• Roommate : Darren Wendroff
• Ages: 39
• Where : Orlando, Fla.

When I started a new company I knew I would have a hard time affording a place of my own in downtown Orlando. I traded a one-bedroom rental for a four bedroom, two bath so I could get two other roommates, Kathryn and Klye, to help pay the rent.

I don't like having roommates at my age. It's embarrassing if a date wants to stop by my house, but it's been a great investment for my business. For room, board, utilities, Internet and the home office, I pay $300 a month after getting rent from my roommates.

Before this, I always felt it was important for me to have my own place, to feel confident about yourself. Plus, I owned an accounting firm with my brother and it was very stressful. It was good to come home to a private place. Now I don't feel it's my personal space. I can't do some things -- like get a new dog -- because it affects my roommates. I also meditate and that's not as easy to do.

With working in a home office though, I'll run into a roommate in the kitchen and we'll talk. It's kind of nice to have some social interaction -- and it does save on rent.

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