Also 27 and have been on my own since I was 18. I'm sure I could move back rent free as long as my dad is still alive anyway, but why would I? (In my case, leaving was a necessity as there was no post-secondary in the area and jobs there are seasonal or minimum wage.) Expecting parents to support you when you're an adult just seems...very rude, particularly if it's impacting their lifestyle.
One friend of mine moved out to go to uni (all fully paid for) and then moved back in afterwards. She's a smart individual who could certainly take care of herself, but in her words, having only car bills and a cell phone bill means that she can take jobs she loves (gymnastics coach,) live in a much more comfortable environment than she would on her own, and have money for shopping, restaurants, and vacations. When I suggested that she save what she would have been paying for rent, she couldn't understand why.
At least she's having fun. Another friend is, at age 27, has been working on her first bachelors degree since 2006. No, she hasn't been working full-time since then; some years she hasn't worked at all. Yes, shes an intelligent person. She would like to move out due to family tensions so I feel badly for her.
