This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
What is your actual financial position?
A Change In Circumstance
But what if circumstances changed?
If you didn’t have a roommate, a partner, or family to split your expenses with, would you:
Option A: Thrive
Option B: Survive
Option C: Struggle
If your roommate/family/partner were to dip out, ensure you can still afford the following:
Your bills.
The rent/mortgage at full price.
Your car note.
Your student loan payments.
Your credit card bill.
Your groceries.
Your gas budget.
Everything else.
Financial Dependence Is Disorienting
Too often, we start to think others’ money is also our money. We need to remember that only our money is our money.
Most of us have a keen sense of awareness of how financially dependent we are on someone, but there are times when we forget just how dependent we have become on someone else’s income to maintain a particular lifestyle.
If you are not living on your own, you need to ensure that your lifestyle is maintainable without the additional help or be willing to adjust your lifestyle if you lose the additional financial support.
There is nothing wrong with living a little bit of the high life if you’re slashing 50% or more of your expenses and saving.
If you’re not saving, you definitely should pause living the high life. You have no excuse for not having a stack of dough saved up when splitting expenses. Yet, so many people don’t, primarily because they are victims of lifestyle inflation. The money they could be saving is now being spent on unnecessary things they used to think twice about buying before entering the extra cash flow.
Today, take a moment to think about your financial disposition if you were without any financial aid. The thoughts that follow this question will help you take steps to prepare for change or continue on the road you’re on. Kudos to those who don’t need to make any changes; these people live within their means, save their money, avoid lifestyle inflation, and don’t rely on someone else’s contributions and income to fund their lifestyle.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.