Dilemmas

I have a roommate problem. We haven't been getting long at all the past two months or so, and really things haven't been good for the better part of a year. I need to move, but I've got some dilemmas.

Right now, I live basically rent free with the parents. I've done that so I could get my masters to get my pay raise and pay off the tuition for the degree at the same time. On top of working on paying off the undergrad loans which will be there for the next 17 years. Since I'm one of those people who get a 3 month paid vacation every summer, I get paid somewhat accordingly. In other words, I get paid in cardboard peanuts.

I was just recently preapproved for a loan for a house. Good, problem solved, right? Problem with that is, unless I want to live in a total dump with gunshots going off all around me, I can't afford to live in a nice, safe, small, starter house. Well, I could, but then I'd have exactly $3.69 each month left over, and that's only if the price of gas stays below $4. If not, I'm screwed. I don't really want to rent an apartment because I just know I'm flushing my money/cardboard peanuts into someone else's investment pocket. I also can't find a roommate to save my life. I've tried for the better part of 3 years now. No one wants to live with me.

Dear boyfriend keeps changing his tune on the advice he is giving me. He owns his own house. I'm not moving in that house because a)he bought it with his ex-wife, and b) he's refusing to sell it until he's married again so he doesn't end up screwed and homeless. I can't argue with him on that point. One moment dear boyfriend says for me to stay with my parents and keep living with him half the time like I do now. That way I could save an additional good chunk of money for us to put down on a house once we're married. I could deal with this if the whole wedding wasn't far off, but seeing as how we're not anywhere close to being engaged, I can't. Even the half time now in my current residence drives me to tears at least once a week. Then dear boyfriend switches to "buy a house, get out, and I'll move in there with you when we're married." Again, not anywhere close to a wedding.

My parents don't want me to move. If they had it their way, I'd live here forever doing everything they said. They also seem to be imposing a deadline on when dear boyfriend and I should start moving things along. They don't seem to get that we're not ready for the next step. We will be someday, but not right now.

So, thoughts, advice, opinions?