Are you not looking forward to moving back in with your parents? Were you excited to establish your independence or get away from your parents to prioritize your mental well-being?
It can be very hard to come to terms with having to move back in with your parents.
Now more than ever, people in their mid 20s to late 30s are moving back in with their parents because of the high cost of living. 52% of young adults now live with their parents.
College seniors and recent grads are having a very hard time finding a job when almost all of the entry-level jobs require 3+ years of experience. But to get experience, you need a job.
So many grads are now working in positions that don’t even require a degree and now think “what was the point of me going to college?”
Now, many sit at home, unemployed in an endless job search.
Mid-career professionals are frustrated because they noticed the interview process is taking longer and employers are pickier now more than ever. Almost like employers are just posting jobs without the intention to hire.
Employers are not increasing pay enough to keep up with inflation while rent keeps rising.
For most Gen Z and millennials, this means they either have to move in with roommates or move back in with their parents.
But how can you be okay with living with others for an extended amount of time? When will you ever have your independence?
Moving back in with your parents could be beneficial to you (as long as your parent’s home life is healthy).
1. Remember that you’ll still be contributing to the household
It’s not like you’re using the household resources without giving anything back in return. You’ll be cooking, cleaning and/or helping to pay bills.
It’s just like living with roommates. Everyone does their part.
Society makes it seem like living with your parents as being lazy when it’s so similar to living with roommates. You would still be doing the same things if you moved out with others.
2. Living with your parents helps you build generational wealth
Rather than you continuing to struggle with figuring out how to pay your housing bill on your own, you can save on rent. Your parents may significantly lower your expenses and you can use that money to build a 6 months emergency savings.
Having an emergency savings can help you when it comes to moving out in the future. It will provide a sense of security should something happen with your job.
You can also pay down student loans, open a retirement account, etc. By focusing on improving your financial wellness now, you’ll be helping your future generations if you decide to have kids.
Related Article:
How to Establish Financial Independence in Your 20s
How to Recover From a Generational Poverty Mindset
3. You get to split the workload of chores
Not having to cook every night is nice if you have a full-time job. Some chores you might still have to do on your own.
Make a plan with your parents on what y’all will do individually vs. collectively.
4. You’re already used to your family’s lifestyle
I lived with several roommates in college and realized I’d rather live with my family because I’m used to them. If you live with roommates, you often clash with preferences of how the household should be ran.
It could be more comfortable living at home because you were raised in your household’s culture. If you have a toxic household environment, then living with roommates may be the better option.
5. Your room and neighborhood will be filled with nostalgia
Your parents likely kept some of your stuff from your school days. It would be fun to bring those out to decorate your room with.
Mix your old items with your new items to create a unique look. Turn your room into your dream room.
6. Create boundaries with your parents
One thing my mom would do was just barge into my room without knocking. It took her a while to get used to knocking on my door first.
You’re not a kid anymore, so you have to sit down with your parents and agree upon how you will treat each other differently. It’s still their house, so you will have to abide by their rules.
Set clear roles and responsibilities like how much everyone contributes financially and when to do chores. You don’t want your mom breaking down your door to clean the dishes at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning after you were out late last night, right?
When I was a kid, my parents just had us cleaning up everything all at once on Saturdays instead of in smaller batches throughout the week. That is the recipe for burnout.
You have to figure out how to be more organized and divide the tasks up over time.
Make sure to listen to your parent’s boundaries and prevent doing what annoys them.
7. Learn the art of conflict management
One of the top reasons young people don’t want to live with their parents is because there will be a lot of arguing. Although not everything will be your fault, learning how to give and receive constructive criticism is important.
Make an agreement not to have shouting matches and how you will resolve conflicts.
8. Shut out other people’s opinions on living with your parents
It’s often older generations that have something negative to say about this. You have to remember that we don’t have the same opportunities as older generations when it comes to financial and job opportunities.
My grandpa would always tell me to go get a high paying job when I was younger. He didn’t understand the competition. When he was young, he said he just expressed interest in working for a company and they gave him a job.
Now with the internet, automation, and salary stagnation, it is more difficult than ever to differentiate yourself from other candidates.
9. Reconnect with your childhood friends and/or make new ones
Do you have any friends that you lost connection with in the home you grew up in? Reach out and start socializing with them.
Or you can enroll in activities to socialize like group hikes, an art class, etc. This way your parents won’t be the only connections you have in your home town.
You might also find a lot of your new friends live with their parents.
10. Spend time with your parents
I’ve lived with my mom since graduating college. Even though she gets on my nerves most of the time, I appreciate that I spent a ton of time with her.
You don’t want to regret not building a strong relationship with your parents as they age. Do activities that they love. Sometimes your parents might be bored with life.
Surprise them with something they enjoy. Especially if it brings nostalgia from when they were kids.
Final Thoughts
Having to move back in with your parents is so common now and it keeps increasing, so don’t feel like you’re the only one going through this!
Take everyday one day at a time and don’t pressure yourself to have so much by a certain age. Many young people in their 20s feel like they have to have everything together by 30.
But you get to that age and you still feel like a teen. Life doesn’t always go the way you want it. You have to learn how to adapt to the changes.
Eventually you’ll get to where you want to be.
