Moving back with my parents: Progress?

I have decided to try and get out of my tenancy agreement for the flat I have lived in for the past year or so.

It swallows up more than half of my salary and - while it is not unusually expensive for a flat in London, it is about average - if I can find somewhere even marginally cheaper it would really help.

My previous flat was a little one bedroom place that I shared with an ex-boyfriend, so once split between us cost half as much as this, a two bedroom flat with a separate kitchen and living room, which I share with a friend.

Rent, especially in London, is astronomical. It doesn't surprise me at all to read articles like this one today saying owning a home has become more than £100 a month cheaper than renting. Paying rent really does feel like throwing money down the toilet. And, as anyone who has read my previous Diary of a Young Debtor entry knows, I definitely cannot afford a house!

But sharing properties with more rooms (e.g. four or five bedroom houses) works out much cheaper and I think I made a mistake to ignore that fact and move into a two-bedroom flat with a friend just over a year ago.

Anyway - back to my current situation. I’m still paying rent as the agreement is not up for a few months and I am liable to keep paying if a new tenant doesn’t replace me. But if new tenants are found then I can pay a fee to get out of the contract and find somewhere cheaper to live. Fingers crossed…

In the mean time I have moved back in with my parents(!)... Is this really progress!?

Well, yes, I think it is (for now!). I'm sure my parents don't entirely think so (I'm in my mid-twenties!), and I know I am really lucky that I have this option while I am between homes.

It seems to be a growing trend among people my age. I have friends that have moved back with their parents not just when between homes, but for months at a time to save money (for example for a deposit for a house or equipment for their career).

I thought moving out of my flat and in with my parents would feel like a step in the wrong direction, but actually I just feel relieved that I am taking action and getting things in order.

As I packed up my things I didn't feel sad, even though I have had great times in that flat, but excited about my life which I am taking control of.

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