[UPDATE] Moving in with another couple to finish school faster.

[Skalm]

Original here:
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/is-moving-in-with-another-couple-a-good-idea-to-get-through-school-faster/msg761950/

So my wife is flip flopping on if she wants to do this, she wants to make more friends and the proximity to friend's girlfriend is an easy way to do that, and she wants to finish her program in two years, not four, but she also wants the privacy that living just the two of us would give.

I'm a little concerned about this whole thing now for a few reasons:

1. Other married couple hung out with us and we discussed it, and he said that friend has a bad habit of ignoring non-essential bills to buy beer (he'll get rent paid, and utilities, and then everything else gets pushed until it's on the verge of being cancelled so that he can buy toys and beer).

2. Friend has a bad habit of being really lazy, not cleaning, and calling in to work, not because he's sick, just because he doesn't want to go. Friend's girlfriend has done this too.

3. Friend's girlfriend has some depression issues that made her not try to get a job in the past.

4. Friend has no ambition, will be given opportunities to advance his career beyond entry-level jobs and doesn't put in any effort towards it.

The kicker that made me make this post: Friend finally caught up on his bills and instead of putting some money into savings, bought some vape stuff that is keeping his bank account in the low double digits. Not even stuff that he needed for his current setup, he's getting a bunch of free stuff given to him in a few days.

Friend is super gung-ho about this whole thing and is looking for properties that are... a bit more expensive, stating that the extra amenities are worth it. Friend's girlfriend wants the lower per person rent but doesn't like sharing all the space.

I'm... on the fence. I don't know how I can budget to allow for wife to work part-time and go to school full-time, wife doesn't want to go to school for four years, I don't want to be put into a precarious financial situation with friend... I'm just getting increasingly uncomfortable with this whole thing.

[GizmoTX]

This sounds like a bad idea. It only works if all are committed to making all the payments on a timely basis. What you have reported suggests that the other couple would be only too glad to let you carry their load as well as yours.

[PowerMustache]

Red flags all over the place here. If I were you, I would get off the fence and say no. I have been in bad roommate situations before and independence/peace of mind are worth a lot of money.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

No.

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

Oh hell no

[Skalm]

Red flags all over the place here. If I were you, I would get off the fence and say no. I have been in bad roommate situations before and independence/peace of mind are worth a lot of money.

Oh yeah, absolutely. I've has roommate shenanigans before and it was night and day when I got my own place and suddenly it was all on me. I think I'm going to push for our own place and just have the wife do school a little  slower. Would probably preserve our friendship when we don't have roommate drama.

[NoraLenderbee]

Sharing housing with friends is a good way to save money, but these are the wrong friends to share with.

[Melody]

Sharing housing with friends is a good way to save money, but these are the wrong friends to share with.

This...

Take a lease on a larger place by yourself and sublet to other university students with a sub-let agreement in place that allows both parties to cancel with 2 weeks notice. That way if it isn't working you can ask them to leave. You won't risk ruining a friendship. [On a side note:newly arrived international students can make great roomies. They love the fact that they can walk into a fully furnished place and will often be pretty busy, exploring their new country on weekends and studying at university during the week so weekends are free for travel.  Also may be in a position where $$$ is less tight. They also are unlikely to bring boyfriends/girlfriends round as they probably don't have one in the US.] New rules for living:
NEVER EVER be on a lease with someone that isn't either a family member or long term live in partner.

[Spiffsome]

I say this as someone who did share a house for five years before marriage and three years after: Rooming with other people can be great with the right people, or hell with the wrong ones. These are not the right people to share a house and bills with. I applaud your plan to share a house to save money, but you won't save any money if you're constantly paying a share of someone else's bills, and that friendship will be destroyed in short order.