Now Living At My Mother-In-Law’s :)

Whelp, everything went nice and smooth this weekend! Got our entire house gutted of all our stuff, moved it all into a 10×20 storage unit (which was like 100 ft high btw – how the heck can you fill up THAT space?), and now blogging from the kitchen table of our not-so-secret holding place anymore: My mother-in-laws :)

I can’t explain how exhausted I am, but man do I feel FREE!!! Free as a bird, my friends – free free free!!! It’s like we’re at the airport just waiting to take off to our next fabulous adventure – I love it. Bags are packed, and now it’s just a matter of time until we move into that new place of ours in a bit. Things are happening fast!

Oh, I should probably back track a bit and tell you WHY we’ve moved in with my mother-in-law too, haha… it wasn’t just to give her some company, although that is nice :) Must be hard when all your kids are fully grown and out of the house – I wouldn’t want to be all alone at home! But nope, it’s so we can clear the way for our contractors to come in and renovate our entire house in preparation for future renters (and selling it one day). Much easier to do when all your stuff, and YOU, are out of the way while installing new floors and what not. Probably cheaper too since there aren’t any hours built into moving furniture around and what not…

Another reason to hurry up and get out of there is that we can do exactly that – hurry up and get out of there! :) I figured the faster we physically can get all our stuff out, the faster/more motivated we’ll be to get the house fixed up and then rented out. Rather than us taking our good ol’ time and letting it drag on for weeks and weeks at a time. So this way we did everything WE needed to do at this point, and now the contractors come in and do THEIR work. Which should be all completed by the end of the week :) When you’re on a mission, you’re on a mission!

This also saves us a few weeks of the place not being rented out since we would have had to wait until we moved into our new one first to then put in on the market, with all the work that needs to be done first. At least to show it the best way possible. So in theory our mother has saved us over $1,500 by letting us crash with her for a while! Go mom! And her house isn’t too far to the one we’re putting on the market either, so that’s even better for us. Being able to stick around and check on the progress of everything before we head out for good.

It’ll be an interesting ride for a bit living in temporary quarters with a loud baby and trouble-making cat (and probably more so for our mom! Haha…) but you gotta do what you gotta do to reach that finish line, right? We’re just thankful she was up for it too.

Anyone else living with their moms right now? ;) Would you do it for a few weeks if it meant saving about a month’s worth of rent? And/or continuing along with your goals? I always joked about living back at home to save tons of money for a while, but something tells me it’s a lot easier to do in shorter spurts than in long ones… it’ll be interesting to see if we still have any curfews ;)

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PS: Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post in which I divulge just how many thousands of dollars we’re about to put into our old house now – our wallet’s not going to be happy with us!

(Photo by Dani P.L.)

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61 Comments

  1. Free Money Minute June 3, 2013 at 6:06 AM

    Living with the mother-in-law. I don’t think I could do it for a long stretch of time, however I think I could do it for a short stint. A huge bonus to save some Benjamin’s along the way.

  2. Slackerjo June 3, 2013 at 6:29 AM

    Is there a guest post in the future, “My crazy son in law is living with me?”

    1. J. Money June 3, 2013 at 8:41 AM

      Probably would be how it goes ;)

  3. Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies June 3, 2013 at 6:33 AM

    We shared a duplex with Mr. PoP’s parents the year before we got married. They weren’t there the whole time, but it worked out pretty well! Luckily I get along with my in-laws very well.

  4. John S @ Frugal Rules June 3, 2013 at 7:40 AM

    I actually lived with my in-laws for several months while my wife and I were engaged. It was interesting to say the least and I still got to marry their only daughter, so I guess it wasn’t all bad Lol! I think I could do it again, but would have to be in short intervals.

    1. J. Money June 3, 2013 at 8:42 AM

      Haha.. I like how you put in “only daughter” even though I’m not sure why :)

  5. Brian June 3, 2013 at 7:57 AM

    We lived with my mother in law for a couple months after we were married and our lease was up before buying our house. I don’t know how it worked out, but somehow we got the master suite. It really wasn’t so bad and they left us alone when we wanted to be alone and were around when we wanted to be around. Of course we only did this for a couple months and I can live just about anywhere for a couple months. By the end my wife was ready to go!

    1. J. Money June 3, 2013 at 8:43 AM

      Wow, nice of them to let y’all go in the master!

  6. Jen G. June 3, 2013 at 8:01 AM

    Moving in with my folks next week! My lease was up, but the place I’m moving into is being renovated, and won’t be ready for a few weeks. So my parents are graciously letting their 30-year-old take over the guest bedroom.

    1. J. Money June 3, 2013 at 8:44 AM

      AWESOME!!! Sounds exactly like our situation – we’re lucky to have that as an option, eh? :)

  7. Moneysavingmomma June 3, 2013 at 8:11 AM

    My husband and I lived with my parents (and brother, sister and her two kids) for 6 months while our home was being built. Our home sold quicker than we expected and the buyers wanted to be in the home ASAP (as they were living with their parents too!) so… we moved out ASAP and then into our new home AS SOOOOON as it was ready! It was a good time to save money… have breakfast, lunch and dinner ready…. but we were ready to leave…

  8. J. Money June 3, 2013 at 8:49 AM

    Well that’s nice! I think it is all about the shorter amounts of times with a solid end in site. That way you can enjoy all the niceties to the situation, but all the while knowing there’s a cut off time in the near future. So far so good here, but we still got a ways to go! :)

  9. Sarah June 3, 2013 at 9:12 AM

    Nope, couldn’t do it.

  10. Financial Black Sheep June 3, 2013 at 9:38 AM

    Just moved and am staying with relatives until I get moved fully. Already found two jobs, so I am glad the move was a success! I hope everything goes good for you and yours :)

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:30 AM

      wow, that’s not bad at all – congrats! sounds like exciting times ahead :)

  11. grandmasmad3ringcircus June 3, 2013 at 9:41 AM

    My son and 2 grandchildren recently moved in with me..Into my 1 bedroom apt!
    I love it!
    We both work different shifts, so that really helps. We have side hustles, like a blog, selling on Etsy and Ebay. Hopefully, we will soon be able to buy a house with the money we are saving.

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:31 AM

      Awww, that sounds like you’re having a lot of fun over there :) A TON of people to fit into a 1 bedroom, but if it’s working then more power to y’all!

  12. Khaleef @ Fat Guy, Skinny Wallet June 3, 2013 at 9:45 AM

    I think this is a smart plan for you guys. Plus, they get to see their grandson whenever they want now!

    To be honest, I think my wife would be more reluctant to live with her parents, but I would be ok with it. We even considered it at one point, but then they moved out of state – I guess they did like that idea lol

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:31 AM

      haha… parents gotta keep us on our toes too after all we do to them ;)

  13. Jacob Erickson June 3, 2013 at 9:59 AM

    I could totally do it if it was for a short period of time (3 months or less), but I wouldn’t want to do it long-term. I think I could live pretty much anywhere for a little while if it meant saving a bunch of money.

  14. Debt Blag June 3, 2013 at 10:24 AM

    Wow. That is a great option to have. Glad it’s working out for you. I could probably do it for a little while, because early on she’s benefiting from the company and I’d be benefiting from the place to stay… but I feel like people get sick of me…

  15. Joan June 3, 2013 at 10:47 AM

    My mom has lived with us pretty much since we bought our house, and it’s been awesome. Don’t know if I could do the reverse (especially with my mother-in-law, who I love dearly but who probably could not live with ME moreso than the opposite) but I certainly would be willing to give it a shot!

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:33 AM

      I always joke with my m.i.l. that I’m gonna build her a miniature house in the back of ours one day for her to live, but I don’t think she believes me :) It’s great being so close to family though, yeah? glad y’all are enjoying it so far!

  16. Mike@WeOnlyDoThisOnce June 3, 2013 at 11:14 AM

    I definitely had a stint like this–just make sure it doesn’t impact your relationship in the long run!

  17. Kyle @ Debt Free Diaries June 3, 2013 at 11:35 AM

    Ironically, I’ve lived with my girlfriend’s mom for a few months a couple years back. She owns a concession trailer (best Chinese food east of the Mississippi!) and needed a little extra help one summer. Living and working with her was pretty fun! Not something I’d do longer than a couple months, but still longer than living with my own parents again. We’re actually off to visit/help out again next weekend (just for the weekend)!

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:34 AM

      Cool!!! I love me some chinese food too – that’s quite the hustle she has going on :)

  18. Michelle June 3, 2013 at 11:39 AM

    I would do it if I were you also!

  19. Retire By 40 June 3, 2013 at 11:43 AM

    My mom is staying with us to help out with the kid until October. It’s a little tight, but we love having her here. She is so helpful and I probably have to find a preschool once she leaves.
    Good job getting everything out. That’s a big job!

  20. Sean @ One Smart Dollar June 3, 2013 at 11:48 AM

    We did that for a month in between our move from Chicago to Denver. By the end of the month we were more than ready to move on. :-)

  21. Nick @ ayoungpro.com June 3, 2013 at 12:13 PM

    I just moved out of my parent’s basement this weekend. We were there for 10 months to save money while building our new home. We saved approximately $10,000, so it was great!

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:34 AM

      NICE WORK!!!! And pretty funny timing too :) First the mohawk, now this?

  22. Kristine June 3, 2013 at 12:42 PM

    I had to chuckle about your comment: ” Must be hard when all your kids are fully grown and out of the house – I wouldn’t want to be all alone at home!”
    I say this because seriously, once you’ve gone thru a short bought of ’empy nest’ syndrome (when everyone has moved out), it’s quite nice having a place all to yourself!!

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:35 AM

      I’ll have to take your word on it :) I think I’m going to move into one of those crazy nice over 55 communities once we get to that point. I feel like it’ll be college all over again just with all of us older! Haha…

  23. Debt an the Girl June 3, 2013 at 12:58 PM

    I lived with my in-laws for three months while our house was being put up for sale. It was pretty miserable but I would do it again if I had to. It was better than paying rent AND a mortage

  24. Sara June 3, 2013 at 2:34 PM

    My husband and I lived with my in-laws for a few months when we were engaged. I had an apartment and wasn’t planning on moving until our wedding, but I got mice and could NOT handle it. They have a fully finished basement which was nice because it gave us some privacy. The one weird thing for me was cooking in someone else’s kitchen. I was always nervous about upsetting someone with food aromas or being in the way when someone else wanted to cook. Would I do it again? If it was on a short-term basis, sure. Knowing that there is an end in sight helps immensely :)

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:36 AM

      I could see that being kinda weird. We don’t cook much so no problem here, but we def. want to change that in the future now that we’re bringing along kids and what not :)

  25. Peter June 3, 2013 at 2:38 PM

    I lived with my in-laws for about a month a few years ago while our house was being built – since we had to move out after we sold our previous house. In some respects it was tough because we were all living in one house and things can tend to get a little testy at times when people are all living in the same space for an extended period of time. On the other hand we had a lot of good times while we were there, and my mother in law made us home cooked meals just about every night – which was awesome! Their house is also big enough that we were able to have a space in the basement that was mostly our own.. In any event, it’s definitely a big money saver!

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:37 AM

      And if they’re as tall and big as you are, then I bet it gets cramped fast! Haha…

  26. maria@moneyprinciple June 3, 2013 at 2:39 PM

    In principle yes, we could crash with relatives. What really upsets me is the practice – having been used to having your own space and then having to share it with others is hard on all sides and needs tact, sensitivity and sensibility.

  27. Savvy Financial Latina June 3, 2013 at 3:20 PM

    It’s cool our MIL is letting you stay for free. We lived with my MIL for one month last summer. Our lease ended, and we had a gap between our other lease. To me it wasn’t worth the money to stay with my in-laws. They are a bit controlling and between them and my sister in law, they instigated several arguments between my husband and I. Let’s just say we are on better terms now.
    We, also, were not going to stay there free long term. First month was free, but we were going to pay rent if we stayed there longer. Food wasn’t free either. We actually ate out all the time because we didn’t want to be reprimanded for eating their food. Which happened.

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:39 AM

      Oh jeez, haha…. yes, that is what we’re def. trying to avoid here :) We’ve already been stocking the cabinets with food (for both us, and our m.i.l.) but certainly trying to be mindful and make sure we don’t cause any ruckus while here. Perhaps easier to do in a large house like we’re in too w/ hardly any people in it :)

  28. Lisa E. @ Lisa Vs. The Loans June 3, 2013 at 4:42 PM

    Currently living with my mom to help her out with bills and such. There are definite perks, like home-cooked meals and being able to spend quality time with each other :)

  29. Shafi June 3, 2013 at 5:02 PM

    If you give me a thousand dollars, I wouldn’t live with my in-laws. Just kidding. But no, I won’t live with them for a long stretch.

  30. Patrick June 3, 2013 at 8:05 PM

    I’d do pretty much anything to save a month’s worth of rent! Well, so long as it didn’t violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice or cause any sort of long-term painful swelling.

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:39 AM

      Haha…. long-term, no. But short-term swelling? :)

  31. jim June 3, 2013 at 8:47 PM

    We offered to let our daughter, sil and their 2 kids move in with us for 6 months – the in between time when they sold their old house and new one was being built. It would have saved them over $12K – but it also coincided with our youngest moving back home after college. We could have made it work. Daugher/sil & 2 kids could have had the entire upstairs (our master bedroom is on the main floor) and recent college grad would have happily lived in the basement – it’s where all his work out equipment etc were anywhere, but they wisely opted to not do so. In hindsight, I’m glad ’cause at the time we made the offer we didn’t realize how comfortable we had gotten with just the 2 of us living here. Having recent college grad move back home was enough of an adjustment. Trust me, we were NOT lonely, we were serene.

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:41 AM

      Awwww, well that was awesome of you guys to at least offer the option to them! Saving $12,000 is no joke, so they must have REALLY been trying to keep things sane with everyone there :) Thanks for sharing your story – glad it all worked out in the end.

  32. Erin S. June 4, 2013 at 12:02 AM

    We were so there last April and it felt like FOREVER and we weren’t lucky enough to sell or rent the house we still own in another state for an entire year (which is now being rented)! Five months of crashing with the in-laws (with two small children) and then 9 months of living in an over-priced, 2-room, (yes room, not bedroom) basement apartment with no real windows/daylight! We are moving out on Friday, and while we may only be living in a few rooms of the new house while we continue to renovate, and it will be anything but glamorous, but we will FINALLY be living in our new, old house 16 months after closing! :)

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:42 AM

      WOWWWW stop scaring me!!! That is horrible!!! But jeez, so glad you’re finally inching closer there to normalcy again :) What a crazy ride. I pray it all goes smoothly from this point on!

      1. Erin S. June 4, 2013 at 9:50 PM

        Oh, it’s totally going to go much better for you, as long as you aren’t planning on buying a 160-year old house. That’s not the plan, right? :) It’s ok, it has all been completely worth it to own the house of my dreams!

        1. J. Money June 6, 2013 at 10:13 AM

          haha no, not gonna buy a 160 year old house, at least not yet :) does sound kinda awesome though!

  33. Ally June 4, 2013 at 1:28 AM

    I’ve been living with my parents for the past..um…5 years now!! Wow, I didn’t realize it had been that long. It was only going to be for a few weeks after I graduated college but then it got comfortable. I like not paying rent or paying for food or utilities. I’ve got the entire basement to myself including a home office, a bedroom, a living room and a huge bathroom. My parents also have a hot tub and a huge backyard with a fire pit and a pond. They both work during the day and I work nights so we never see each other. Most of the time, it’s like I own the place. Still, I always get really embarrassed when I tell people that I live with my parents. I turn 30 in a few months and realize that it’s time to spread my wings and fly from the nest for good. I’m saving up for a down payment on a house and should have enough by next fall. It will be nice to have a place I can call my own, even if it isn’t as nice as my parent’s house.

    1. J. Money June 4, 2013 at 10:45 AM

      Well that’s cool! Living there for so long def. helps out with saving money for that kinda stuff – glad you have a plan now and working on it :) And living back w/ them after college isn’t *as* bad as moving out and THEN coming back home later, at least to me. Everyone I knew lived back w/ their parents after college for at least a little bit. Just not 5 years like your record, haha… They seem like cool parents though :)

  34. Keith June 4, 2013 at 10:19 PM

    I have been following your blog for a few months and I had to laugh when I saw your post. I have just moved back to Virginia (born and raised) and have convinced my family to move back in with my parents. I just started a new job and instead of finding a place immediately we are setting a goal of saving 20K before we start looking for a new place of our own.
    It is not the best arrangement but saving on the monthly rent and utilities will more that make up for the trouble.

    1. J. Money June 6, 2013 at 10:14 AM

      HAH! Like a parallel universe over here, I love it. And would totally do the same in your case too of course :) Keep me updated on how it goes, brotha.

  35. Mary Anne @ BillGuard June 4, 2013 at 11:51 PM

    I agree, I want to see the “My crazy son in law is living with me” guest post! But that being said, I think that’s a nice arrangement for a whole number of reasons — you’ll connect more closely, probably form some cherished memories, you’ll appreciate it more because you know its temporary, and you also save some cash as a bonus.

    1. J. Money June 6, 2013 at 10:14 AM

      Yup! So far so good too – really enjoying it :)

  36. JC June 6, 2013 at 3:55 PM

    I lived with my in laws for about 6 months to save money while my hubby was in between jobs.. and let me tell you.. that was the longest 6 months of my life. I think for the first time in my life I was eager to pay $1300 rent for an apartment LOL

    1. J. Money June 10, 2013 at 4:55 PM

      HAH! Glad you got outta there then when you could :) So far we’re loving it here or else I’d be singing the same tune.

  37. Pamela June 11, 2013 at 4:35 PM

    It all started as a 2 year agreement…been living with MIL for 13 years and usually love it. I do the cooking (love it) and she eats without complaining (even better since she does not cook well). My husband and I are happy to be here. She would be alone and I do not believe she would enjoy that experience so much. We talk all day since I am currently unemployed but actively seeking. My husband works nights so we have time to enjoy each others company in the afternoons. Our youngest daughter has returned to the “Hut” as we have named the house. It is small, but seems to be expandable. We all fit and have a great time with each other, extended family, neighbors and friends. It is a good situation. We are not saving at this time but we are paying the bills without crying each month. It is a serious blessing to be here.

  38. J. Money June 13, 2013 at 9:12 AM

    Awww well that’s good to hear :) Seems like your MIL is enjoying herself too – that’s even better. I wouldn’t like being alone myself so in the future I’ll most def. allow family over anytime :) Hope you find a good job soon!