The Pros and Cons With Living Alone

Isn't this an interesting topic? Well if you don't think so that's okay. I really think this is interesting because at my age I've done both. I have lived alone and now I have roommates and I have to say there are awesome benefits to living alone, but there are also some pitfalls that make things difficult. Having roommates is better financially, but it's sometimes not the best for mental health. If you've ever had a roommate you understand what I mean. So I wrote a while back about how to write a Roommate Agreement. So if you have a roommate check that out if you're having trouble with him or her or them. Anyway, I really want to share the Pros and the Cons of living alone and how sometimes it can be better for you.

Facts About Living Alone:

• 28% of all households are people living alone.
• People living alone compensate with loneliness by being more socially active compared those who have roommates.
• Living alone does not dictate level of happiness or degree of seclusion.

Facts cited from: Psychology Today

Living alone, I've discovered can have its perks. A lot of these perks are pretty much the obvious ones. You can walk around naked if you want, you can hang from the ceiling without feeling embarrassed. Heck those are obvious reasons, but have you ever looked deeper than the superficial reasons other than having your own space? Have you thought of how you can grow and develop and learn about yourself through living alone? Check out my list of pros.

Living Alone Helps You Learn Finances: One challenge that came with living alone was managing my own finances and budgeting my money to be most effective. When you're alone you have no other choice. In fact, the only choice you have is to survive on your own. For me I was making a decent amount of money and sometimes it grew tight. I learned how to prioritize my spending and analyzing the places where my money was going.

Living Alone Helps You Learn About Yourself: Living alone is difficult because you're alone. However when you're alone you can be more introspective and see yourself from the outward in. I mean this by saying that when you're alone, your worst habits come alive. You begin to realize how self-destructive, immature, or unorganized you've been as a fledgling trying to sprout wings. I've learned a great deal about my spending habits, my cleanliness, and how I react emotionally to stress. It's definitely things everyone should know about themselves.

Living Alone Gives You Freedom: I mentioned before about hanging from the walls and walking around naked as some outlandish ideas of "freedom". Have you ever considered that you're free of outside forces, that you can go into your own little world. I call it Quiet Time. It's that moment where you can just rest your mind and body without any interference. As opposed to having a roommate I discovered that this was easier when I lived alone.

Living Alone Helps You Appreciate Your Worth: When you're able to sustain life alone it really helps you think highly of yourself. You're out there, you're doing it all by yourself. It does wonder for your self-esteem. It really reminds you that you're capable and worthy of living a healthy life. This is a reminder that you don't need to be dependent upon other people your whole life. It drastically changed my perception of myself. I know that I can handle things, I can be an adult and work through difficult times.

Living Alone Helps Your Social Life: Living alone can be a bit lonely. But guess what? You can have anyone over at any time if you choose. It's your space and you have control of it. If anything, you'll be able to spend more time with friends. Invite them over, watch a movie, have a few drinks. Isn't that nice? Now with roommates sometimes it's not the easiest thing. Living alone can dictate your ability to have friends over.

Now that we've covered the pros of living alone, here are some cons. The common cons of living alone are obviously being lonely and worrying more than usual. Those are common things that I went through for the two years of living alone. Times got hard every now and again. With every con there is a solution, so if you're experiencing these and you don't know what to do about them, check out my solutions. Never fear living alone if you know you're capable, but always weigh your options and understand that it's always a good and bad thing. There is no shade of gray for something like this.

Living Alone is Lonesome: Yes, the first one to mention is the amount of loneliness. I can say there were moment of depression. I felt so secluded and separated from society when I lived alone. I invited people over all the time, but sometimes they wouldn't come around. When you live in certain areas, sometimes people just don't have access to you.

• Solution: You can always go to them. Get out of the apartment if you're alone and you're not feeling good. Don't sit in the house and sulk! Get out, go to your friends, or go to a bar or club and make new friends. It's easy to be secluded when you live alone, but it doesn't mean you have to be alone all the time. Unless you want to and if it's healthy for you. Otherwise, GET OUT!

Living Alone is Stressful: I mentioned the stress of managing all your finances, the cleanliness of your household, and other things. Also consider that when you're alone you worry about burdening others or confiding in others about your living alone. Sometimes you're afraid to hear that "You shouldn't have moved out by yourself" or "I told you it was too much for you". Sometimes hearing "I told you so" can prevent you from confiding in others or seeking guidance. When you live with family, they're right there. You can talk to them. However when alone, it's a bit easier to stop yourself. I'm independent now, you'd think.

• Solution: If you need help or guidance, DO NOT refuse to ask for it. Sometimes your friends and family are sitting by the phone and waiting to help you. Living alone is about independence and doing things on your own, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll never get it again. Take action! Ask for help, confide in others. It's the healthy thing to do. I made that mistake several times and I wish I had asked sooner. Sometimes it's okay to ask for help or advice. That's what family and friends are for.

Living Alone Makes It Hard To Save: You have to realize that all expenses are on you when you live alone. Sometimes you can't get financial help when you need it. Sometimes you have few members of your family who are financial stable. You find yourself nearly exhausting your funds and it's so hard to keep up and keep money in your wallet. I found that difficult for some time. Living alone prevented me from saving money. I have to pay rent, water, electric, natural gas, cell phone bill, internet bill, car insurance, and gasoline for my car. Oh don't forget food and grocery, cleaning supplies, and of course car taxes. Wait...what about savings? Or money for something other than necessities? There's nothing left!

• Solution: Don't move in by yourself if it's going to be incapable of saving. The problem is that you may need some money to fall back on for medical expenses, car repairs, or other unexpected things. Just think clearly about your decision. If you make $60,000 a year. I'm certain you can definitely save! Don't splurge! However if you make $15,000 a year, it's going to be pretty hard to save money. Consider getting a roommate to allow you space to save. If you don't want a roommate... get over it. Your finances are so important. Even if you don't want a roommate, consider moving in with one for a year so you can save up for the challenge of living alone. Don't make quick decisions that will hurt you. Think Logically.

Living alone has its perks. Though it should only be pursued as an option if you are financially stable, mentally stable, and socially stable. Don't make yourself unhealthy or miserable just to be broke, lonely, and isolated from the world. Take a long moment to think on things. If you think you'd rather have a messy roommate, save money, and be able to feel secure, get a roommate. Sometimes you have to and sometimes you don't want to. Do what's best for you. If you find yourself unable to make a decision, stay with family for a while longer, get saved up, get stable and then reevaluate over a period of time. Sometimes you learn things in retrospect. I know I did. I hope this proved helpful! Thanks for reading and see you around HubPages!