Mom, Can You Pass the Remote? Does the Stigma of Moving Back Home Still Exist?

As I’m typing this sitting Indian style on my grandmother’s bed, I’d say no. After spending approximately $12,000/year for my own piece of heaven & (sometimes) hell for six years, I made the conscious and economical decision to move back home with my grandmother.

The decision came once I realized my savings was dwindling and startup money (the money before the rescue from angel investors) was not enough to sustain the lifestyle I live. And quite honestly, I couldn’t afford the rent anymore. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Millennials have reverted back to living with their parents to either save money or because they’re still looking for decent paying jobs. Some Millennials probably moved from the college dorms and back to ma and pa’s immediately after crossing the stage.

Instead of judging Millennials and yelling “failure to launch” the judgment should be towards our broken education and economic systems. With school debt constantly increasing and no loan forgiveness insight, many of us have to sacrifice a little independence in order to pay exorbitant monthly loan agreements. And let’s not forget that many of us do not get jobs immediately after college, unable to use the degrees we’re now paying off. But this post is not meant for me to be preaching on a soapbox. This post is to discuss what you do after you move home.

Consider moving back home “pressing the reset button”. However, the key here is to not get comfortable. So if you’re like me, here is what you should do once mama gives you her second set of keys.

Refocus & Plan: Once the surreal moment has passed and you have come to terms that you are at home, time to plan. Do not forget the main reason why you moved back home. Do you want to save money? Pay off credit cards? Develop your business? The great thing is, you can probably do all three. Develop a plan to help you accomplish your goals. Create benchmarks every couple of months to see your progress. The tradeoff of sharing your favorite dessert with your mother will be worth it once you’re debt free.

Stay Positive: When I was on the fence about moving back home, I felt hella defeated. Yes, HELLA. Someone said to me, “this is not the walk to the graveyard; this is the beginning of a new life for you.” You must always spin things to be positive. Can you cry from frustration? Absolutely! Let that out. But don’t stop doing the things that make you happy. Continue to work out and eat healthy. Still go to your monthly movie matinees. Still hang out with friends. The real ones will always stick around. If you are finding trouble being yourself and want to talk to someone, do not hesitate to get help. Making major decisions can be a major shock to the system. Talk to someone if need be.

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