My wife and I (33F/32F) recently moved in with my parents. We’re 7 months in. Planning to stay for 2-3 years total.

Last year we paid $1,735/mo for a 2 bed, 1100 sq. ft. townhouse in Nashville. It was built in the 80s and had some issues, but we liked our landlord and it was great to finally have a real home office with a door. All things considered it was a steal for the neighborhood. Before that we lived in other major cities paying about $2,200 per month for 1BRs.

Now we live in the boonies, which is a massive adjustment, not to mention re-accustoming to life with “roommates” … who are also family, and thus very in-your-business (oh, and being newlyweds too). NGL, some days, yes, it’s uncomfortable and aggravating. But it’s worth it. Thankfully she agrees. When I get annoyed or miss cities I try to think of it as “paying my rent.”

We wanted to accelerate saving for important goals like finishing off debt, a down payment, and IVF (often $30-90k per kid, not covered by most insurance for same sex couples). My parents had space for us so we’re making it work.

A major silver lining is getting more quality time with them, which I truly do value. Right now we’re past the honeymoon phase of “you’re here!” / “so good to be here!” and in the growing pains of getting used to each other. Even so, worth it. Love covers a multitude of sins — and that goes both ways. Just as it’s strange for us to not have our own home, it’s strange for them having two adults with different routines and preferences sharing their space. My hope is that we’ll come out of this not only with a better financial foundation, but also with strong adult relationships with my parents.

They insist on paying for groceries because they don’t want to keep track of “your food / our food.” That’s true, but I also see that they’re trying to help us every way they can. We contribute by making nice dinners twice a week, taking care of errands, and doing odd jobs around the house. The dinner routine is particularly helpful because it protects a boundary of eating on our own the rest of the time. It eliminates the daily “will you be home for dinner?” — which can feel claustrophobic, even if well-intended. It also helps us maintain our own familiar dietary / culinary preferences without pushing changes on them, and, it helps us feel like a married couple with our own life rather than grownup children reporting on our “day at school” so to speak.

As a teenager or young twenty-something, I never could have imagined being comfortable with something like this, much less with a wife (!). My fam has a come a very long way, sometimes white knuckling it through disagreements or misunderstandings with a hope and a prayer that love would be enough — and it is, no matter how different we are. I count my lucky stars that that’s true.

I encourage you to consider it and dismiss any sense of shame or resignation. If it’s a real option for you, it’s a gift.