
In turn, you will have more money to spend on your business to bring it to a stage where it can actually provide you with a decent income.
Consequently, if you consider starting your own business right now, I highly recommend moving back in with your parents since it makes it so much easier for various different reasons.
Can make sense in financial crisis situations
Living with your parents can also make sense in financial crisis situations.
Once in a while, a global financial crisis hits and many people get laid off. If you are one of those people, you will often struggle to cover your costs since you will simply no longer have an income.
Moreover, it can also be quite difficult to find a new job during those times since companies often don’t search too many workers during economic recessions.
Therefore, it can make sense to move back in with your parents in case you become unemployed to minimize your costs and to be able to search for a new job in a more relaxed manner.
You have company around you
Another benefit of moving back home is that you will simply have company.
If you are single and work a lot, chances are that you will come home from work and you will have to spend your evenings alone.
Especially if you are a person who loves to talk to other people and to share the things you experienced with others, chances are that being alone every evening can be emotionally exhausting.
However, by living with your parents, you will have opportunities to talk to them on a regular basis and you may no longer feel alone.
Living with your parents never gets boring
In general, while you live with your parents, chances are that you will never get bored.
In fact, your parents will often find things to complain about and even though you might be annoyed, you will always have something to do.
This could mean that it will be your job to clean the dishes or to bring out the garbage.
While this might not sound like a lot of fun, it can still help you not to get bored and to stay fit.
You can help your parents out
Another upside of moving back in with your parents is that you can help your parents out on various occasions.
For example, older people are often not that into computers, smartphones and digital technologies in general.
Consequently, they will often not know how to use their electronic devices in a proper manner and in such a case, you can show them how to do it properly.
Even though this may be easy for you, it can still help your parents out quite a lot.
Of course, this is not only confined to helping with digital devices, it can also include going grocery shopping in case your parents are no longer able to do any physical work due to injuries or diseases.
As you can see, there are various parts in which you can assist your parents in their daily life when you move back home.
You can share the housework
By moving back home, you could also share the housework with your parents.
You can make a schedule and note the tasks every family member will be responsible for in the future.
By doing so, you can significantly reduce the amount of housework you have to do and can use this time for other things you like more.
You could also use this additional time to search for a new job or to start your own business.
Either way, more time always gives you more options in your life and it can therefore also make sense to move back in with your parents in this regard.
Your parents can take care of you in difficult situations
Moving back home can also make quite a lot of sense if you currently experience difficult situations in your life and need emotional support to overcome those issues.
For instance, imagine you get diagnosed with cancer or another serious disease.
Chances are that you will not know what to do at the beginning and it may seem as your whole life got destroyed from one day to another.
This is not only true for diseases, but there are many other horrible events in life that could hit you and in such a case, it is good to have people around you who can support you in those dark times.
You have someone to talk to
From time to time, you may also need advice from your parents.
Especially if you are stuck right now and don’t know how to overcome your financial trouble or other difficulties, you can talk to your parents when you move back home and your parents can help you with getting out of your misery.
In general, having someone to talk to is always a good thing and if you currently feel like you need to, living with your parents again can make quite a lot of sense until you have overcome your problems and are ready to move on alone.
Moving back home can make sense after divorce
Many people also consider moving back home after they got divorced.
In fact, getting divorced is often quite expensive and you can even lose your house to your ex-partner.
In such a case, you will either have to sleep in a hotel or move back in with your parents.
Many people simply can’t afford living in a hotel after they got divorced since they lost the majority of their wealth.
Consequently, if you got divorced and have no financial measures to afford a new home, chances are that moving back in with your parents for a limited period of time will be your best option.
There is nothing like home
I personally also have many good childhood memories and there is simply nothing like home.
By moving back in with your parents, you can get back this feeling of coziness and that people really care about you.
Especially if you miss this feeling and want to get some of it back, living with your parents again can also make quite a lot of sense in this regard.
You have someone who cares for you in case you get sick
Also in case you get sick, your parents can take care of you when you move back in with them.
This can be quite important, especially in case you get diagnosed with a serious disease and treatment will take several months or even years. In such a case, it is good to have someone around you who can take care of you.
Easier to finance your own home later on
Many people aspire to buy their own home sooner or later.
However, many people will also never be able to financially afford it since you need a certain down payment to get a loan for buying a house.
By living at home instead of living in a rented apartment, you can save plenty of money and can use this money for your down payment later on.
Hence, by making some compromises now, you will get the rewards later on in your life.
You can spend more precious time with your parents
One thing that many people underestimate is how fast time really goes by.
In fact, once you moved out of your parents’ home, you will not see them too often anymore.
You will have to go to work and do your household.
Your parents may also live thousands of miles away from you and you will just not be able to visit them often due to that.
However, be aware of the fact that your parents will not live forever and that time is our most valuable resource.
Thus, by moving back in with your parents, you could also spend more time with them before they will eventually die and you will no longer have the opportunity to spend any time with them.
Disadvantages of Living with your Parents
- You have to live according to your parents’ rules
- Rather confined space
- You will have to make many compromises
- Lack of privacy is a problem
- Social stigma of moving back in with your parents
- Limited opportunities to invite your friends
- You can’t throw house parties
- Problematic if your parents have a negative mindset
- Your parents may lead you in the wrong direction
- You may feel like a loser
- You lose your independence
- Conflicts will be quite common
- Different ways of life between different generations
- Your parents may still treat you like a child
- Potential sleeping problems
- May hurt your love life
- Your ego may become a problem as well
You have to live according to your parents’ rules
Apart from the many important advantages of living with your parents, there are still some downsides related to it.
For instance, one problem with moving back in with your parents is that you will have to live in line with the rules of your parents.
You can’t do whatever you want like in your own flat or house, you will have to do what your parents tell you to do.
If you don’t comply with your parents’ rules, chances are that you will have to move out sooner or later.
This can be quite annoying, especially if you have already developed your own character and your own set of values and can’t understand the attitude of your parents towards certain things.
Rather confined space
I personally also greatly underestimated how confined my space really was when I moved back in with my parents.
In fact, while I had many cupboards to store all my stuff in my old home, I didn’t have this luxury anymore once I lived with my parents again.
This also meant disposing of many things I would have kept otherwise.
Therefore, be aware of the fact that you might have to let some of your inventory go in case you decide to move back home.
You will have to make many compromises
In general, since you will no longer have your own flat or house, you will have to compromise quite a lot over several things of daily life.
Especially if you had been used to do whatever you wanted to do in your own home, this can be quite annoying since you will no longer feel like a free person at all.
In fact, this had been one of the hardest parts for me when I moved back home since I had been used to doing whatever I liked all day long.
Lack of privacy is a problem
As an adult, you also want to have some level of privacy.
Some things are just personal and are just for you.
However, when you move back home, chances are that your parents will not respect your privacy too much and will arrange your stuff as they want to.
Consequently, this lack of privacy can also become a serious problem when you move back in with your parents and you might have to set strict boundaries in this regard right from the beginning.
Social stigma of moving back in with your parents
Another disadvantage of moving back in with your parents is that many of your friends will secretly feel sorry for you.
In fact, it is against our social norms to move back in with our parents once we reached a certain age.
Some people may even make fun of you and try to bring you down due to that.
Hence, just be aware that this might happen and that you know how to deal with it in a mature manner.
Limited opportunities to invite your friends
Moving back in with your parents may also lead to difficulties in case you want to invite your friends.
Quite often, you will have to live in a small room in your parents’ home and you will just not be able to accommodate many people in this room.
Consequently, your friends will just not be eager to come over to you.
Moreover, your parents may also not want you to invite your friends since they just want to enjoy a quiet atmosphere in their home.
You can’t throw house parties
While you might have difficulties with inviting your friends, you will have even more problems with throwing house parties.
In fact, many parents just don’t want house parties in their own four walls and if your parents also have this attitude, you will not be able to throw any parties at all in case you move back in with your parents.
Problematic if your parents have a negative mindset
Moving back home can also be quite problematic in case your parents have a negative mindset.
Negative people always try to bring others down and if your parents have negative mindsets, chances are that they will also try to impose this mindset on you.
Mindset is everything and if you have a negative mindset, your chances to succeed in life will drop dramatically.
Consequently, before moving back in with your parents, make sure that they have a positive and supportive attitude to protect yourself from any trouble in this regard.
Your parents may lead you in the wrong direction
Parents often think that they know what’s good for their children.
However, nobody knows you as good as you do yourself. Always keep that in mind.
Yes, your parents may have more experience than you.
Yet, they don’t know about your exact preferences and wishes in life.
Consequently, they may push you in the wrong direction, even though they might have the best intentions.
Thus, make sure that you don’t rely on the suggestions and advice of your parents too much, especially if they contradict your own ideas about how you want to spend your life when you move back home.
You may feel like a loser
Some people also feel like losers when they move back in with their parents.
Especially in difficult times when everything seems to be hopeless, people often think quite poorly about themselves.
Moving back in with your parents can bring you down even more since you have to admit that you can’t even stand on your own feet right now.
However, keep in mind that this feeling will only be temporary and that moving back in with your parents also gives you the opportunity to get out of your misery faster.
You lose your independence
Another downside of moving back home is that you will also lose your independence.
When living in your own four walls, you can come and go whenever you want.
You don’t have to make any compromises and can just live your life according to your own terms.
However, by moving back home, your parents will be in control and can impose their rules on you.
Consequently, especially if you are a freedom-loving person like I am, you may have a quite hard time moving back in with your parents.
Conflicts will be quite common
Since your parents and you both have already formed your own characters, there will be conflicts about certain topis sooner or later.
Thus, make sure that you are also able to handle these conflicts in a mature manner and that you don’t get annoyed too much about it.
Different ways of life between different generations
When moving back in with your parents, you will also notice quite soon that there will be a huge gap between your attitude towards life and your lifestyle compared to your parents.
Since our technological progress is such fast, you will live your life completely different than your parents and you both have to deal with this fact.
This can also lead to serious communication issues since the older generation will simply no longer understand the younger generation anymore.
Your parents may still treat you like a child
It is also quite common that your parents will always treat you like their little child.
It doesn’t matter if you are 20, 30 or 40.
Especially your mother will treat you like you were still young and will try to impose many rules on you.
Thus, be prepared to be treated that way and to set strict boundaries in this regard to show your parents that this kind of treatment is no longer appropriate.
Potential sleeping problems
I also realized that my sleep suffered quite a lot when I moved back home.
This is rather logical since there will simply be more noise if you live with more people under one roof.
Sleep is quite important and a lack of sleep can lead to several health issues and can also adversely affect your mood.
Hence, make sure that you take some measures to improve your sleep in case you experience sleeping problems like I did when I moved back in with my parents.
May hurt your love life
Moving back in with your parents can also significantly hurt your love life since you will simply have far less privacy.
Thus, especially if you are in a serious relationship right now and plan to marry quite soon, moving back home can also pose problems in this regard.
Your ego may become a problem as well
Even though it might make sense to move back in with your parents from an objective standpoint, your ego might still tell you that it is just a bad idea.
Hence, don’t let your ego and your pride affect your decision in this regard under any circumstances!
Top 10 Moving Back Home Pros & Cons – Summary List
| Moving Back Home Pros | Moving Back Home Cons |
|---|---|
| Easier to start your own business | Moving back home means losing your freedom |
| Moving back home saves you money on rent | You have to conform to your parents’ rules |
| Good to pay off college debt | Your parents may still treat you like a child |
| You have more money to invest | Confined space can be a problem |
| You can share the housework with your parents | Harder to invite your friends |
| You never get bored | Lack of privacy can be annoying |
| You have someone to talk to | Sleeping problems |
| Can help you overcome difficult times | Can hurt your love life |
| You can save money to buy your own home | Potential conflicts with your parents |
| Your parents can help you if you get sick | You may feel like a loser |
Should You Move Back In With Your Parents?
As we have seen before, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages to moving back in with your parents.
While it had been the right decision for me, you should evaluate all the pros and cons of moving back home carefully to make the right decision for your individual circumstances.
Sources
https://www.businessinsider.com/living-with-parents-at-30-2018-6?r=DE&IR=T
https://www.thebalance.com/a-guide-to-moving-in-with-your-parents-2386043
About the author
My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.
As I went to university and got my Master’s degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics.
After finishing university, I traveled around the world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet.
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