How old were you you when you first moved in with a partner?

[MaudeLebowski]

Hello all,

DD is 23 and is house hunting with her boyfriend, aged 24.

I hadn't thought twice about it, but a colleague has this morning expressed shock that they are doing it so young.

I don't even think they are young. They are financially independent 20-somthings with good jobs and career prospects.

So... is 23/24 unusual? What did you do?

Ermm. 16

19 and married . WTF was I thinking?

21, although we rented first before buying so felt less of a commitment

I was 19 living in London. Made more sense in all ways for us to live together.

I was 18. bf was 19. My mother got married when she was 17! So to me, 23 and 24 is not 'so young'.

Just turned 24.

I married him 3 months later, first child the following year, 2nd child and a mortgage the year after that so no, I don't feel it's too young.

I think it just shows how people have changed that it does feel young these days. I think it's possibly because so many people act younger for longer. So many people in their 20s (and 30s!) still living with and sometimes off their parents and being, well, children really. (not everyone) That now what was perfectly normal and an average time to be grown up, responsible and strike out on your own feels young.

Doesn't feel young to me either! DD left home at 18, so its been a long time since I've felt entitled to express shock at her actions!

22

23

I was 18. 23 isn't young. Does your colleague have children herself? There seems to be a trend to continue treating adults as if they are 8 years old.

I was 22. I moved in with my boyfriend right after leaving university.

20

19, but it was a houseshare with other students at university.

I rented a flat (different boyfriend, now DH) at 22, and bought a house with him at 24.

22

I was 19, moved in with my boyfriend at the end of my first year at Uni. Moved in with other people as well if that makes any odds, but we moved into a room in a house together. We lived together for a year, and I moved in with a different boyfriend for the second time at 21.

Lived in a houseshare with uni boyf at 19. Then alone with next boyfriend at 25. Not too young!

18 with first boyfriend then 21 then got married at the same age.

Thinking back I was a bit young but didn't feel it at the time.

I was 24, he was 23 and we'd been together six years by then!

20, but would have been more sensible to wait a couple of years.

Rented with BF at 19 and bought house together at 25. If your DD & her BF can afford a house nowadays, at their age, they must have their heads screwed on. I wouldn't worry.

Colleague is early 30s and only has little ones.

About 24.

Moved in together at 21, married with a mortgage at 23 - but that was about 25 years ago. A lot of people seem to be slower to fly the nest these days, most likely because rents and house prices are so unaffordable. If your DD and partner can afford it, then no, there is no way they are too young.

Rented at 18 with DH (then BF) and bought at 25. Loved it, every skint second. My independence was (and is) very important to me. I do wistfully think about how great it would have been to live "alone" but I do love DH so I compromise!