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Yes, there have been rows but here's how I've made moving back home work

BBC Business
Yes, there have been rows but here's how I've made moving back home work

When 24-year-old Natasha Suman moved back into her parents' home in Bedford after university, she only expected it to be for a "few months" while she searched for her first job. But almost three years later, she's still there, saving for a deposit on her first home.

The marketing coordinator pays towards bills but doesn't pay rent, so is able to put aside £1,000 a month in a Lifetime ISA - a tax-free account topped up by the government.

That would have been impossible had she lived by herself, she says, given the "cost of living".

However, Natasha admits she has "less freedom" than when she lived independently and generally does fewer "spontaneous things".

She also argues more with her family than she used to, despite feeling very fortunate to live with them.

"When I left home [for university], I was a very different person, and by the time I came back, I had essentially become an adult," she says.

"Because of that, there have definitely been some clashes between me and my parents."

The proportion of people in their 20s and 30s living with their parents has increased sharply over the last three decades, as rising house prices and rents have forced many to move back in to save for their first home.

But while it can be a practical way to save money or deal with the loss of a job or a relationship breakdown, it often comes with frustrations, such as feeling like you've lost your independence or even regressed to childhood.

For Natasha and her parents, Rita and Pawan, flashpoints have included shared use of the family car after her own vehicle broke down, disagreements over how chores are divided, and how much time to spend together - with her parents wanting to see more of her.

"A lot of these disagreements stem from the fact that we are now four adults living together, all with our own routines, expectations and opinions."

Her parents set "clear expectations" such as cleaning up after herself and making her own lunch.

Original Headline

Yes, there have been rows but here's how I've made moving back home work