Stay or move from rural rent?

[noctule01]

I'm a single parent with two dc early / mid teens - currently renting in very small village in very rural location and unsure whether to move.
Pros - it's a secure, long term tenancy (pretty much for life if I want it), great little house, very reasonable rent.
Cons - no other young people in village, no garden, limited public transport, nothing to do for dc, limited social opportunities for me too (have been single for years), long journey to work and school.
I can't afford to buy - do I look for somewhere to rent closer to school / larger communities with more scope for dc but that will be more expensive (possibly double what paying now) and likely less secure, or do we count our blessings and make the best of it?
After moving twice already with dc don't want to move again, but also worried current location is holding them back. Advice from anyone with experience of teens and rural life / rental market would be much appreciated.

Stay, if only because of this, with rents skyrocketing you would be mad to move:

Pros - it's a secure, long term tenancy (pretty much for life if I want it), great little house, very reasonable rent.

Thanks @TheNoonBell you're probably right, what I can save by staying could make a positive difference for dc in other ways

While I think it would be a waste of your potential life opportunities (socially and romantically) to stay in this house "for life if you want it", I don't think now is the time to move. I think the housing stability you have, plus additional cash is a big positive. Things will change over the years, your DC will potentially want to move away, housing may become more affordable (I hope!), and you may only need to house yourself, which will open up more possibilities for you. Right now, with the cost of living and a brutal rental market, I'd stay put and make the most of a really fortunate position.

Thank you @SilentHedges . Yes the current situation is a good reason to stay - if I make the definite decision to stay for now, I can focus on ways to make opportunities for dc to spread their wings a bit. But not feel I have to be here forever! Good to have objective views on it, thanks.

I'd stay.

Factor in the extra money you might've had to spend on rent if you moved on transport, getting out more for activity with the kids further away. Perhaps do more stuff in the area you'd eventually like to move to so you get to know people.

Join an active club with the rent money that you save.
Consider a fishing club, bush walking group, indoor cricket, cycling, volunteering with Red Cross - find something you can all enjoy and commit to. You might find a new set of friends.

What options would you have if you did choose to move and would they bring enough benefits to outweigh the loss of a secure home? I mean would it just be another village with the same limitations for example? Or say only very slightly better transport?

They're teenagers - it's normal for them to go to university or college somewhere else. You'll be in a better position to manage and maybe help them with your lower rent, compared to skint somewhere else.

Stay, rents are mad at the moment.

How rural is very rural? How old are your kids? Is there a young farmers near you (you don’t have to be a farmer to go). A lot of my friends growing up did most of their socialising through YF and a few met their partners. Not sure how old you are but it is from 10-28 (but you can be older too). They have lots of events/activities, some groups do trips away etc. A lot of rural communities have a YF maybe worth looking into.

Thanks everyone, good suggestions. I'll stop worrying and stay put for now, then like you say in better position to do something later on and / or help dc through college / uni / leaving home. I would save on fuel if moved closer to work and school but unless something really good comes up advantages of secure tenancy prob outway advantages of being closer for now..