astonce a month (when you pay your rent), you'll be thankful. Andif, even better, the two of you become instant friends, you'vegot built-in company -- a support system when you arrive home inthe evenings after a tough day at the office. She's a soundingboard for your every frustration. What could be better?Living alone could be better -- and is better for many apartmentrenters. Sure, it costs more, but you're paying for theindispensable amenities of peace and quiet, privacy, and knowingthat when the phone rings, it's for you. Nobody eats yourgroceries, leaves their clothes on the floor, or arrives home at2 a.m. and interrupts your beauty rest with the slam of a door.On the other hand, single life has been known to become lonelyon occasion, perhaps even claustrophobic. When weekends rollaround, you social butterflies are climbing the walls. Andshould your plans fall th...

...rough, you find yourself having alively conversation with your dirty laundry. Yet, still otherslove the solitude that a roommateless existence allows.Self-determination is their mantra -- the ability to go anyplace they want, any time.So there are two very valid sides to this coin. If you findyourself with the roommate from hell, there's precious littleyou can do about it if you're both paying rent.If you decide to get a roommate, you're going to need to sitdown first and discuss anything and everything. Even if youalready know your roommate, you probably don't. Talking aboutthese subjects up front initially may seem callous, cold, andcalculating, but better you clear the air now than to discoverlater that you made a serious mistake. Here are a fewsuggestions for your discussion:Money * When are bills due? * How are they going to be split? * Isthere a damage deposit? * Who is the deposit payable to? * Underwhat conditions is it refundable? Furnishings * Whose furnishings are you going to use? * If you supply mostof the furniture, are you expecting to be compensated? * Ifthere is damage done to one's possessions, how will the other becompensated? CleaningWho is going to clean what, and when? * Is there going to be a cleaning schedule? * What happens ifsomeone neglects their responsibility? * Are cleaning suppliesgoing to be shared? * How are cleaning supplies going to be paidfor? House fund? Individually? * If someone cleans more often,are they going to be compensated in some way? Relationship * Are you going to be strictly roommates or friends too? (Youmay only discover the answer to this question over time.) How isthis going to effect your living arrangements? Overnight visitors * Can you have overnight guests? * How many nights is OK? *Will they be using a common bathroom? * Are they going to besharing food? Terms & length * How about a no-obligation trial period of, for example, 30days? Sixty days? * What kind of notice is required before oneroommate moves out? * And put as many details in writing as youcan. This will protect both of you should you have difficultiesgetting along. Vices * Discuss personal feelings on smoking, drinking, and drugs.Will these be permissible? * If so, under what conditions? *What if somebody breaks the rules? * What if friends engage inthese activities? Sharing * What will be shared, and what will be kept as personal items?* Are you going to share food? * Are separate telephones linesnecessary? * Will you be cooking together or separately? Source: Roomies Roommate ServiceTo determine if you'd be a model roommate or a terrible one,take the Seattle Times' roommate quiz. You'll be left with nodoubt. And if you fail the quiz, consider the merits of sololife....