share accommodation

The art of sharing a house or apartment with other people, usually friends or acquaintances, in order to reduce the cost of living.

If you haven't lived in shared accommodation before, and are considering it, here are some tips:

• Think carefully about who you are going to live with.
  • Will they drive you insane in under a week?
  • Do they have the income to be able to pay their part of the rent and bills? Having a little bit of a bad rental rep. is like being a little bit pregnant
  • Do they have friends or a significant other that you would kill if in the same room with for longer than five minutes?
• Can you afford it? Do a budget to figure out what your expenses are going to be. Also keep in mind that you may have to pay a share of the bond, and/or installation charges for the phone and electricity.
• If there's something that you can't live with, be up front with it before people are committed. e.g. If you definitely don't want drugs around the house, say so beforehand, rather than getting upset later on.
• If you're going to throw a party, let your housemates know. They prefer this for some reason
• Share chocolate occasionally. It gives off endorphins and good vibes.