Advice?

tzigane

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#1
Jason, my fiancee, and I have been together for 3 years. We live in the same apartment complex, a couple buildings apart. He lives with 2 other guys, and I live by myself (plus the pups, of course). He moved in with the guys months after they moved in, to replace the other roommate. He is not bound in ANY formal manner to the lease or the apartment.

He is not happy at all. They take his money, eat his food, use his things without asking him. He plays video games professionally, and as the main player and highest paid member of the team, he plays in matches every single day, starting from mid afternoon or early evening to late night to the wee hours of the morning. They guilt trip him because he doesn't hang out with them (I work 10-5, so most of his free time that I'm off is spent with me). They bother him when he's in matches, talk to him, ask him questions, etc. He tells them to leave him alone, and they think it's a joke and keep doing it. They came so close to getting evicted because the guy who pays the bills can NOT handle money and ended up spending all of the rent money on frivolous things, and tried his hardest to get a few hundred more dollars out of Jason. Neither of them have any form of respect, and it goes further than all of this. He's getting depressed from it all. He spends the night at my apartment almost every night because he hates being in his. He was going to move back in with his parents, but they won't let him.

My parents are very anti-moving in before marriage. I'm wishy washy about it. I want to wait until we're married, but I'm not deadset about it. I just absolutely loathe lying to my parents, and I know if they find out they will raise hell. I'm struggling to pay for everything, and I have the bare minimum. I can't afford to do/work on any of the things that I plan on doing in college and for the rest of my life. The dogs are by themselves for 8+ hours a day while I'm at work.

If he moves in with me, he'd pay for half of all of the bills, plus pay for internet (since he needs it for work) and, if he can afford it, cable. He'll help me clean everything (which is a large burden for me, hard to explain), help me cook (which is a major plus, since I hate cooking and he's amazing at it), help me take care of the dogs. He'd be there to keep them company and play with them while I'm at work. I'd be able to get them the extra training they need, I could get Chester started in agility, I could get my foot in back in the door with horses, and really start working on my photography.

Assuming I can talk my parents into being okay with taking care of her just in case Jason can't take her after I go to school in the fall (dorm life), I could even afford to adopt that little Corgi mix that I've fallen for and keep her from getting the needle.

I'd be a whole lot less stressed in general. It wouldn't be for long - just about 6 months or so. I would, however, be a whole lot more stressed because of my parents. Practicality tells me to let him move in with me, logic and knowing my parents tell me not to. And since I'm still a dependent and still very reliant on my parents, and spend a lot of time with them, I do not want them upset with me. Even if I explained all of this to them, I'm 98% sure they still wouldn't approve.

Sorry this is so long. Any advice?
 

CaliTerp07

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#2
Why are those the only two options? Why can't he find a new (male) roommate? Why can't you or he move back home for 6 months to save on bills? Why can't you get a roommate to help lower your costs?

We went through the same discussion after we graduated college. We got engaged 2nd semester, senior year. We set the wedding for the following summer, so there was almost exactly a year between graduation and getting married. We thought about living together for a short while...but I'm glad we didn't. For personal/religious reasons, we decided it wasn't right for us. Not because of what our parents or anyone else besides us and God thought. Like it or not, if you are still that reliant on your parents (financially, I assume), they have some say over what you should/shouldn't do.

My two cents...(and this is very generalized, I don't know your specific situation)

If you still need your parents' approval to do something, it's not time to be thinking about marriage.
 

Izzy's Valkyrie

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#3
Try talking to your parents and explain that this isn't because you want to sleep together every night but because you want to save money, time, and heartache for both of you. I think talking to your parents first is a great idea but if they say no, what would you do?
 

CaliTerp07

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#4
That came out way harsher than I wanted it to, sorry...I'm tired :(

Seriously though. This is between you and your fiance, and what's best for you. No one else's opinions should matter, if you're truly honest with yourselves.
 

tzigane

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#5
Why are those the only two options? Why can't he find a new (male) roommate? Why can't you or he move back home for 6 months to save on bills? Why can't you get a roommate to help lower your costs?

We went through the same discussion after we graduated college. We got engaged 2nd semester, senior year. We set the wedding for the following summer, so there was almost exactly a year between graduation and getting married. We thought about living together for a short while...but I'm glad we didn't. For personal/religious reasons, we decided it wasn't right for us. Not because of what our parents or anyone else besides us and God thought. Like it or not, if you are still that reliant on your parents (financially, I assume), they have some say over what you should/shouldn't do.

My two cents...(and this is very generalized, I don't know your specific situation)

If you still need your parents' approval to do something, it's not time to be thinking about marriage.
The wedding isn't going to be until we both finish school, which is probably, oh, 4, 5, 6 years down the road. I'm still financially dependent on my parents because I'm taking a break from school, and they choose to help me out so I can afford to live outside of the ghetto.

I'm locked into a lease, so I can't move home. I have psychological reasons for not getting a roommate (it's a long story - plus I only have a one bedroom), and I'm only going to be here until August. He has new roommate(s) and is planning with them, but they're on hold for 6-12 months.

I'm asking this not because I'm going to do what someone else tells me to do, but really because I need some support in this decision, and not just from him, but because this is a major major decision for me.


Izzy's Valkyrie said:
Try talking to your parents and explain that this isn't because you want to sleep together every night but because you want to save money, time, and heartache for both of you. I think talking to your parents first is a great idea but if they say no, what would you do?
I'm definitely going to emphasize that. And honestly, if they say no, I'm not sure. I probaby won't do it, just because doing it behind their backs and trying to hide it/lie to them would be a lot of stress, and much more than I have right now. I just don't feel like it's worth that stress when it could easily be avoided.
 

bubbatd

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#6
Do they know that he sleeps there most nights ??? I can understand both sides . I would say if you're engaged and want a life together ....fine . But this is your call ! If you are uncomfortably with it .... then it's a no go .
 

Bailey08

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I do understand that if you are financially dependent on your folks, and they are dead set against you and your fiance living together before marriage, it would not be easy. I know that people do it without telling their parents, but, not only is it dishonest, I'd think you'd slip up (maybe not, though -- do they know how often he's at your place now?).

It's a very personal decision as to whether to live together before you get married, and I think you and your fiance should talk about it and decide what's best for the two of you. It won't be the last of the tough decisions you'll have to make together! ;)

I will say, though, that in my experience, if people move in together, they generally don't move back out (if the relationship is ongoing). I don't know if that's relevant as I don't know how old you guys are or when you intend to get married, but maybe it's something to think about.
 

grab01

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#8
It's really a matter of what you're comfortable with. I assume you're of an adult age, since you're living independantly. Are you unsure because of your parents beliefs or because of your own religious feelings on the matter. If the former, are you going to run everything past them for their opinions on the matter when you're married as well?

My family isn't religious, so there were never any negative thoughts on my living with my now husband before marriage. That said, even if there had been, they wouldn't have voiced them, since we're very much into letting everyone make their own choices. And I was far past the age of worrying about others' opinions by that time anyway. I do understand that not everyone feels that way, though.
 

CaliTerp07

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#9
The wedding isn't going to be until we both finish school, which is probably, oh, 4, 5, 6 years down the road. I'm still financially dependent on my parents because I'm taking a break from school, and they choose to help me out so I can afford to live outside of the ghetto.
Then yeah, sorry...I think you have to do what your parents want you to do. If they're supporting you, they have a say in your decision. It sucks, and I wanted nothing more to have complete freedom from my parents after I graduated high school, but as long as they're writing you checks, they have a say over what you do.

I'm locked into a lease, so I can't move home. I have psychological reasons for not getting a roommate (it's a long story - plus I only have a one bedroom), and I'm only going to be here until August. He has new roommate(s) and is planning with them, but they're on hold for 6-12 months.
Most of the time, if you find a replacement to officially take over your lease, there are no penalties for leaving. I've had to do this a couple times now (once I took over for someone, and once I had to find someone to take over for my roommate). Just a thought, might be worth looking into :)

I hope you can find a situation that works for everyone involved.
 
T

tessa_s212

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#10
If he's spending most nights with you, it almost seems a very small step to move in as far as personal reasons go.

However, if you are still dependent on your parents, logic tells me that it is best not to go and do something they'd so terribly disapprove of, for respect reasons. When they are no longer supporting you, then I'd see no problem.. But just out of respect, if they are so against it, and it is their money helping to support you, I'd just look for other alternatives.

Any way he could put up an add for a new roommate? That just honestly sounds like it'd be in everyone's best interests right now.

FYI - Come from a conservative background, but moved in with my fiance at age 18. Great decision. No regrets. I'm secure in our relationship, I know I can stand to live and be around him 25/7 and not fight all the time, and completely comfortable with the idea of marrying and spending my life with him. And now that we're pregnant.. and I'm still in the same, small conservative area.. we have the nay-sayers, we just pay no mind to them.

I truly hope you can work this out to everyone's benefit. Yay for happy endings.
 

M&M's Mommy

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#11
The fact that you came up with lots of reasons FOR it, all the while acknowledged that something in you is AGAINST it shows that your mind wants to go for it (for financial reasons) while your heart is not settled (for faith/religious/morality reasons?)

When you have to choose between what you want to do, and what you know in your heart is the right thing to do.. I hope you choose the later.
 

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