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XP: Newlyweds: Move or stay with in laws

XP from MM: DH and I moved in with my dad (he lives in a home with 4 unused rooms) right before our wedding to save more money for some honeymoon splurges. We intended to stay here until we saved enough to get a home and pay up all debts (we worked it out to fit in a 4 year plan since we pay no rent to Dad). I love my Dad and so does DH but its been a lot harder than we imagined. I was the oldest of three and had been moved oot for 4 years. My youngest sibling moved out when I moved back. Dads got empty nest syndrome hard and it hurts me to see him so sad but faking like he is ok. He is also self employed with a struggling business and has a newly developed medical complication preventing him from working full time.
All of Dads problems have put a lot of stress on DH and I to pick up the slack with bills and house care, which we are totally ok with helping, but the longer we have been here the more 'entitled' he seems. Like we are expected to pay certain bills and do certain chores and he gets frustrated when we cant pay. But in the same day he will go on about how he loves having us there and how we must love it too since we can live expense free.
There are also minor stressors that are building up: sex sucks when you can only ever be quiet. Brother moved back in and is a total jerk. He bums rides all the time without chipping in for gas because he is jobless. Dad complains a lot about my brothers and sisters, the commute to work everyday racks up $300 a month in gas, we are no where near our friends or even a town for that matter so no social life.
Ultimately, we are now regularly paying quite a bit to stay with Dad. We did the math and it would cost us $300 more per month to move to a one br apartment that is 10 mins from work.
The only problem is that we would be struggling for about 3 months to make it work at this apartment because we will be in our last semester of school and have to cut our work hours. But both of us will be able to work full time after school and I will likely be promoted (doing some training now but no promises yet) which would make this place more affordable. As it stands we would only have about $200-$300 left over per month after all expenses (bills, insurance, food, the whole nine yards) and we wouldnt be able to save during the three rough months.
Right now we have an efund of $2000 which can pay all deposits and first months rent and still leave us with an efund large enough to cover a month of expenses. We also agreed to put back all tax returns to the efund to get us through the slow months if needed.
I just need to know if this is a justifiable move and use of efund or if we need to bite the bullet and live with dad for 4 more months.

Re: XP: Newlyweds: Move or stay with in laws

  • lisa2008boolisa2008boo member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    edited January 2014
    Move living with the in-laws is never a good idea. Especially as newlyweds you need time in your first year to get to know one another and figure out your roles and routine in marriage. When you live with In-laws the lines and boundaries with family can get blurred and can cause a lot of fights with you and DH. I would sit down and budget do what you need to but getting your own place will be the best thing for your marriage and your relationships with your family. 
    Anniversary
    "A women who can kneel before the Lord can stand up to anything"
  • Move.  It's three tight months, not 3 tight years.
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  • Move in with nobody, ever.

    As other posters have said, it is not a good idea.

    If you are not self sufficient, do not get married.  Save your money first; get a couple of years' worth of savings on hand and then get married.

    You still need an emergency fund and a nest egg.
  • Move! This living situation sounds like it's going to end badly. Better to be on your own, and for your father to take care of himself.
  • Move, for the love of God. If you're adult enough to be married, you should be adult enough to stand on your own 4 feet and support yourselves. So you might not be able to save a ton of money while, you know, being an adult - who cares?!? I promise you that living like an adult is worth it.
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  • DaBearsBrideDaBearsBride member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its
    edited January 2014
    I appreciate everyones feedback so far. Its crazy how the advice on this thread is polar opposite from the advice the same post is getting on Money Matters. I sort of expected it but it complicates the decision making process. Im pretty sure we are leaving. The place we want doesnt open up until March 1st so I have a little more time to think it over with DH.
  • I think the reason you are getting the response you are getting here is because the reason you are giving for living with your father. It's not like you guys had some dire financial crisis where you had nowhere to go and your father took you in. In your first statement, you said you did it so you could save for 'honeymoon splurges'. Sorry, but that's the most ridiculous reason to move in with your parents. Like PP's have said, you're grown up enough to get married, then you're grown up enough to live on your own and guess what - if you can't afford certain things on your honeymoon, then either go for a shorter period of time so you can afford those splurges or go somewhere less expensive.
  • Well, the answer to any question on the MM board is "do whatever you can to save money". It's the Money Matters Board, after all. Hey, I like money as much as the next person - but my autonomy, my independence, my self esteem is worth the cost of rent on my own apartment. Putting extra money in my e-fund isn't worth reverting back to an adolescent living with my folks.
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  • I'm with pp's. If you can't afford to live like adults, you don't get married until you can. Moving in with dad to afford honeymoon perks is a very short sighted, immature idea. As far as paying off all your bills and saving for a house, well, we all have bills. Thinking you can live anywhere rent free for 4 long years as a married couple is ridiculous. 

    You say dad is the one acting entitled. Seriously? You've been there for free for years! You SHOULD be expected to pay bills and help out with chores. He has every right to make crappy comments about you two living for free. He's not only supporting his adult child, but her husband and when he asks for help due to an unforeseen health issue, it's only IF they can afford it. Yeah, I'd be frustrated if I were him too.

    So, now that the free ride is over, you're going to jump ship and let him deal with his health and money problems on his own? Nice. 
  • I'm with pp's. If you can't afford to live like adults, you don't get married until you can. Moving in with dad to afford honeymoon perks is a very short sighted, immature idea. As far as paying off all your bills and saving for a house, well, we all have bills. Thinking you can live anywhere rent free for 4 long years as a married couple is ridiculous. 


    You say dad is the one acting entitled. Seriously? You've been there for free for years! You SHOULD be expected to pay bills and help out with chores. He has every right to make crappy comments about you two living for free. He's not only supporting his adult child, but her husband and when he asks for help due to an unforeseen health issue, it's only IF they can afford it. Yeah, I'd be frustrated if I were him too.

    So, now that the free ride is over, you're going to jump ship and let him deal with his health and money problems on his own? Nice. 
    That is a very high horse you are sitting on. I tend to be forgiving of people like you because you dont truly understand my situation. Ive been supporting my Dad since I was 15 and able to work. I have sympathy for miles for his situation but why should it be called fair for me to work a 40 hour week and give him 70% of my take home pay, take out loans for him, and give him my tax returns for the past 7 years. I went in debt helping him get by. But you didnt know that and I forgive you.
    He allowed DH and I to move in as a form of repayment for the debt he can never physically pay back. He wanted DH and I to stay as long as we liked because his is alone and enjoyed our company. I was appreciative but did expect him to need helped. As I said before, I didnt mind helping at first but now I am paying more than I can afford and the surrounding stressors are more than I care to shoulder as a newlywed. Now I am facing a tough decision on to stay and continue helping/enabling or I can leave and live with the guilt that he is struggling and Im not helping. I know if I stay DH will resent my decision to keep giving him money and if I leave DH and I will be happier as a couple.
    Overall it is hard because before DH, Dad was the #1 man in my life but now my DH is #1. Either way Im hurting someone. DH would be hurt but more understanding. Dad will be hurt and wont understand.
  • I'm with pp's. If you can't afford to live like adults, you don't get married until you can. Moving in with dad to afford honeymoon perks is a very short sighted, immature idea. As far as paying off all your bills and saving for a house, well, we all have bills. Thinking you can live anywhere rent free for 4 long years as a married couple is ridiculous. 

    You say dad is the one acting entitled. Seriously? You've been there for free for years! You SHOULD be expected to pay bills and help out with chores. He has every right to make crappy comments about you two living for free. He's not only supporting his adult child, but her husband and when he asks for help due to an unforeseen health issue, it's only IF they can afford it. Yeah, I'd be frustrated if I were him too.

    So, now that the free ride is over, you're going to jump ship and let him deal with his health and money problems on his own? Nice. 
    That is a very high horse you are sitting on. I tend to be forgiving of people like you because you dont truly understand my situation. Ive been supporting my Dad since I was 15 and able to work. I have sympathy for miles for his situation but why should it be called fair for me to work a 40 hour week and give him 70% of my take home pay, take out loans for him, and give him my tax returns for the past 7 years. I went in debt helping him get by. But you didnt know that and I forgive you. He allowed DH and I to move in as a form of repayment for the debt he can never physically pay back. He wanted DH and I to stay as long as we liked because his is alone and enjoyed our company. I was appreciative but did expect him to need helped. As I said before, I didnt mind helping at first but now I am paying more than I can afford and the surrounding stressors are more than I care to shoulder as a newlywed. Now I am facing a tough decision on to stay and continue helping/enabling or I can leave and live with the guilt that he is struggling and Im not helping. I know if I stay DH will resent my decision to keep giving him money and if I leave DH and I will be happier as a couple. Overall it is hard because before DH, Dad was the #1 man in my life but now my DH is #1. Either way Im hurting someone. DH would be hurt but more understanding. Dad will be hurt and wont understand.
    Well, that does change things quite a bit. I have also been in the situation of helping my mom to my financial detriment. So, no, I haven't a horse to sit high on (can't afford one :)). 

    In helpful advice (hopefully)...DH and I are now done helping mom. She knows this and has been forced to live within her means. While it's hard to see her have to still struggle, her life was her choice. I wouldn't let her starve or live on the streets, but we can't continue to give what we don't have.

    So, yes, move. 

    While I'm sorry if I made you angry, I'm glad I got the rest of the story. I was actually coming back to this thread to add that you sound like lovely people from your other posts I've read and I'm sure you didn't mean to sound how you did in your original post (at least not how I read it). I wish you much luck and happiness.
  • I would stay with your Dad for 3 more months, I don't think there is anything wrong or immature about living with your parents while being married, especially if you are still in school. It sounds like those 3 months could really help both you and your Dad financially.

    This is kind of irrelevant to what you asked but why is your Dad living in that house anyway? If he can't keep up with the bills or the chores he really needs to move, especially if his health condition is going to be a permanent issue. Could you stay the three months and use that time to talk to him about finding a better solution, maybe he could also move to a one or two bed near your work and then you would be able to visit more often and he wouldn't be lonely.

  • This is kind of irrelevant to what you asked but why is your Dad living in that house anyway? If he can't keep up with the bills or the chores he really needs to move, especially if his health condition is going to be a permanent issue. Could you stay the three months and use that time to talk to him about finding a better solution, maybe he could also move to a one or two bed near your work and then you would be able to visit more often and he wouldn't be lonely.
    This. DH's dad is also in poor health but has said that he would rather kill himself than go to a nursing home. He has money problems but refuses to stop buying crap (like DVDs because they are on sale, even though he doesn't know where his DVD player is). When he becomes a danger to himself we will probably contact APS. It sounds cruel, but giving handouts without finding a permanent solution is also cruel. 

    You love your dad, but you need to recognize that your husband is the priority in your life now. Sometimes the loving thing is helping people make choices they don't want to make but need to.
  • I think I just need to bite the bullet and go. Dad wants to move but his mom (who has the title to the house due to divorce discrepancies: protect his assets) wont let him sell it. Without the ability to sell he cant afford to move. That makes it worsebecause he knows he would be happier elsewhere, he is just sort of stuck for a while. But his lifestyle is a product of his choices and I guess I need to stop shouldering the blame for it. Thanks for the advice
  • I understand what you're saying about how your dad used to be the #1 man in your life, but you got it absolutely right that now your DH is #1. I spent a long time bailing out my DH's brother for no real reason, other than that my DH felt bad and like he still needed to help his family. It hurt that his focus wasn't on what was best for our relationship, and I really did start to resent my DH for not putting me first. Especially once we had our son. Your DH should be first. Yes, your dad might be hurt and not understand, but then he's being unreasonable. Better to have your dad mad at you for selfish reasons than to have your marriage fall apart because you aren't making your husband your first priority (which is a legitimate reason, as far as I'm concerned). Good luck!
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