Living alone vs the alternative

Tesco Massacre · 31-03-2012 01:37AM #1

Kind of an interesting piece on the increasing numbers of people who are choosing to live alone:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/30/the-rise-of-solo-living

I've both lived with people and alone (admittedly only for a short period) and I can see the attraction and downsides of both. I enjoyed living on my own for a few months last year, but I found it lonely after a spell...I can't see myself making a habit of it anyway.

What do the lovely people of AH think? Do you live with someone, but would prefer to be alone? Does the thought of being on your own long-term cause you untold psychic distress? Or do you live alone, like your own space and would like to keep it that way? Would you like me to stop asking personal questions?

Anyway, what say you?

uch · 31-03-2012 01:48AM

I'll have the alternative please

pragmatic1 · 31-03-2012 01:54AM

I like living on my own unless they're family or I'm ****in them.

chin_grin · 31-03-2012 01:56AM

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I like living on my own unless they're family or I'm ****in them.

You **** your family?

Tesco Massacre · 31-03-2012 01:57AM

Five posts in and we're talking about incest already.

MrJoeSoap · 31-03-2012 01:57AM

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

Does the thought of being on your own long-term cause you untold psychic distress?

asked "Tesco Massacre"...

jimmycrackcorm · 31-03-2012 01:59AM

Depends on whether you have enough money to afford prostitutes or have to make do with the wife...

policarp · 31-03-2012 02:06AM

Bachelor or Former Taoiseach. . .

Your choice. . .

Chuck Stone · 31-03-2012 02:17AM

I'm here for the incestuous gang bang.

im invisible · 31-03-2012 02:18AM

Bachelors or Heinz?

pragmatic1 · 31-03-2012 02:20AM

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

Five posts in and we're talking about incest already.

"or" would be an important word in that statement. But lol anyway.

uch · 31-03-2012 02:39AM

Beans or up the Gicker? mmm......
I'll take a portion of beans please

gurramok · 31-03-2012 03:01AM

Here's the real fact of living on your own.

You need your own privacy at times(yes) but having that day in day out without any friends or family visiting can damage you long term. Think of it like an elderly person whose only visit is home help once a week or talking to the cat or dog on a regular basis, you'd crack up.

Humans need each other company now and then, its human nature

amacachi · 31-03-2012 03:11AM

I'd only be worried about living alone when pushing 50.

troposphere · 31-03-2012 03:18AM

Lived alone before and hated it. Any of the older people I know who live alone like to hit the bottle probably from the boredom.

ToddyDoody · 31-03-2012 03:22AM

Its said we do things we wish others would do. I live alone and if i do live with someone else i really dont want to do so because i need a 'crutch'. (or at least not to any great extent) i dont necessarily pride myself on that fact but what's very important to me is that whoever i might live with doesnt treat me as a crutch to any great extent.. And hence get trapped in a relationship thats more fear based than anything else.

take everything · 31-03-2012 03:22AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eM9dRjjLfI

krudler · 31-03-2012 03:29AM

If you can afford it, living alone is awesome, I cant anymore so am moving in with friends, but when I can I'll do it again, its great having your own space

DEFTLEFTHAND · 31-03-2012 04:50AM

Nobody likes living with strangers, there's nothing worse than sharing a gaff with a couple of weird beards who don't talk and get drunk.

Sandwlch · 31-03-2012 07:30AM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Nobody likes living with strangers, there's nothing worse than sharing a gaff with a couple of weird beards who don't talk and get drunk.

So you do like to live with wierd beards that you know, who talk, and do get drunk ?

Immaculate Pasta · 31-03-2012 10:31AM

Good article.

I've yet to experience living alone yet although I really want to. I'm leaving uni in a couple of months and have experienced the living with friends thing. I really want to find a job, get my own place and make my own way in the world.

I've had good housemates and I've enjoyed it but I'm not sure I want to do it again. I feel limited living with other people. I think if you're happy with your housemates, you're less likely to socialise outside of your group, less likely to go out because your friends are already at home. I find it sometimes quite isolating if your friends are in the living room and if you don't want to join them you feel trapped in your own house which I don't really like because if you leave the house you end up feeling obliged to say where you're going and inviting them along.

I feel I'm done living with friends. I've enjoyed it but when I have a full time job I think I'll enjoy it less so. I know someone who's 29 and still doing the same thing I'm doing. Living in a house of 4/5 people and still living like students. The things he complains about, like someone leaving the heating one etc., is something I don't really want to be complaining about in 7 years time. The next time I'd like to live with someone is hopefully going to be my future wife.

I think living on your own arguably makes you socialise more because you have to make more of an effort. (Alternatively you could become a hermit but I'd want to avoid that if I can!) I have a relation who has a flat in London and just comes and goes as she pleases and say she's barely in. She's out at work then always off socialising in the evening. That's the life I'd like to experience for a bit. I can get a place. Make the place my own. Decorate, furnish it however I like. Being fully independent so to speak. :cool:

Potential-Monke · 31-03-2012 10:38AM

Depends on the type of person you are. I've lived with people and alone. Living with a good friend can be epic, especially if ye have the same interests and sense of humour. On the flip side, living with someone who's a bore/completely different would clash and cause problems.

Living with a partner will give you a true understanding of your relationship and will either solidify or end the relationship.

I prefer living alone, but only barely. And i do alot of online gaming with friends so it's technically not alone at times.

Love being able to walk around in the nip when i want, without having to worry about another restraining order. :pac:

Also, you never really know someone until you live with them.

juan.kerr · 31-03-2012 10:40AM

im invisible wrote: »

Bachelors or Heinz?

Beanz meanz Heinz. Although I am partial to Bachelors also.

chrismon · 31-03-2012 10:45AM

Cooking for one is boring.

Kiera · 31-03-2012 10:48AM

I live alone and love it. I've shared with some complete weirdos and would never rent a room out for fear I'd get another.

Paddy Cow · 31-03-2012 10:48AM

If I could afford it I would live on my own.

batm!ke · 31-03-2012 11:03AM

I lived with 5 people before, I would have been someone who enjoyed my own space but you get used to it. I knew them all so it helped. After 2 years myself and the lad who got on the best went and got our own place for 3 years and then I met the missus and living with her now. Now THAT takes getting used to! A lot different from living with a mate.

Born to Die · 31-03-2012 12:08PM

I have lived alone for nearly 20 years now, I love it.

Jacster · 31-03-2012 12:21PM

Living abroad and dont really know many people. Girlfirend and I moved in together but it didnt work out. Splitting up and shes moving out in a few weeks leaving me living alone in the gaff.
First of all paying double rent will be an absolute slayer.
Secondly and certaintly worse, living alone in a foreign place will be rough.
Think ill take a hit, break the contract and move bank into shared accomodation.
Its better to whinge about housemates and have something to talk about than staring at four walls wondering how the hell youd ended up here.

Mr.Biscuits · 31-03-2012 12:42PM

Nelson Mandela lived alone for years and was only when he started living with his mrs again that he cracked up.

mrsdewinter · 31-03-2012 12:43PM

Meh. I live alone and I find it ok. I'm not sure I could go back to rows with flatmates about whose turn it is to buy toilet paper.

Living alone vs the alternative

Comments