I had a roomate for a year once. It worked out great because we were both single mothers with kids the same age. That is how we met at school picking up our kids. We both had very simular personalities and hated living in small apartments. We rented a four bedroom home for less than two apartments cost. I don't think I would have a roomate again unless it was financially necessary but it was a good experience for that period in my life. In your case if you are going through personal emotional trauma (a breakup) I think adding getting along with unfamiliar roomates would just be a lot to handle. Only you know what you can handle. In my case I had lived alone for a year before getting a roomate. Good Luck and welcome to the Single Life.

As a home-owner, I decided to share my home with someone else, with them as paying boarders. HUGE mistake! First, there was the homeless youth who nearly ate me out of house and home; then there was the guy who stole things and racked up an enormous phone bill; and the (unknown to me until later) convicted arsonist with a violent temper! I guess I was just plain unlucky, but it's turned me off sharing my home in this way. I don't know what it would be like to share on equal terms in a rental situation. I think it would be very difficult is either or both parties had children.

Chargreen - I heard a great story on NPR about single moms living together. Some of them had great stories about sharing responsibilities and cost. Apparently, it's a big trend (born of necessity) - i think it's a great idea.

Daisy - A convicted arsonist!! Holy S##T! Ummm, that's kind of scary.

I do want to try living alone - see what happens. I've just been so frugal for so long, I'm having a hard time thinking about paying someone else's mortgage, espescially with rent prices so high.

But I'm definitely not ready to settle down and buy.
Still figuring it out.
Julia

I have had wonderful luck with roommates; both as a renter sharing and as a homeowner renting a room. I have occasionally had existing friends as roommates, but I have also found them by advertising. I have found online sources to be great for finding roommates. If you do get a roommate, you need to be willing to take a good, hard, honest look at yourself. Think about your own potential shortcomings as a roommate, and think about what things you absolutely won't be able to stand in your chosen roomie. Then talk to potential people about these things. I have never had a roommate who has their 50 closest friends over 5 nights a week every week, because I specifically look for people who don't want to do that. Nobody ever throws a hissy fit when I have out of town guests staying with me for a week, because I tell them before they decide to move in this will happen a couple times a year. I look for someone who will not just tolerate, but will enjoy, the fact that I have a dog. Etc, etc.

I'm also a really easy-going, hard-to-piss-off person, so it's possible that part of my "good luck" with roommates is just that things that would drive other people nuts I don't even notice...

Next month, I'm going to be in the wedding of a previous roomie. There are potential benefits other than just financial. Most of them I haven't really kept in touch with, though, so I don't suggest going into it thinking you'll make best of friends with someone.

I went from having roomates to not having them, and not having them is definately better. Look around. It might take looking at 20 or more places (about my average) before you will find a place that's nice that you can afford. Just believe that you will find a place. Trust me you will, IF you look long and hard enough. Don't settle until you find the place that feel right for you. Do something every day that moves your apartment hunt forward. Set aside maybe 30-40 minutes a day to make calls and set up appointment. Set a timer. Then tell yourself you can celebrate that it's over for the day!

The last thing I would want while going through a divorce is another woman around to ruminate with!! Or someone who was a pain to live with.

"The last thing I would want while going through a divorce is another woman around to ruminate with!!"

LOL, SO TRUE!
Actually, the whole divorce thing is going rather well. Papers are drawn, decisions have been made, we're "getting along" - at least we're still sharing dinners. i played an april fools joke on him today....Maybe we'll be friends again someday.
But...it looks like I'll just be bunking with friends for a while. The town I'm moving to is rather small (4000 people or so) - I may have to wait for a decent place to pop up. I do kind of hope to find a good roomate. The choices of rentals improves drastically with 2 budgets....
Julia