18 Downsides No One Expects When Living Alone
CindyHollywood has definitely glamorized the idea of living alone. While there are several upsides to having your own space, there are also several downsides. The following are eighteen of the worst things about living alone that no one tells you about.
1. Financial Pressure
When living at home or with a roommate, you split the bills with those you live with. The moment you move out on your own, everything becomes your responsibility. Rent, electricity, internet, etc., are no longer being shared with anyone else, and many people are surprised by how much of their salary goes into paying bills.
2. Cooking for One
Living alone means you have complete control over your groceries and diet. However, cooking for one can be a challenge. Effectively measuring out and preparing a meal for only one person can often lead to a lot of food waste.
3. Greater Responisbility
If you live alone, you’re solely responsible for ensuring your home is clean, paying your bills on time, and combatting troublesome landlords. You have no choice but to make decisions about your home and living situation by yourself.
4. Laundry is a Pain
Unless you leave your clothes to pile up to an acceptable amount, you’ll never have a sufficient load once you separate your clothing. When sorting laundry between whites, delicates, blacks, colors, and towels, unless you have someone to combine loads with, you’ll likely have several small loads of laundry that are only a waste of water and energy.
5. You Become Less Accommodating
Living alone means you become comfortable with your living space exactly how you like it. You never have to worry about anyone making a mess after you clean or putting things in the wrong place. After years of living alone, many people become less accommodating when they transition to living with a roommate or partner.
6. Wardrobe Malfunctions
If you have an issue with your wardrobe, there’s no one around to help you. If your zipper is stuck, you can’t button your shirt cuffs, or you’ve forgotten to put on an item of clothing, there’s no one around to help you.
7. You Have to Talk to the Landlord Directly
Some people are socially awkward and hate confrontation. If that’s you, talking to your landlord about issues with your apartment is likely something you would hate to deal with. When you have someone else to share that burden with, you could get away with asking them to complain on your behalf.
8. Moving Heavy Objects is Nearly Impossible
Moving heavy objects is an activity not meant for people who live alone. If you have a delivery of a heavy object or want to move heavy furniture from one room to the next, you’d need to call someone to come over. It can be frustrating to plan these things around when someone else is available to join you.
9. There’s No One Around If You’re Scared
Whether it’s crawling creatures, a bump in the night, or a scary movie, if you live alone and you’re scared, there’s no one to help you feel better. Regardless of who the person may be, having someone around puts you at ease whenever you feel scared or nervous.
10. You Worry About Falling
When you live alone, the fear of falling increases exponentially. Whether hanging curtains, changing a lightbulb, or swapping the batteries in a smoke detector, anything could lead to you taking a tumble. If you live alone, it’s so scary that you could have a bad fall, and no one would be around to help.
11. No Spontaneous Hangouts
Living with someone gives you a built-in friend to hang out with. Spontaneous movie nights, binge-watching a show on a random Friday night, and random taco Tuesdays are so much easier when you have someone at home. Every hangout must be scheduled when you live alone, and sometimes, your friends just aren’t available.
12. You Eat Way More Junk
Many people living alone struggle to maintain the motivation to prepare nutritious meals daily. With so many food delivery services and take-out options available, buying food every day is much easier than preparing meals for yourself. This means people who live on their own tend to eat a lot less healthy.
13. No Back-Up If You Miss Your Alarm
Everyone has had one of those mornings where the alarm goes off, but they fall back asleep. When you live with someone else, you have someone around to look out for you. But if you’re alone, you’re solely responsible for ensuring you go to sleep and wake up on time every day.
14. You Have to Find Ways to Entertain Yourself
Everyone brings something different to a living situation. While you might enjoy doing puzzles, your roommate might be a gamer. Living with someone exposes you to different ways of entertaining yourself when you’re bored. When you’re alone and bored, you have to find ways to entertain yourself on your own.
15. There’s No One to Help if You’re Sick
Sometimes, when you’re sick, you just want to lay in bed and wait for someone else to bring you orange juice or chicken soup. Living alone means no matter how sick you are, you have to take care of yourself on your own.
16. You’ll Need to Find a Pet Sitter
Impromptu travel is so difficult for pet owners, especially those who live alone. Having someone else at the house means you have a built-in pet sitter your pet is already used to and trusts. But if you live alone, you’ll have to find a friend or family member your pet is comfortable with and willing to take care of them.
17. No One to Share Happy Moments With
If you receive sudden exciting news, see a beautiful sunset, or hear a good joke, there’s no one around to share that moment. Even if you could easily call up a friend or family member with the good news, it isn’t the same as having someone there to laugh and jump for joy with.
18. Loneliness
People who live alone often experience loneliness. While having your own space is a major positive aspect of living alone, it means sacrificing having someone to come home and talk to at the end of an especially challenging day.
She started her blog, The Money Dreamer, when she realized the 9-5 job was not the lifestyle she wanted anymore. After designing for a while, she wanted a more meaningful life, which was freedom, so she decided to venture out. She took action so that she can live her dream life and decided to help people to live theirs by helping them how to save, budget, and invest.
Chris Phelan
