Do you really need to get off Mums couch?

In recent years the trend of living with your parents across several stages of life (from college student, grads, young unemployed or employed to young parents), has been on the steady increase. CNN in 2015 said about 85% of college seniors have a plan to move back in with their parents which means a whopping 18% increase compared to the 67% in 2006. In fact, Pew analysis referred to it as a phenomenon that has never been recorded before. Their recent analysis showed that adults between age 18 and 35 are more likely to be living with their parents than to have any other living arrangement. Several things have been said to be responsible: recession, very high competition for the very few job openings, cost savings and social shifts and perceptions. For whatever reason(s) we want to attribute this to, living with parents has its pros and cons. Let’s start with the pros of living with parents

Pros

Cheaper
When you are living with your parents, the cost of rent, laundry and many others things become highly subsidized or totally taken care of. This lets you save up your cash hence building a solid financial foundational for the time when you finally move out.

Support and wisdom
Staying with your parents affords you the opportunity of getting career advice as well as endless support and wisdom. Our parents have experienced quite a lot, and even though sometimes we may not want to hear it, the truth is they are great resources for everyday trials and tribulations.

Mom’s cooking
Just like every other man in the world, I LOVE FOOD. When you live with your parents, you get an endless supply of mum’s meals removing the hassle of making your own or buying out. There are also obvious health factors to eating mum’s food as well as financial (although you should probably be contributing something to this). Living with your parents takes junk food off the table and replaces it with awesome homecooked meals! God bless moms (or dads), Sometimes, they even give you lunch packs. So cool!

More time with family
One benefit when you live with the family is you see them all the time. This is a pro for me as I love my family and never spend enough time with them.

Cons

Lack of freedom
For men, freedom is like the air we breathe. It’s so important to us. Parents differ but no matter how free yours seems to be, I’m quite sure you will have your freedom issues. Independence is no joke and parents will always find a way to give you their two cents, even when you don’t ask for it! Another issue is not having a private place to relax with your girlfriend. Do you really want to be bringing your girl to your parents’ house? Probably not. There is no doubt that living with parents will mean giving up that complete freedom that we love.

Growth
My main con to staying with parents is it can be way too comfortable and end up making a man dependent and irresponsible. Part of growing is making mistakes and learning from them but when we live with our parents we don’t always get to make those mistakes in the first place. If mum and dad are responsible for paying bills on time, cutting grass, cleaning house etc etc then when you get married and move out it could cause problems with your new spouse who will most likely expect so much more from you.

Having your parents do almost everything for you erodes your feeling of self-worth and eats away at your confidence especially when you are single and trying to date. Do yourself a favor, get off moms couch and get yourself an awesome man cave!

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Ben

Ben covers food and travel for Unfinished Man. He has spent years sampling flavors and reviewing restaurants across the globe. Whether scouting the latest eateries in town or the top emerging chefs, Sam provides insider tips for savoring local cuisine. His passion for food drives him to continuously discover new destinations and dining experiences to share. Sam offers travelers insightful recommendations on maximizing flavor and fun.

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