5 Tips for Boomerang Kids

Set goals and time limits. First of all, think about why you have to move back home. Is it because you can't find a job, need to repay your student loans, or want to save for a place of your own? Your reason for moving home is the goal you need to accomplish in order to move out. Setting a time limit will be a motivation for accomplishing your goals and getting your own place. Don't become one of those boomerang kids who move back home for an unidentified period of time.

Discuss your expectations and ground rules. Do your parents expect you to pay rent? How are you going to split the bills? Are you expected to help around the house? Can you invite your friends over? And what about overnight guests? As a responsible adult (and we hope you are one), you need to understand the importance of financial boundaries and respect your parents' rules, as long as they are reasonable.

Remember that you are not just a roommate. Don't treat your parents as if they were your roomies; they are your family. Moving in with your parents is a good opportunity to spend more time with them. We don't say that you have to spend every spare minute with your parents, but having a family dinner at least once a week would be nice. You should also contribute to the household even if your parents don't expect you to. It's a nice thing to do.

Don't forget about your goals. Living with parents is comfortable but you will have to move out eventually. So don't get too comfortable! You must work towards achieving your goals. If you need a job, start looking for one. If you need money to be able to afford your own place or pay off your college loans, save as much as you can. Whatever your goals are, never forget about them.

Remember that you're not a loser. Many boomerang kids feel guilty about moving back with their parents, but sometimes there are really no other options. You can't blame yourself for a bad economy. Every cloud has a silver lining: while your peers have to live in tiny apartments and spend money on rent, you are living in a house, saving money and spending more time with the people you love. Of course, you can't live like this forever, but it's a pretty good arrangement for a broke college graduate.