Pros and Cons: Living alone versus living with someone

The upside of this independence is being able to decorate your space as you see fit and deciding whether you need a couch in your living room or if camp chairs will do. No judgment here, friends.

READ: Growing concern for large number of seniors living alone near Ixopo

Living on one’s own also means having to maintain the financial expenses of the home, which can be hard if you do not have a steady income.

That is why having a roommate or two helps. Living with someone else may ease the financial burden, but having a roommate - whether romantic or not, can also be strenuous. Personal space can be harder to find. You will have to share a kitchen, a living room, and maybe even a bathroom - which is a non-negotiable for Stacey Norman. Sharing your space also just requires a lot of compromise, including the dreaded TV remote control fights.

JSbu shares that he has the best of both worlds. He and the mother of his child, who is also his longtime girlfriend, spend a considerable amount of time together and apart. JSbu says that this arrangement has also proved to be very healthy for his relationship. Personal space and moments of reflection are important for the young couple. It also allows the two to miss each other.

There are obvious pros and cons to living alone and living with someone else. The noteworthy ones would be the below:

Pros of living alone:

• Freedom
• Independence

Cons of living alone:

• Can be expensive
• Can be lonely

 Pros of living with someone else:

• Comfort
• Cheaper

 Cons of living with someone else:

• Conflict
• Lack of freedom to do as you please

Read what KZN had to say on Facebook:

Listen to the podcast to hear more: