Ask HN: Have any of you moved back home to save money?
I still have my job, but I was thinking of not renewing my lease in NYC and just going back home to the parents to work remote in the fall/winter and save a TON of money. Kinda lame because I'm 28 but who cares, since a lockdown will stop most of the "fun" stuff anyway. Would rather run and bike every day.
Anybody else doing the same?
224 comments
[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 265 ms ] threadAmortized over the full 12 month term, it effectively knocks a few hundred dollars per month off of a (very small) one bedroom apartment (with an in-unit washer/dryer!) in lower Manhattan.
Basically nothing to do besides order takeout and walk around, bad weather. No big concerts, etc.
I’ve lived here for nearly 5 years now, and it sounds like you’re kind of describing Manhattan in the winter nearly any year. I’ll likely do most of the things I’d do anyway, except I’ll be wearing a mask for most of them.
I dunno, I guess I just enjoy my neighborhood and I’m putting a significant portion of my income into savings while still living here so why would I move?
Old: 915 sqft, 2 bd, 1.5 ba, $3000/month, $300 / mo parking. New: 1400 sqft, 2 bd, 2ba, $2800/month, free parking.
Our current place made us an offer at $2650 a month due to decreased demand.
My SO and I "saved" around $400/month thanks to COVID - identical 2bd/2bth units to the one we got were renting for ~$3100/month pre-COVID, we got ours for $2700/month.
That’s really the issue with renting furnished, you can’t easily move.
Might be good to save, live healthy, evaluate what I want from the next 5 years.
Honestly, I wanted to shoot my self in the face every day. I love my parents, but I left their home and city at 17 and coming back after 20 years just made me realize I rather starve than live in that shitty hellhole I grew up on.
Sorry, not related, but fuck, I hate that town!
I hate my hometown (even though most of my old time friends live here, I can go to any bar/restaurant and I am treated like family), but the town, the overall people here, the layout, I just hate it.
As for my parents, I love them, but both me and my father know that we can't be together for long. I moved back with them during lockdown to help them out, but god, the day I got out of there seemed like I won the lottery.
(Again, I love my parents, but our personalities are so different that it is impossible to live in close proximity)
They watch the news every night, my dad yells at the TV screen.
Really annoying but not the end of the world. I'm trying to spend my time learning, creating, while using as little mental/emotional energy as possible.
The difference is I bought a house nearby. It's actually been really nice, but I've always loved small towns and hated the city.
I had the opposite experience ;) And is not the big/small town thing. I actually moved from my 'perfect' place, and it was a 4000 people village :P I actually prefer that! Just my hometown, I don't know exactly why (I have ideas) rubs me the wrong way.
We're young now so it was a good idea to have family close. Eventually we're going to move somewhere even more remote.
I have always been an independent bastard. I love my family to death, but I want to be the furthest away from them. I am who I am, but different lives have different requirements. And different parents have different ways to be dealt with.
I can say here, I would love to have a more 'present' life with my parents. Do wood working projects with my father, or take my mother for coffee somewhere, but we are so different in the way we think, that 99.5% of the times, we just end up arguing (just Saturday evening, we had a family dinner with extended family, and I left their house after a screaming match with my father, no-one was right, we are just too different to ever understand each other)
Yeah idk I just don't see the draw to the city now... and instead of half-assing it, maybe just moving home and getting a good bike etc is wortwhile.
Basically zero dating options though, so that's the big downside.
Money usually is an object though and it's not really surprising that people paying $4K a month would depart if they don't need to live there for work any longer and they can't really enjoy at least the non-natural aspects of the area.
I don’t live in the Bay Area because I want to work in tech...
I work in tech because I want to live in the Bay Area, and my skill set of technical knowledge aligned with tech pretty nicely.
In San Francisco, when the pandemic ends and everything starts actually getting back to normal, we don’t have to worry about if the weather will be nice that month. We can pick back up where we left off.
I don’t have to cram our outside summer activities into five months anymore.
I love Chicago, but I did my time.
The problem with dating while living out in the 'burbs is that the population density just isn't the same, even if you don't mind driving. Apps help in this regard. There's also the practical matter of alcohol. Taxis (inc Uber/Lyft) just aren't as convenient outside of the city. There are more parks to meet at though!
Edit: For all the people negging - the point is that you should encourage your parents to have a social life, which is proven to be good for health, happiness, etc.
I can rent an entire house for half of what I'm currently paying for an apartment!
That being said, I really wish I could because I might be able to afford going back to school in that case.
Yeah that's the only downside... basically zero dating that whole time. But save a ton, reevaluate things... I'm leaning towards it being worth it.
Finding a place was a real problem, though. They use Facebook Marketplace for everything, and I didn't have a Facebook account (you can't use marketplace until your account is at least 6 months old). On top of that, most places I found were unfurnished (not even a fridge).
If you're gonna move here for a year or less, I think it's best to find a room in a share house. Luckily, I had a friend who had a spare room.
Also, make sure you bring your debit card. I forgot mine. Boy, is that long story.
As far as dining, there are restaurants and street food everywhere. Many places have servicio a domicilio or use Uber Eats. I think Uber Eats is only available in the bigger cities, though.
Laundry is great! If you don't have a washing machine, you take your clothes to a lavandería. They'll wash, dry, and fold all your clothes for about $3. It's pretty convenient.
I'm actually moving closer into the city in a couple weeks. Rent will be closer to $100 for a similar room there.
I never would've found these places without a network, though.
I don't want to work at a place that I don't really like, especially when I am living alone in abroad and there's a high risk of second wave coming. I guess it's time to take a break and focus on myself and my family.
Living closely with family is routine outside the US and is only considered “lame” in a handful of developed countries.
Definitely considering to find remote-only positions in the future. Currently my company allows me to wait out COVID anywhere within roughly the same timezone.